Humpback whale
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was established in 1946 to "provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks" and "thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry."
At the time, the whaling industry had already severely depleted many of the world's great whale populations. Gray, Bowhead and Right whales were considered commercially extinct. Yet it was not until 1982 that members of the IWC voted to adopt a moratorium on commercial whaling. The ban came into effect in 1986.
The IWC today is a very polarised organisation. It is split between those member states who believe it exists to support the interests of whalers, and those who believe it has a responsibility to preserve the remaining populations of whales.
Now Japan and Norway (as well as Iceland who rejoined the IWC this year) want to resume large-scale commercial whaling and have undertaken a major effort to overturn the international ban on whaling. Unable to persuade members of the IWC to lift the current moratorium on commercial whaling, Japan has embarked on a vote-buying initiative to manipulate the process and shift the balance of power at the IWC.
Japan is gaining allies by recruiting new countries into the commission which then vote in a block with Japan. This recruitment process involves offering fisheries aid to poor coastal countries in exchange for supporting Japan's whaling policies.
As a result of this strategy Japan has assembled a blocking minority within the IWC. This minority has prevented the creation of whale sanctuaries in the South Pacific and South Atlantic.
