The Pew Whale Conservation Project

Whales face more threats today than at any other time in history—from hunting, ship strikes, fishing gear entanglements and global warming. Yet Japan, Iceland and Norway continue to thwart a worldwide prohibition on commercial whaling, using self-granted permits to conduct lethal scientific research and by exempting themselves from the ban. More than 30,000 whales have been killed and their meat sold commercially since the International Whaling Commission prohibited commercial whaling in 1986.

The Pew Whale Conservation Project aims to

• eliminate the self-described “scientific” whaling loophole to the global moratorium, through which more than 2,000 whales are killed each year, including whale species that are threatened and endangered;
• establish a true, whaling-free Southern Hemisphere, which would protect key feeding and breeding areas;
• and promote a binding regime that significantly and permanently curtails whaling activities by Japan, Norway and Iceland, while preventing other nations from initiating commercial whaling activities.

The Pew Whale Conservation Project will continue to work with governments, non-governmental organizations, scientists and individuals that share these objectives and want to move past the current impasse at the International Whaling Commission.

Additionally, Pew is a member of the “Whales Need US” Coalition, a joint effort of 20 U.S.-based environmental, conservation and animal-welfare organizations representing more than 15 million people. The coalition is urging the United States government to intensify efforts to end commercial whaling.

Contact

Daniel Klotz
Communications Officer
Pew Environment Group|
The Pew Charitable Trusts
p: 202-887-8855 | c: 347-307-2866

dklotz@pewtrusts.org

Download the Pew Whale Conservation Project Factsheet.