For a Whale Sanctuary in the Arctic Ocean
The Southern Ocean Sanctuary adopted at the I.W.C’s 46th meeting reinforces the global moratorium on commercial whaling and completes the Indian Ocean Sanctuary.
It is time now to create a sanctuary for whales in the northern hemisphere.
Creation of a circumpolar Arctic Ocean Sanctuary would insure protection for northern whale populations under the responsibility of the I.W.C.
The creation of a northern sanctuary should not represent any problem as none of the northern I.W.C. member states opposed adoption of the southern sanctuary, (i.e : Norway, Denmark, Finland, Russian Federation, Sweden and United States).
