IWC pushes for stronger whale protection

October 04, 2026

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has concluded its 70th meeting in Hobart, Australia, with new measures aimed at protecting whales from growing human-caused threats. However, a long-running proposal to establish a vast whale sanctuary in the South Atlantic once again failed to secure enough support.

The meeting coincided with the 80th anniversary of the international convention that established the IWC and 40 years since the global moratorium on commercial whaling came into effect.

Delegates made progress on several conservation issues, including vessel strikes, cetacean strandings and accidental catches linked to the international fish maw trade. The commission also adopted the Hobart Declaration, a consensus statement recognising its history and the evolving challenges facing whale populations.

South Atlantic whale sanctuary fails to gain enough votes

One of the most closely watched proposals at the Hobart meeting was Brazil's renewed attempt to establish the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary.

The proposed protected area would cover approximately 21 million square kilometres, stretching from the equator toward Antarctica. It was designed to create a large, permanent refuge from commercial whaling across important feeding, breeding and migration areas.

Because establishing the sanctuary requires an amendment to the whaling convention, at least three-quarters of voting members needed to support the proposal.

The measure received 39 votes in favour, while 18 countries voted against it and three abstained. That left the proposal short of the threshold required for adoption.

Despite the defeat, Brazil indicated that it intends to continue bringing the sanctuary proposal before future IWC meetings.

The issue highlights a long-standing divide within the commission between countries prioritising stronger whale conservation measures and governments that support continued or expanded use of whale resources.

IWC adopts historic hobart declaration

Although delegates remained divided over the South Atlantic sanctuary, they reached consensus on the Hobart Declaration marking the 80th anniversary of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.

The declaration acknowledges the recovery of some whale populations following decades of protection while also recognising that whales now face a broader range of human-driven pressures.

These include collisions with vessels, fishing-gear entanglement, underwater noise and other changes affecting marine ecosystems.

The agreement is particularly notable because IWC members often hold sharply different positions on whaling policy. Reaching consensus therefore demonstrated that member governments can still find common ground on major conservation challenges.

Vessel strikes become a key whale conservation priority

Ship strikes were among the major conservation issues addressed during the Hobart meeting.

As shipping activity expands across the world's oceans, collisions between vessels and whales pose a significant risk, particularly along migration routes and in areas where shipping lanes overlap with important whale habitats.

The IWC supported measures designed to improve the monitoring and reporting of whale collisions and encourage greater cooperation between governments, maritime authorities and the shipping industry.

Potential approaches include identifying high-risk areas, adjusting vessel routes where appropriate and reducing ship speeds to lower the likelihood and severity of collisions.

The commission's focus on vessel strikes reflects the changing nature of whale conservation. Although commercial whaling has declined dramatically from its historical peak, whales continue to face substantial risks from modern maritime activity.

Fish maw trade and cetacean bycatch also targeted

Delegates also adopted a resolution addressing the international trade in fish maw — the dried swim bladders of certain fish species — and its connection with accidental catches of threatened whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Fishing practices associated with valuable fish maw species can unintentionally trap cetaceans, adding pressure to already vulnerable populations.

By supporting stronger international cooperation and monitoring, the IWC aims to reduce these unintended deaths and improve protection for threatened marine mammals.

40 years since the commercial whaling moratorium

The Hobart meeting also marked four decades since the IWC's global moratorium on commercial whaling took effect in 1986.

The measure is widely regarded as a major turning point in global whale conservation. Several populations that had been severely depleted by industrial whaling have since shown substantial recovery.

However, commercial whaling has not disappeared entirely. Norway and Iceland continue commercial whaling, while Japan resumed commercial hunts after leaving the IWC in 2019.

Meanwhile, conservation priorities have expanded beyond hunting.

Climate change, vessel strikes, fishing-gear entanglement, underwater noise, bycatch and changes to marine food supplies are increasingly important factors affecting whale populations.

Whale conservation enters a new era

The outcome of the Hobart meeting demonstrates both the achievements and limitations of international whale conservation.

The failure to establish the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary shows that major policy divisions remain among IWC members. At the same time, agreements on vessel strikes, strandings, fish maw-related bycatch and the Hobart Declaration demonstrate continued cooperation on emerging threats.

For the IWC, protecting whales in the coming decades will increasingly mean addressing the wider pressures created by shipping, fishing and changing ocean conditions — not only commercial hunting.

Brazil's commitment to continue pursuing the South Atlantic sanctuary also means the proposal is unlikely to disappear from the international conservation agenda.

After 80 years, the commission's role is continuing to evolve from regulating whaling toward addressing the broader range of threats facing whales and other cetaceans in the world's oceans.