IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 244 

Expressing support for Japan to end its whaling in all forms and to 

strengthen measures to conserve whale populations. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 3, 2017 

Mr. GAETZ (for himself, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. 

TENNEY, and Mr. HASTINGS) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 

Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for Japan to end its whaling in all forms 

and to strengthen measures to conserve whale populations. 

Whereas 88 countries have adopted or adhered to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (Convention), signed in Washington, D.C., on December 2, 

1946, which established the International Whaling Commission (Commission) to provide for the conservation of 

whale stocks for future generations; 

Whereas Japan is a great friend and critical national security 

ally of the United States; 

Whereas the Commission adopted a moratorium on commercial whaling that went into effect in 1986 to conserve and 


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•HRES 244 IH 

promote the recovery of whale populations, many of 

which had been hunted to near extinction by the whaling 

industry; 

Whereas the Convention includes a scientific research exemption to the commercial whaling moratorium which Japan 

has used for 30 years, to kill nearly 16,000 whales under 

the guise of science; 

Whereas cetacean scientists around the world have consistently concluded that whaling conducted for scientific research purposes is unnecessary as non-lethal research alternatives exist; 

Whereas Japan has been certified four times under section 8 

of the Fisherman’s Protection Act of 1967 (22 U.S.C. 

1978), popularly known as the Pelly Amendment, for diminishing the effectiveness of the Commission’s conservation measures; 

Whereas, Japan launched another whaling program in the 

southern ocean in December 2015, killing 333 Antarctic 

minke whales, many of them pregnant females; 

Whereas Japan recently announced its intention to begin a 

new 12-year whaling program in the North Pacific; 

Whereas whales have been killed by nearly every method 

imaginable, from explosive harpoons and cold harpoons to 

electric lances and bullets; 

Whereas no matter what method is used, tremendous suffering can ensue, as death may take from several minutes 

potentially to hours, especially in the case of animals 

struck and then lost; 

Whereas commercial whaling, including scientific whaling and 

any coastal or community-based whaling, undermines the 

conservation mandate of the Convention; 


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Whereas all coastal whaling is commercial, unless conducted 

under the aboriginal subsistence exemption to the moratorium on commercial whaling; 

Whereas the Conservation Committee of the Commission, established in 2003, has focused on threats to the world’s 

whales, such as ship collisions, incidental capture and entanglement, and the effects of sounds caused by humans; 

and 

Whereas whales migrate throughout the world’s oceans, international cooperation is required to successfully conserve 

and protect them: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses its sense that the United States 

3 should continue to be a global leader in whale con4 servation and protection, and promote international 

5 efforts to conserve and protect the world’s whales; 

6 (2) strongly opposes commercial whaling and 

7 supports use of all appropriate measures to end 

8 commercial whaling in any form, including whaling 

9 under the guise of science; 

10 (3) urges Japan to cease all whaling; 

11 (4) affirms the commitment of the United 

12 States to protect whales and to support global whale 

13 sanctuaries; 

14 (5) seeks to strengthen conservation and man15 agement measures to facilitate the conservation of 

16 whale species and populations; and 


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1 (6) welcomes the opportunity to work with 

2 Japan and other International Whaling Commission 

3 member countries at the next Commission meeting 

4 in Brazil in 2018 to expand and support ongoing ef5 forts to prevent or mitigate threats to whales and 

6 their habitats, such as ocean noise, marine debris, 

7 ship strikes, entanglements, toxic contaminants, and 

8 disease. 

Æ 


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