IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 216
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the policy of the United 
States at the 55th Annual Meeting of the International Whaling Commission. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2003
Mr. DELAHUNT (for himself, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of Cali-
fornia, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. FARR, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. 
ALLEN, and Mr. ABERCROMBIE) submitted the following concurrent reso-
lution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the policy 
of the United States at the 55th Annual Meeting of 
the International Whaling Commission.
Whereas whales have very low reproductive rates, making 
whale populations extremely vulnerable to pressure from 
commercial whaling; 
Whereas whales migrate throughout the world’s oceans and 
international cooperation is required to successfully con-
serve and protect whale stocks; 
Whereas in 1946 a significant number of the nations of the 
world adopted the International Convention for the Regu-
lation of Whaling, which established the International
•HCON 216 IH 
Whaling Commission to provide for the proper conserva-
tion of whale stocks; 
Whereas the Commission adopted a moratorium on commer-
cial whaling in 1982 in order to conserve and promote 
the recovery of whale stocks, many of which had been 
hunted to near extinction by the commercial whaling in-
dustry; 
Whereas the Commission has designated the Indian Ocean 
and the ocean waters around Antarctica as whale sanc-
tuaries to further enhance the recovery of whale stocks; 
Whereas many nations of the world have designated waters 
under their jurisdiction as whale sanctuaries where com-
mercial whaling is prohibited, and additional regional 
whale sanctuaries have been proposed by nations that are 
members of the Commission; 
Whereas one nation has joined the Commission under ques-
tionable authority and claims it has a reservation to the 
moratorium that is not recognized by all other Commis-
sion members; 
Whereas two member nations currently have reservations to 
the Commission’s moratorium on commercial whaling, 
and one member nation is currently conducting commer-
cial whaling operations in spite of the moratorium and 
the protests of other nations; 
Whereas the Commission has adopted several resolutions at 
recent meetings asking member nations to halt commer-
cial whaling activities conducted under reservation to the 
moratorium and to refrain from issuing special permits 
for research involving the killing of whales; 
Whereas one member nation of the Commission has taken a 
reservation to the Commission’s Southern Ocean Sanc-
•HCON 216 IH 
tuary and also continues to conduct unnecessary lethal 
scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean and in the 
North Pacific Ocean; 
Whereas whale meat and blubber are being sold commercially 
from whales killed pursuant to such unnecessary lethal 
scientific whaling, further undermining the moratorium 
on commercial whaling; 
Whereas the Commission’s Scientific Committee has repeat-
edly expressed serious concerns about the scientific need 
for such lethal research and recognizes the importance of 
demonstrating and expanding the use of non-lethal sci-
entific research methods; 
Whereas one member nation in the past unsuccessfully 
sought an exemption allowing commercial whaling of up 
to 50 minke whales, now uses a scientific permit for 
these same vessels to take 50 minke whales, and con-
tinues to seek avenues to allow lethal takes of whales by 
vessels from specific communities in a manner that would 
undermine the moratorium on commercial whaling; 
Whereas more than 7,500 whales have been killed in lethal 
scientific whaling programs since the adoption of the 
commercial whaling moratorium and the lethal take of 
whales under scientific permits has increased both in 
quantity and species, with species now including minke, 
Bryde’s, sei, and sperm whales, and a new proposal has 
been offered to include fin whales for the first time; 
Whereas the first international trade of whale meat in 15 
years occurred last year between two member countries, 
and other member countries have stated their intentions 
to engage in international trade of whale products, de-
•HCON 216 IH 
spite a ban on such trade under the Convention on Inter-
national Trade in Endangered Species; and 
Whereas engaging in commercial whaling under reservation 
and lethal scientific whaling undermines the conservation 
program of the Commission: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Inter-
national Whaling Commission the United States 
should—
(A) remain firmly opposed to commercial 
whaling; 
(B) initiate and support efforts to ensure 
that all activities conducted under reservations 
to the Commission’s moratorium or sanctuaries 
are ceased; 
(C) not recognize the reservation to the 
moratorium 
against 
commercial 
whaling 
claimed by one nation that has joined the Com-
mission under questionable authority; 
(D) oppose the lethal taking of whales for 
scientific purposes unless such lethal taking is 
specifically authorized by the Scientific Com-
mittee of the Commission to be necessary for 
scientific purposes, seek support for expanding 
the use of non-lethal research methods, and
•HCON 216 IH 
seek to end the sale of whale meat and blubber 
from whales killed for unnecessary lethal sci-
entific research; 
(E) seek the Commission’s support for spe-
cific efforts by member nations to end trade in 
whale meat; 
(F) support the permanent protection of 
whale populations through the establishment of 
whale sanctuaries in which commercial whaling 
is prohibited; and 
(G) support efforts to expand data collec-
tion on whale populations, monitor and reduce 
whale bycatch and other incidental impacts, cre-
ate a Conservation Committee, and otherwise 
expand whale conservation efforts; 
(2) at the 13th Conference of the Parties to the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
Species, the United States should oppose all efforts 
to reopen international trade in whale meat or 
downlist any whale population; 
(3) the United States should make full use of 
all appropriate diplomatic mechanisms, relevant 
international laws and agreements, and other appro-
priate mechanisms to implement the goals set forth 
in paragraphs (1) and (2); and
•HCON 216 IH 
(4) if the Secretary of Commerce certifies to 
the President, under section 8(a)(2) of the Fisher-
men’s 
Protective 
Act 
of 
1967 
(22 
U.S.C. 
1978(a)(2)), that nationals of a foreign country are 
engaging in trade or a taking which diminishes the 
effectiveness of the Convention, then the United 
States should take appropriate steps at its disposal 
pursuant to Federal law to convince such foreign 
country to cease such trade or taking.
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