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 deter-
mined 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 Inter-
national Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (Con-
vention), signed in Washington, D.C., on December 2, 
1946, which established the International Whaling Com-
mission (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 commer-
cial whaling that went into effect in 1986 to conserve and 
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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 exemp-
tion 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 consist-
ently concluded that whaling conducted for scientific re-
search purposes is unnecessary as non-lethal research al-
ternatives 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 di-
minishing the effectiveness of the Commission’s conserva-
tion 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 suf-
fering 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 mora-
torium on commercial whaling; 
Whereas the Conservation Committee of the Commission, es-
tablished in 2003, has focused on threats to the world’s 
whales, such as ship collisions, incidental capture and en-
tanglement, and the effects of sounds caused by humans; 
and 
Whereas whales migrate throughout the world’s oceans, inter-
national cooperation is required to successfully conserve 
and protect them: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) expresses its sense that the United States 
should continue to be a global leader in whale con-
servation and protection, and promote international 
efforts to conserve and protect the world’s whales; 
(2) strongly opposes commercial whaling and 
supports use of all appropriate measures to end 
commercial whaling in any form, including whaling 
under the guise of science; 
(3) urges Japan to cease all whaling; 
(4) affirms the commitment of the United 
States to protect whales and to support global whale 
sanctuaries; 
(5) seeks to strengthen conservation and man-
agement measures to facilitate the conservation of 
whale species and populations; and 
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(6) welcomes the opportunity to work with 
Japan and other International Whaling Commission 
member countries at the next Commission meeting 
in Brazil in 2018 to expand and support ongoing ef-
forts to prevent or mitigate threats to whales and 
their habitats, such as ocean noise, marine debris, 
ship strikes, entanglements, toxic contaminants, and 
disease. 
Æ 
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