SC/69A/SD & DNA/02  

Document Number

SC/69A/SD & DNA/02

Full Title

An update of the Japanese DNA register for large whales

Author

Mutsuo Goto, Yukitoshi Katayama And Mioko Taguchi

Authors Summary

The technical specifications and the status of the Japanese DNA register for large whales was presented and discussed during the 2005 International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee (IWC SC) meeting (IWC, 2006). Since then, the number of genetic samples and the number of individuals analyzed and registered have been reported to the IWC SC annual meetings. The annual reports have included information of whales taken by former special scientific permits in the North Pacific (JARPN/JARPNII and NEWREP-NP) and Antarctic (JARPA/JARPAII and NEWREP-A), commercial whaling in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) , and bycatches along the Japanese coast. It should be noted that the special scientific permit takes under NEWREP-A and NEWREP-NP programs were terminated in June 2019 as an effect of the withdrawal of Japan from the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) on 30 June 2019. From 1 July 2019, commercial whaling within Japan’s EEZ was started, and samples taken have been registered in the Japanese DNA register. The Japanese regulation on bycatches of large whales in Japan (established from 1 July 2001) requires that all animals should be registered with a DNA profile before any products derived from a bycaught animal are sold in the market.

Publisher

IWC

Keywords

Publication Year

2023

Abstract

The technical specifications and the status of the Japanese DNA register for large whales was presented and discussed during the 2005 International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee (IWC SC) meeting (IWC, 2006). Since then, the number of genetic samples and the number of individuals analyzed and registered have been reported to the IWC SC annual meetings. The annual reports have included information of whales taken by former special scientific permits in the North Pacific (JARPN/JARPNII and NEWREP-NP) and Antarctic (JARPA/JARPAII and NEWREP-A), commercial whaling in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) , and bycatches along the Japanese coast. It should be noted that the special scientific permit takes under NEWREP-A and NEWREP-NP programs were terminated in June 2019 as an effect of the withdrawal of Japan from the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) on 30 June 2019. From 1 July 2019, commercial whaling within Japan’s EEZ was started, and samples taken have been registered in the Japanese DNA register. The Japanese regulation on bycatches of large whales in Japan (established from 1 July 2001) requires that all animals should be registered with a DNA profile before any products derived from a bycaught animal are sold in the market.