§ 46. Sir C. Taylorasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about the latest situation regarding the preservation of whales.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe International Whaling Commission controls 94 per cent. of the world's whaling. Under the commission's regulations, only sei, fin, minke and sperm whales are commercially exploited ; all other kinds previously hunted are under indefinite moratorium. The four species still hunted are protected by such measures as catch quotas, closed season, closed areas and size limits. Of these species only the fin whale is below the optimum population level recommended by scientific advice. A proposal which involved phasing out the catching of fin whales by 1976 was carried at the commission's 1973 meeting, but Japan subsequently objected to the phase-out, although the quotas for fin whales for 1973–74 are120W binding on her. Japan and USSR have also objected to the commission's minke whale quota.