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Antigua & Barbuda Ocean Trust is in Antigua and Barbuda.

1 week ago

Commercial Whaling Moratorium Upheld
Precis of an excellent report by Thomas Schweiger, OceanCare – relating to actions by Antigua & Barbuda at the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) held in Hobart, Tasmania - 2 October 2026.

The IWC upheld the moratorium on commercial whaling, which was put in place by the IWC in 1986. However, it was under attack once again from a handful of pro-whaling nations, led by Antigua & Barbuda but this threat was averted.
“Throughout the meeting, Antigua & Barbuda and its allies acted as agents of chaos in a number of issues” says Fabienne McLellan, Managing Director of OceanCare. “Their proposed resolution was a major factor of concern, and once it was withdrawn, another destructive trump card was played by Antigua & Barbuda to try and prevent a much-needed budget increase for the IWC and block the approval of the budget. Both attempts fortunately failed.”
A proposed resolution to undermine the moratorium on commercial whaling was put forward by Antigua & Barbuda and St Lucia and a few other countries. Similar efforts by pro-whaling nations, have failed in the past, and ultimately now at this meeting, too, the proponents finally had to withdraw this resolution due to strong opposition from many other member states.
“OceanCare is relieved that the IWC has once again shown that it will not accept this ‘trojan horse’ that seeks to undermine the moratorium on commercial whaling. A handful of pro-whaling nations, who have no whaling activities nor whaling history themselves, has for years tried to move the IWC towards legalising the resumption of commercial whaling. However, the majority of countries have clearly opposed this when it was presented at the IWC” says McLellan.
There was also strong public opposition in Antigua & Barbuda itself, and several groups urged the Prime Minister to withdraw the proposal. Surprisingly, the resolution was nonetheless submitted by Antigua & Barbuda, although the country’s commissioner did not himself present it, but rather let co-sponsor St Lucia verbally introduce it. Later it was the co-supporter Grenada that withdrew it. ... See MoreSee Less

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Antigua & Barbuda Ocean Trust is at Antigua Island.

1 week ago

Whilst on first site this looks like good news. Antigua & Barbuda has handed over to Grenada to front the withdrawal of the resolution. But it is on the condition that the IWC undertake a scientific assessment of the impact of the whaling moratorium on the status of whale stocks. This is clearly intended to conclude that this could sustain revived hunting. It’s the same goal, to overturn the moratorium, but a different route via a different mouthpiece. The Antigua and Barbuda Coalition for the Protection of Whales continues to collect numerous signatures and comments every day from across the world in opposition to the way that Antigua and Barbuda is handling this issue. ... See MoreSee Less

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Antigua & Barbuda Ocean Trust

2 weeks ago

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