Thus, notwithstanding the killing of whales during the 

 course of scientific research conducted under special permits 

 (see below) , all IWC member nations were refraining from 

 commercial whaling at the end of 1988. 



Comprehensive Assessment — During an April 1986 meeting 

 of the IWC Scientific Committee, a work plan and timetable 

 were developed for conducting the comprehensive assessment 

 required under Schedule paragraph 10 (e) . As noted in previous 

 Annual Reports, the IWC has supported various workshops and 

 studies to help provide the basis for undertaking this assess- 

 ment by 1990. 



To consider progress and further work related to the 

 comprehensive assessment, a Joint Working Group of the Scien- 

 tific and Technical Committees of the IWC met shortly before 

 the 1988 IWC meeting. Based on discussions during its meeting, 

 the Joint Working Group recommended, and the IWC agreed, that 

 funds be provided in the coming year for: (1) continuing 

 contract studies on biochemical genetic research techniques 

 to distinguish between whale stocks and holding a workshop on 

 the analysis of tissue samples using such techniques; (2) 

 completing analyses of Southern Hemisphere minke whale marking 

 and sighting data for other Southern Hemisphere whales; (3) 

 convening a workshop on procedures for managing whale stocks; 

 (4) continuing field studies of Antarctic minke whales as 

 part of the ongoing International Decade of Cetacean Research 

 and analyzing data from previous cruises; (5) conducting 

 surveys of right whales off South Africa; and (6) in cooperation 

 with the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine 

 Living Resources, convening a workshop on the feeding ecology 

 of baleen whales in the Southern Hemisphere. 



In addition to these actions, the Chairman of the IWC 

 Scientific Committee noted that it is the Committee's intent 

 to devote most of its 1989 Annual Meeting to the preparation 

 of a report on progress towards the Comprehensive Assessment 

 for presentation to the IWC in 1990. 



Aboriginal/Subsistence Whaling — As noted above, Alaska 

 Eskimos harvest bowhead whales to meet subsistence and cultural 

 needs and, during its 1987 meeting, the IWC adopted a one-year 

 quota of 35 strikes for the 1988 whaling seasons. During the 

 1988 IWC meeting, the matter of a future quota for bowhead 

 whales was considered. As part of deliberations on this 

 matter, the United States presented the aforementioned report 

 analyzing Alaska Eskimo nutritional, subsistence, and cultural 

 needs. The report addressed various questions raised at 

 previous IWC meetings concerning the data upon which estimates 

 for subsistence need were based, and it concluded that, for 

 1989, Alaska Eskimo subsistence needs for bowhead whales 

 would be met by landing 41 whales. 



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