The United States and the new law of the sea

Abstract

The official U.S. statement on the 32nd meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC termed the outcome a “modest success.”; However, from the point of view of conservationists—i.e., governments and private groups seeking greater protection for the world's endangered whales—the results of the 1980 IWC session can be described at best as satisfactory. The disappointing U.S. performance at this and other recent Commission proceedings strongly suggests the need for a reassessment of American cetacean policy and the way in which we pursue this policy in the IWC.

The discussion will begin with a review of U.S. objectives in the IWC in relation to national and international law governing cetaceans. The focus will then turn to the role played by the United States in the Commission's deliberations on selected issues in 1980. The conclusion will set forth recommendations for improvements in American policy and strategy in the IWC.