Yacht captains urge government to withdraw Whaling Resolution

Visiting yacht captains have written to Prime Minister Gaston Browne urging government to withdraw its resolution on commercial whaling.

The appeal comes as the International Whaling Commission’s 70th biennial Commission Meeting takes place in Hobart, Australia, from 27th September to 3rd October. Antigua and Barbuda is sponsoring a resolution at the meeting that could allow commercial whaling to resume worldwide.

Captain James Turner of the sailing yacht Aquarius, a 65-metre vessel registered in the Cayman Islands and based in Palma de Mallorca, said Antigua and Barbuda represents far more than a stop on the sailing calendar for members of the yachting community.

“For many of us, Antigua and Barbuda represents far more than a destination on the sailing calendar. We return year after year because of its people, its maritime culture, its extraordinary natural environment and its place at the heart of Caribbean sailing,” Turner said in his 24th September letter.

Turner said sailors who spend much of their lives at sea develop a deep appreciation for marine ecosystems, and whales occupy an important place within them. He acknowledged Antigua and Barbuda’s right to set its own position, but appealed directly to the prime minister.

“I fully recognise Antigua and Barbuda’s sovereign right to determine its own position, as well as the complex historical and diplomatic considerations involved in decisions taken within the IWC. Nevertheless, I respectfully ask your government to reconsider its current position and support the continuation of the international moratorium on commercial whaling,” he said.

Captain Lawrence Loftus of the sailing yacht Maximus, based in Bermuda, sent government a letter making the same appeal on 23rd September.

A separate open letter, signed by Captain Richard Chadburn of the yacht Farfalla on behalf of the visiting yachting community, raised similar concerns.

“We, the undersigned members of the visiting yachting community, write with deep concern regarding Antigua and Barbuda’s continued support for commercial whaling at the upcoming International Whaling Commission meeting,” the 21st September letter noted.

The letter stated that whales are vital to healthy marine ecosystems, nutrient cycles and ocean resilience and that Antigua and Barbuda is admired internationally for its natural beauty and its reputation as a responsible maritime nation. It warns that continued support for commercial whaling puts that reputation at risk and sends a troubling message to conservation-minded travellers.

The letter also points to the yachting community’s contribution to the local economy through marinas, repairs, provisioning, hospitality and tourism.

Captain Rocka Romcke of the sailing yacht Thalia, registered in the Cayman Islands, signed an identical open letter on 21st September.

The captains are calling on government to end its support for commercial whaling at the IWC; stand firmly behind the global moratorium on commercial whaling and align its IWC vote with marine conservation, ocean health and climate responsibility.

Meanwhile, Antigua and Barbuda is defending its call for a review of the global commercial whaling moratorium at the International Whaling Commission meeting in Hobart.

Government made the case in its opening statement at the meeting. It said the 1982 moratorium was meant to be reviewed after 10 years but that review never took place.

Government said the Commission must respect both conservation and the sustainable management and development of the whaling industry. It said decisions should be based on science, international law and the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.

Government also noted whales form part of the ocean’s ecosystem and must be managed as a resource. The statement said this must be balanced against food security and sustainable livelihood needs in Small Island Developing States.