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Mark S. Boyce
complexity of ocean ecosystems and cannot anticipate the full consequences of a
whale harvest, the safest approach most compatible with conservation may be one
of strict protection. (4) Uncertainty in the CLA (for reasons outlined here) suggests that the scientific basis for whaling may be on shaky ground, and the
precision with which we can monitor whale stocks is poor. Thus we are unlikely to
detect negative consequences of whaling until considerable damage has been
done to stocks.
Arguments in favor of reinstating commercial whaling guided by the CLA
include the following: (1) Whales are a protein-rich food source acceptable to
many people of the world. Foregoing whales as food may result in greater environmental costs to replace that lost food (e.g., land-based agriculture has severe
consequences for biodiversity, pollution, erosion, and global change) (Freeman
1994). (2) Harvest of Minke Whales might reduce competition with Blue, Fin, and
Sei Whales, thereby enhancing recovery of the great whales that have been so
severely decimated. The possible existence of multiple equilibria due to competitive interactions might require harvest of Minke to permit recovery of reduced
whale populations. If stocks of the great whales are increasing, reducing Minke
stocks may hasten their recovery. (3) Conservative measures built into the CLA
minimize the risk that Minke Whale stocks could be overexploited as were the
other species of rorquals. (4) Without commercial whaling as an incentive to
estimate whale stocks, we would have no support for monitoring, which is very
expensive. Without monitoring data, no responsible management is possible.
Ecosystem Management
My primary concern with the proposed use of the CLA for commercial whaling is
the failure to recognize the context of the whale stocks in ocean ecosystems. Most
obvious are the severe disruptions already imposed on the Antarctic marine ecosystems, which will require hundreds of years to recover, if recovery is possible.
The issue is one that needs to be evaluated by using the evolving principles of
ecosystem management (Boyce and Haney 1997; Vogt et al. 1997).
Freeman (1994) argued that the environmental costs to replace lost human food
associated with suspension of whaling would be much greater if this food came
from land-based agriculture. However, simulations of stocks of the great whales
suggest that restoration of the southern ocean ecosystems will require substantially more than 500 years (see below), suggesting that the environmental costs of
whaling simply have not been measured adequately. There are few baseline data
on marine ecosystems, so it is difficult to evaluate the long-term consequences of
actions. Freeman’s conclusion that whaling may be conducted with few environmental consequences may be based on the “out of sight, out of mind” view that
has tolerated abuse of aquatic ecosystems worldwide.
The implicit assumption of the RMP is that the safest way to ensure the
recovery of Blue, Fin, Sei, Humpback, and Right Whales in Antarctic waters is to
offer protection for these species. A step in this direction was taken with the 1994
Mark S. Boyce
complexity of ocean ecosystems and cannot anticipate the full consequences of a
whale harvest, the safest approach most compatible with conservation may be one
of strict protection. (4) Uncertainty in the CLA (for reasons outlined here) suggests that the scientific basis for whaling may be on shaky ground, and the
precision with which we can monitor whale stocks is poor. Thus we are unlikely to
detect negative consequences of whaling until considerable damage has been
done to stocks.
Arguments in favor of reinstating commercial whaling guided by the CLA
include the following: (1) Whales are a protein-rich food source acceptable to
many people of the world. Foregoing whales as food may result in greater environmental costs to replace that lost food (e.g., land-based agriculture has severe
consequences for biodiversity, pollution, erosion, and global change) (Freeman
1994). (2) Harvest of Minke Whales might reduce competition with Blue, Fin, and
Sei Whales, thereby enhancing recovery of the great whales that have been so
severely decimated. The possible existence of multiple equilibria due to competitive interactions might require harvest of Minke to permit recovery of reduced
whale populations. If stocks of the great whales are increasing, reducing Minke
stocks may hasten their recovery. (3) Conservative measures built into the CLA
minimize the risk that Minke Whale stocks could be overexploited as were the
other species of rorquals. (4) Without commercial whaling as an incentive to
estimate whale stocks, we would have no support for monitoring, which is very
expensive. Without monitoring data, no responsible management is possible.
Ecosystem Management
My primary concern with the proposed use of the CLA for commercial whaling is
the failure to recognize the context of the whale stocks in ocean ecosystems. Most
obvious are the severe disruptions already imposed on the Antarctic marine ecosystems, which will require hundreds of years to recover, if recovery is possible.
The issue is one that needs to be evaluated by using the evolving principles of
ecosystem management (Boyce and Haney 1997; Vogt et al. 1997).
Freeman (1994) argued that the environmental costs to replace lost human food
associated with suspension of whaling would be much greater if this food came
from land-based agriculture. However, simulations of stocks of the great whales
suggest that restoration of the southern ocean ecosystems will require substantially more than 500 years (see below), suggesting that the environmental costs of
whaling simply have not been measured adequately. There are few baseline data
on marine ecosystems, so it is difficult to evaluate the long-term consequences of
actions. Freeman’s conclusion that whaling may be conducted with few environmental consequences may be based on the “out of sight, out of mind” view that
has tolerated abuse of aquatic ecosystems worldwide.
The implicit assumption of the RMP is that the safest way to ensure the
recovery of Blue, Fin, Sei, Humpback, and Right Whales in Antarctic waters is to
offer protection for these species. A step in this direction was taken with the 1994