Related Terms

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Background

• Whaling is the hunting of whales. Whales are an important part of the marine ecosystem because they feed off of krill and plankton and maintain homeostasis in their environments. In the Antarctic, populations of Antarctic birds and pinnipeds have tripled due to reduced whale populations and the resulting larger availability of krill.
• There are about 80 species of whales, which vary in size. Whales belong to the phylum chordata and order cetacean. Cetacean comes from the Greek word "ketos," meaning whale or sea monster. There are two suborders of cetaceans, the baleen whales (Mysticeti) and the toothed whales (Odontoceti). Baleen whales may be further divided into rorquals, right whales, gray whales and pygmy right whales. Toothed whales are divided further into sperm, beaked, narwhal, and beluga whales, as well as dolphins and porpoises.
• There are currently two whale species, the blue whales of Antarctica and the gray whales of the northwest Pacific, that are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). There are five more whale species that the IUCN classifies as endangered; these species are the blue whale, fin whale, north Pacific right whale, north Atlantic right whale, and the sei whale. It is currently illegal to hunt these whales due to the international moratorium imposed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1986.
• Modern whaling: Pelagic whaling, or modern whaling, began in 1946. The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) of 1946 (attended by 19 whaling nations) placed great emphasis on resource management, conservation, and the establishment of international cooperative whaling standards. The IWC was created at this convention, with the original goals being the safeguarding of whale stocks for future generations and the protection of whales from over-fishing and extinction. The IWC is made up of three main committees: the Scientific Committee, the Technical Committee, and the Finance and Administration Committee.
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Technique

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Theory/Evidence

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Health Impact/Safety

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Future Research or Applications

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Author Information

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References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

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