Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03OTTAWA361
2003-02-05 17:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ottawa
Cable title:  

BOWHEAD DEMARCHE DELIVERED: STILL NO MOVEMENT

Tags:  EFIS PREL SENV CA 
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UNCLAS OTTAWA 000361 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR OES/O (DAS WEST),OES/OA (ARNAUDO AND
PLE),OES/OMC (BALTON),WHA/CAN (MASON AND RUNNING)

USDOC FOR NOAA AND NMFS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS PREL SENV CA
SUBJECT: BOWHEAD DEMARCHE DELIVERED: STILL NO MOVEMENT

REFTELS: A) 00 STATE 241728; B) 01 OTTAWA 163; C) 03

STATE 27418

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000361

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR OES/O (DAS WEST),OES/OA (ARNAUDO AND
PLE),OES/OMC (BALTON),WHA/CAN (MASON AND RUNNING)

USDOC FOR NOAA AND NMFS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS PREL SENV CA
SUBJECT: BOWHEAD DEMARCHE DELIVERED: STILL NO MOVEMENT

REFTELS: A) 00 STATE 241728; B) 01 OTTAWA 163; C) 03

STATE 27418


1. ON FEBRUARY 4, 2003, ESTOFF DELIVERED THE DEMARCHE
CONTAINED IN REFTEL C, REGARDING THE AUGUST, 10, 2002
CANADIAN TAKING OF AN EASTERN BOWHEAD WHALE. THE
CANADIAN SIDE WAS REPRESENTED BY GLEN LINDER OF THE
OCEANS LAW DIVISION (JLO) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND MICHELLE TOMLINSON-
WELLS AND BRIAN WONG OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND
OCEANS (DFO),PLUS ADDITIONAL DFAIT AND DFO STAFF. ESTOFF
OPENED BY SUMMARIZING THE POINTS CONTAINED IN REFTEL C,
WITH A STRESS ON OUR CONCERN THAT HIS WAS THE FIFTH
TAKING IN EIGHT YEARS FROM AN ENDANGERED AND INADEQUATELY
UNDERSTOOD STOCK. HE CONTINUED THAT THE UNITED STATES
RECOGNIZES THE NEEDS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND CONTINUES
TO ENCOURAGE CANADA TO REJOIN THE IWC AND SEEK AN IWC
APPROVED QUOTA. FINALLY, HE NOTED THAT PELLY AMENDMENT
CERTIFICATION OF CANADA REMAINS IN PLACE AND IMPOSES THE
RESTRICTIONS OUTLINED IN REFTEL C POINTS. ESTOFF THEN
PROVIDED THE CANADIAN SIDE A COPY OF THE APPROVED POINTS
AS A NON-PAPER.

CANADA RESPONDS
--------------


2. DFAIT'S LINDER OPENED FOR THE GOC, NOTING THAT AS A
COUNTRY NOT ENGAGED IN COMMERCIAL WHALING, CANADA SEES NO
REASON TO RETURN TO THE IWC. HE CONTINUED THAT VERY
LIMITED CANADIAN TAKINGS FROM THE EASTERN STOCK ARE
CAREFULLY MANAGED, DO NOT THREATEN THE STOCK'S HEALTH AND
ARE PROTECTED CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF CANADIAN
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. WONG OF DFO SPOKE NEXT, NOTING THAT
IN FACT THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN FOUR LICENSED TAKINGS IN THE
PAST EIGHT YEARS. ONE TAKING WAS ILLEGAL, BUT NO
PROSECUTION WAS POSSIBLE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS CONSIDERED. HE
CONTINUED THAT CANADA CONDUCTS RIGOROUS RESEARCH ON THE
TWO EASTERN POPULATIONS (BAFFIN ISLAND AND FOXE BASIN)
AND ASSERTED THAT CANADIAN TAKINGS ARE CONSISTENT NOT
ONLY WITH A STABLE POPULATION, BUT IN FACT LEAVE ROOM FOR
GROWTH. WONG INDICATED THAT THE GOC WOULD PRESENT AN
UPDATE ON THESE STUDIES AT THE NEXT IWC MEETING IN
BERLIN. LINDER CLOSED BY NOTING THAT IT IS HARD TO
UNDERSTAND WHY THE U.S. WOULD EXPECT CANADA TO REJOIN THE
IWC AT THIS TIME GIVEN THE "ABUSE" THE U.S. TOOK AT THE
LAST IWC MEETING OVER U.S. INDIGENOUS WHALING.
CELLUCCI