Togo Backs Proposal to Review Whaling Ban
Togo cosponsored a proposal to review the global ban on commercial whaling, drawing criticism from conservation groups and a coalition of African nations.
Togo is cosponsoring a proposal to review commercial whaling quotas. The draft resolution will be discussed at the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The meeting is scheduled for September 27 to October 2.
Antigua and Barbuda spearheaded the proposal. Togo is the only African nation supporting it. Neither country currently conducts commercial whaling.
Conservation Coalition Condemns Move
In response, the West and Central African Coalition for Whales issued a public statement. It calls on governments to withdraw support for initiatives that weaken international whale protections. The coalition facilitates dialogue about whaling among African nations.
Colonel Abba Sonko, a Senegalese wildlife conservation expert, criticized the proposal. He is a representative of Senegal's CITES Management Authority. Sonko told Mongabay via email that the resolution is hard to reconcile with West and Central African priorities. He noted that no country in the region conducts commercial whaling. He identified bycatch, habitat degradation, and marine ecosystem protection as more urgent issues.
The Context of the Whaling Moratorium
The IWC's global moratorium on commercial whaling took effect in 1986. It set catch limits for all whales to zero. However, a few countries continue whaling. These include Japan, Norway, and Iceland.
Togo's support is not the first time an African nation has backed a review. Countries like Senegal, Guinea, and Cote d'Ivoire have endorsed similar proposals in the past. They also played a key role in blocking the creation of a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary. That proposal was first evaluated 25 years ago.
Sonko stated that West African countries do not hunt whales. Their populations do not rely on whale meat for food security. He said whales are increasingly valuable alive. They support marine tourism and coastal livelihoods. They also play important ecological roles for healthy ocean ecosystems.
Togo's Contradictory Domestic Stance
Domestically, Togo recently listed several whales as nationally recognized threatened species. This includes Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) and Bryde's whales (Balaenoptera brydei). These species are still commercially hunted, mostly by Japan and Norway.
The Togolese government's international position has raised concerns. Members of civil society and the scientific community have signed the coalition's public statement. Mongabay contacted the Togolese government but did not receive a response by publication time.
Historically, Japan has admitted to using aid money to persuade developing countries to support commercial whaling within the IWC. The coalition has formally asked Togo to clarify its position. Sonko said they are urging Togo to reconsider the co-sponsorship before IWC70.
