80th anniversary of International Whaling Commission: UK reiterates strong anti-whaling stance and invests £150,000 in a new Global Strandings Database
The UK reaffirmed its opposition to commercial whaling at the IWC’s 80th anniversary meeting and announced a £150,000 contribution to a new global cetacean strandings database to improve conservation efforts.
The United Kingdom reiterated its long-standing opposition to commercial whaling during the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), held to mark the body’s 80th anniversary. The government highlighted the importance of protecting whales, dolphins and porpoises, citing their ecological and cultural significance. UK representatives also co-sponsored a resolution to strengthen cetacean strandings response and research, adopted by consensus. The resolution aims to enhance coordination and evidence-sharing among member states.
Cetacean strandings occur when whales, dolphins or porpoises wash up dead or alive on shores, providing critical insights into their health and environmental threats. These events can reveal causes of death, pollution exposure, fishing gear entanglements and vessel collisions. The UK’s £150,000 investment will fund a new Global Cetacean Strandings Database to improve data collection and sharing worldwide. The database will support faster responses to stranded animals and inform conservation strategies.
The new Global Cetacean Strandings Database will enable countries to collaborate more effectively on cetacean conservation by standardising strandings data. The UK’s contribution will help integrate this information into the IWC’s broader conservation and research efforts. Strandings data is a vital scientific tool for understanding threats to cetaceans, including climate change and human activities. The database aims to improve response times and support evidence-based policy decisions globally.
During its two-year chairmanship of the IWC’s Conservation and Scientific Committees, the UK expanded conservation management plans and bycatch mitigation projects. The UK also secured record participation in national conservation reporting and agreed financial reforms for long-term funding. Domestically, the UK continues to oppose commercial whaling and implement measures to reduce pressures on cetaceans in its waters through the UK Cetacean Conservation Strategy.