Date: Fri, 28 Feb, 1997
World Council of Whalers Opens Secretariat In Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

The Secretariat for the World Council of Whalers, located on the land of the traditional whaling peoples of the Nuu Chah Nulth Nations (at Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada), opened on February 26, 1997.

Following meetings held in June, 1996 participants from ten countries decided to form an international organization to promote the sustainable and equitable use of marine living resources, to protect the cultural, social, economic and dietary rights of whaling peoples, and to address their concerns. This was the first time whalers from around the world addressed the prospect of working together under one global umbrella.

Subsequent meetings and discussions resulted in the formal establishment of the World Council of Whalers (WCW) in January, 1997. This new organization will provide an informed international voice in support of communities engaged or interested in sustainable whaling, as well as working to protect whalers' livelihoods, health and cultural integrity.

Chaired by Chief Mexsis, Head Whaling Chief of the Huu-ay-aht Nation of British Columbia, the Executive Board consists of one Director from each of the five regions: North America, North Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific-Indian Ocean, and Caribbean.

Chief Mexsis stated:
"Many species of whales are non-endangered and are an abundant and renewable resource that various coastal peoples have used for food on a sustainable basis for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, it seems that many city dwellers are unaware of the continuing importance of whales, as both food and cultural resources, for many coastal communities today. These communities are often situated in areas where farming is not possible, and where 'peoples' livelihoods and dignity depend upon using marine resources. The World Council of Whalers intends to support the well-being of these communities through the promotion of competent science and local knowledge-based management, and the sustainable use of our customary marine resources."

The WCW will hold an international conference in 1997 to which whalers and others engaged in the management of whaling and the sustainable use of living marine resources will be invited. The WCW will seek affiliation with relevant United Nations and regional resource management bodies, and will contribute to the work of these organizations through the efforts of a number of expert committees, including a Legal Affairs Committee, a Human Rights Committee, a Health and Nutrition Committee, and an Education Committee.

For further information, interested parties are invited to contact:

World Council Of Whalers Secretariat
P.O. Box 1383, Port Alberni, BC, Canada V9Y 7M2
Phone: 1 250 724 2525
Fax # 1 250723 0463
E-mail: wcw@island.ne



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