International Whales Network

What IWN works for and supports:

  • the development of well-informed civil society networks and coalitions in the Caribbean, Latin America, Pacific Islands and West Africa
  • the full engagement of civil society in the determination of national policies related to the IWC and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), through provision of high-quality technical information, access to relevant meetings, and media and communications work to enhance transparency and accountability
  • benign interactions with whales, including responsible whale-watching and non-lethal research
  • the establishment and strengthening of national, regional and international whale sanctuaries and protected areas for marine mammals, and linkages between them
  • participation in regional agreements, such as those negotiated under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), as effective tools for furthering marine mammal conservation beyond the politics of the IWC.
  • increased public awareness of cetaceans, alone and in the wider context of issues affecting the well-being of their oceans.
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Right whale, Patagonia, ArgentinaThe International Whales Network was formed in 2008 primarily to counteract a long-running operation led by the Fisheries Agency of Japan, Japanese parliamentary pro-whaling groups and associated private organizations to use foreign aid and other inducements to “recruit” more than 30 developing countries into the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to support Japan’s whaling agenda and block the agreement of any binding conservation measures.

Niuephoto: Olive Andrews/WhaleologyNiue
Acting through "Network Nodes" in the Caribbean, Latin America, Pacific Islands and West AfrIca, IWN has also been working, inter alia, for the establishment and strengthening of national and regional whale sanctuaries and protected areas for marine mammals, for greater involvement by civil society in the determination of national policies regarding whales and protection of marine biodiversity, for promotion of benign activities (e.g. responsibly managed whale-watching) to contribute to ecotourism development, and for solidifying civil society networks and coalitions in these regions and fostering links between them.

IWN was launched initially under the aegis of the Pew Environment Group's Whale Conservation Project, which ended in 2010. The Network has since become a full-time project of 3MF.

International Whaling Commission Member Status

[click map for PDF]

International Whaling Commission Member Status Map - PDF

Network Nodes around the globe

IWN promotes whale protection efforts and marine conservation in four regions: Caribbean, Latin America, Pacific Islands and West Africa. [click images for PDF maps:]

International Whales Network Regions: Pacific Map PDF
IWN Region: Pacific
International Whales Network Regions: Caribbean Map PDF
IWN Region: Caribbean
International Whales Network Regions: Global Map PDF
IWN Regions: Global

In these areas it works through “Network Nodes,” led by civil society figures and independent scientists experienced and already working in each region through their own organizations.

The Network Nodes have united on international policy goals to address these issues and have developed objectives and programs targeted specifically to each region’s particular circumstances and priorities. Their work is linked through an international coordinator, 3MF Executive Director Leslie Busby, who coordinates activities, acts as a central communication point, facilitates united policy and strategy positions, and provides technical briefings and input to key Network activities.

In addition, IWN provides regular briefings to IWC Commissioners and delegates on Network activities and developments around the world related to whaling and whale conservation.

Further Reading: 3MF Reports

PDF documents