Institute of Cetacean Research

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Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR, 日本鯨類研究所 Nippon Geirui Kenkyūsho) is a Japanese privately owned, non-profit institution. It took over from the Whale Research Institute (founded in 1947), which grew out of the Nakabe Scientific Research Centre (founded in 1941).

1 History
2 Research programs
3 Criticism
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

The Whales Research Institute conducted research based on catches from commercial whaling. After the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling, the ICR was established to continue the research.^[1] It absorbed the ships, crew and equipments of Kyodo Senpaku which now looks after the sale of whale meat from the institute.^{[citation needed]}

From 1987 to 2006, Japanese scientists presented 182 scientific documents to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and had 91 papers published in peer-reviewed journals.^[2]

[edit] Research programs

The ICR takes part in a wide range of cetacean research. This includes:

Whale Research Programs. Biological research including the collection of samples from the Antarctic Ocean and the North-Western Pacific Ocean under special permit from the Government of Japan (JARPA and JARPN II Programs). Samples are used for studies related to estimation of biological parameters, resource abundance, elucidation of stock structure and the role of whales in the marine ecosystem, and elucidation of the effect of environmental changes on cetaceans.
Sighting Surveys. Conducted in the Southern Hemisphere and the North Pacific to elucidate trends in abundance, density, distribution, and behavior of whales. These surveys include the IWC Southern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (SOWER) Program.
Socio-Economic Research. Conducted to document and clarify the relationship of man and whales from the social, cultural, historical, economical, and dietary culture aspects.
Legal Research. Conducted with the objective of promoting normalization of IWC activities in line with the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) objectective of sustainable utilization of whale resources.

Other cetacean research Conducted by the ICR:

Development of a whale products distribution surveillance system using genetic techniques including the creation of a database for the determination of species and place (sea area) of origin, and establishment of individual identification techniques;
Development of age assessment techniques using age characters, including chemical analysis;
Research on biotelemetry technology development using artificial satellites;
Research on natural marks identification;
Research on the bioaccumulation of heavy metals and environmental chemicals such as organic chlorine compounds;
Research concerning improvement and development of whale capture/killing techniques;
Collection and analysis of marine mammal stranding records on the coast of Japan.

[edit] Criticism

The ICR has been strongly criticized for photographs released by the Government of Australia. These photographs include pictures of the ICR harpoon ship Yushin Maru 2 killing and processing several different whales, including a controversial photo which allegedly shows a mother whale and her calf being taken onboard the Yushin Maru 2 for processing. ^[3] ^[4]