Scientific Committee of the IWC Met in Bled

After 2014, International whaling commission returned to Slovenia. Their 66th meeting of the Scientific Committee was held from 4 to 20 June 2016 in Bled. Around 200 of the world’s leading cetacean scientists gathered to discuss the latest research on a wide range of subjects related to cetacean conservation and management. Bled has thus become the only city to host the IWC meeting twice.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning of Slovenia with the support of the Secretariat of the IWC and Sava Tourism d.d. co-hosted the opening of the 66th meeting of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) on 7 June 2016 at Bled, Slovenia. This was one of the longest meetings Bled hosted. The event lasted a lengthy 13 days and hosted around 170 scientists.

The IWC Scientific Committee’s role lies in providing advice to the Commission. The discussion and recommendations of the Scientific Committee’s annual meeting are recorded in a detailed report presented to the Commission and provides the scientific foundation for IWC policy making. The Conservation Committee considers policy and management in terms of cetacean conservation, and works closely with the Scientific Committee to understand and address a range of threats to whales and their habitats.

About IWC:

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the global body charged with the conservation of whales and the management of whaling.  The IWC currently has 88 member governments from countries all over the world. In October, Slovenia will also host the 66th IWC meeting in Portorož.