The Antigua and Barbuda Coalition for the Protection of Whales has presented a petition to Prime Minister Gaston Browne urging that the Caribbean island withdraw its draft resolution to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) at its ongoing 70thmeeting in Australia.
Commercial whaling has been banned globally by the IWC since 1986 and although Antigua and Barbuda has never engaged in commercial whaling itself, it has for many years been one of the most prominent advocates at the IWC for lifting the moratorium that has protected whales from commercial whaling. Observers say St. John’s position is guided mainly y its diplomatic relations with countries such as Japan which have been providing financial and other assistance to the island..
This is the third time Antigua and Barbuda has submitted a resolution of this kind to the IWC, following earlier versions in 2022 and 2024. On both occasions, the resolutions were withdrawn.
The 2026 resolution is co-sponsored by Palau, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Togo.
The petition, with 5,585 signatures, was delivered on Thursday and is urging St. John’s to withdraw the draft resolution it has introduced at the IWC that could lead to the resumption of commercial whaling.
The petition has been signed by people from 87 countries and territories across the world. In addition, the Coalition has also submitted a document containing a sample of the thousands of comments, together with seven letters previously emailed to the Prime Minister Browne.
In its letter , said it believes a review of the comments will give him and Commissioner Daven Joseph an important understanding of the impact that the country’s pro-whaling position has already had on Antigua and Barbuda’s international reputation.
‘These signatures come from our own citizens and from the visitors, sailors and yacht owners who choose Antigua and Barbuda because of our healthy oceans,’ said the Coalition’s Martha Watkins Gilkes..
‘They are telling us clearly that support for commercial whaling does not reflect who we are as a nation. We respectfully ask the Prime Minister to listen, and to withdraw this resolution.’