Australian Marine Mammal Centre

IWC endorses Southern Ocean Research Partnership

26 June 2009. The International Whaling Commission has endorsed a five-year non-lethal whale research proposal for the Australian-led Southern Ocean Research Partnership. Environment Minister Peter Garrett said this is a major success for Australia and a ground-breaking agreement from the IWC that will direct future non-lethal research activities.

World's largest non-lethal whale research partnership launched

19 June, 2009. Australia and New Zealand today announced the first Antarctic whale research expedition as part of the Southern Ocean Research Partnership. Australian Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith, and New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs, Murray McCully, said the announcement strengthens their close relationship and commitment to non-lethal scientific research, ahead of the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Madeira next week.

Whale workshop to forge science partnership
23 March 2009. Environment Minister Peter Garrett today said he was very pleased that Sydney was this week hosting the world's first international workshop on non-lethal whale research. Mr Garrett said Australia was taking the lead to better manage the whales of the Southern Ocean and in the process, show the world that scientific research on whales could be done without resorting to lethal measures.

Aerial whale surveys first for Antarctica
23 March 2009. New data on minke whale distribution in pack ice in the Southern Ocean and new techniques developed by Australian scientists for researching whale abundance further advance Australia's global leadership in non-lethal whale research, Environment Minister Peter Garrett said today.

International whales workshop coming to Sydney
12 March 2009. The Australian Government, in conjunction with the International Whaling Commission, are convening an international workshop in Sydney during 23-26 March to develop the Southern Ocean Research Partnership - the world's largest cooperative, non-lethal, whale research programme.

$1.5 million fund for marine mammal research
Environment Minister Peter Garrett today invited applications for a share in $1.5 million in grant funding for priority marine mammal research a key part of the Governments commitment to creating the largest international whale research program in the world.

Australian research leads fight against whaling
The Australian Government's commitment to whale conservation has been confirmed today with the announcement of an additional $26 million in measures over the next five years which include creating the largest international whale research program in the world, focused on answering the important science about southern ocean whales and utilising the most powerful non-lethal techniques.

$6.5M to kick-start non-lethal whale research
Environment Minister Peter Garrett today announced funding of more than $6 million in 2008-09 for non-lethal whale research and other critical conservation programs as part of its ongoing strategy to end so-called 'scientific' whaling.

Chile and Australia to cooperate on whales
Today at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Santiago Australia and Chile commit to cooperating in non-lethal whale research and other whale conservation activities.