Since 2004, Belgium has been a member of the International Whaling Commission, where it plays an active role in the group of non-hunting countries in favour of conservation and anxious to achieve effective regulation of commercial whaling, or its removal.

Belgium was Vice -President of the IWC from July 2012 to october 2014. Without the sudden decease of their Commisaris Belgium would have been Chair from mid 2014 to mid 2016. Several Belgian scientists are involved in various scientific activities conducted under the auspices of the IWC.

Among the various activities of the IWC, Belgium actively supports those devoted to conservation measures, especially the reduction of risk of collision of ships, the conservation of small cetaceans and environmental concerns such as diseases.

Belgian legislation on cetaceans:
The Accession Act of 09 July 2004 to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
- The Law of 20 January 1999 on the protection of the marine environment and organising the management of marine areas under Belgian jurisdiction
- The Royal Decree of 21 December 2001 on the protection of species in marine areas under Belgian jurisdiction

Work program of Belgium

This program mainly includes:
• active involvement at the annual meeting of the Commission
• active involvement in the Scientific Committee and in the Conservation Committee.
• active involvement in the working group on collisions
• political and scientific support to the Commission's activities
• writing a progress report focused on the Belgian scientific activities on cetaceans in accordance with the procedures of the IWC.
• popular articles and scientific publications.

From June 2005 to october 2014, under the Conservation Committee established in 2003, Belgium took the lead in a working group of the International Whaling Commission on collisions between ships and whales, a major cause of mortality in the latter. Every year, a report of this Working Group is prepared and it can be accessed by all stakeholders.

Working Group on collisions: progress reports to the Conservation Committee

2013 SIXTH PROGRESS REPORT TO THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
2010 FIFTH PROGRESS REPORT TO THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
2009 FOURTH PROGRESS REPORT TO THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE (.PDF)
2008 THIRD PROGRESS REPORT TO THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE (.PDF)
2007 SECOND PROGRESS REPORT TO THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE (.PDF)
2006 FIRST PROGRESS REPORT TO THE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE (.PDF)

Reducing the risk of collision between ships and cetaceans is one of the priorities of the IWC and our country, which organised a joint IWC/ACCOBAMS workshop in 2010 that serves as a reference on the subject.

Report of the IWC/ACCOBAMS joint workshop on collisions is only available in English.