Conservationists urge tropical island paradise Antigua and Barbuda not to push for whaling

Two-thirds of respondents (68%) did not know that their country supports commercial whaling at IWC meetings, according to the survey conducted by CoreConsult Inc. on behalf of the Antigua and Barbuda Ocean Trust. At the same time, opposition to the practice is clear:

• 64% of Antiguans and Barbudans oppose commercial whaling;
• 60% oppose the country proposing a resolution that could lead to the resumption of commercial whaling;
• 62% believe continued support for commercial whaling could harm Antigua and Barbuda’s international reputation;
• 56% reject the country’s continued opposition to the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary;
• 52% believe opposing the establishment of the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary could negatively affect the country’s tourism industry.

The report’s conclusion states that “public opinion is largely at odds with Antigua and Barbuda’s current position on commercial whaling and related IWC policies”.

A tourist paradise as whaling advocate

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 since 1986. Its pro-whaling stance has long been linked to its relationship with Japan, the driving force behind efforts to legalise the resumption of commercial whaling. Questioned in 2024 about a possible quid pro quo with Japan, Antigua and Barbuda’s IWC Commissioner Daven Joseph pointed to more than 200 million US dollars in Japanese assistance received over two decades, asking: “Is that wrong?”

At the Commission’s last two meetings, the country introduced resolutions “aimed towards lifting the [commercial whaling] moratorium”. The proposals failed to secure support, but Antigua and Barbuda’s representative committed at the 2024 meeting to reintroduce the initiative at IWC70, which takes place in Hobart, Australia, from 27 September to 2 October 2026. Initiatives targeted at lifting or weakening the moratorium would inevitably lead to a resumption of commercial whaling at larger scale. Conservationists point to the numerous threats whales are facing, noting that whaling is the easiest to prevent, as it is unnecessary, cruel and outdated.

“Antigua and Barbuda has been acting as an extended arm of Japan’s whaling interests at the International Whaling Commission – largely unnoticed, it seems, by its own people. The survey leaves no doubt: the country’s population clearly rejects commercial whaling,” says Nicolas Entrup, Director of International Relations at OceanCare.

The world will be watching at CHOGM

In their letter, the 22 organisations – representing millions of concerned citizens worldwide – point to the timing: later this year, when Antigua and Barbuda will welcome governments, business leaders and global media to the Caribbean Blue Economy Summit in October and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November. Continued leadership of efforts to weaken the global whaling ban, they warn, represents a growing reputational liability.

The international organisations urge the government to announce that Antigua and Barbuda will not sponsor, co-sponsor or support proposals intended to facilitate the resumption of commercial whaling, but also and to support the establishment of the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary.

Further information

• The survey was conducted by CoreConsult Inc. on behalf of the Antigua and Barbuda Ocean Trust. 508 residents were interviewed by telephone between 26 May and 3 June 2026. Full report
• The letter to Prime Minister Gaston Browne was sent on 24 July 2026 and signed by 22 organisations
• IWC Commissioner Daven Joseph on Japanese assistance (2024)
• IWC70 takes place in Hobart, Australia, from 27 September to 2 October 2026
• Antigua and Barbuda’s previous pro-whaling resolutions at the IWC: https://archive.iwc.int/?r=19636 and https://archive.iwc.int/?r=22248