Australia will chair and host the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC70) in Hobart from 28 September to 2 October 2026.
The meeting brings together governments from around the world to cooperate on whale conservation and management.
The IWC is the global authority for protecting and managing whales. Since its creation in 1946, it has played a central role in international cooperation on whale management and conservation.
This year marks 80 years since the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was signed in 1946. The convention was introduced because whale populations were rapidly declining.
2026 is also the 40th anniversary of the global moratorium on commercial whaling coming into effect.
Since then, some whale populations have recovered. Today, whales face many other threats including:
- entanglement in fishing gear and bycatch
- ship strikes
- climate change
- marine pollution
- other emerging threats such as habitat degradation, underwater noise, and changing food availability.
On the 80th anniversary, IWC70 provides an opportunity for member governments to:
- celebrate successes
- continue their collective commitment towards the management and conservation of whales and other cetaceans for the benefit of present and future generations.
IWC70 artwork
The IWC70 artwork reflects First Nations peoples’ deep connection to, and enduring stewardship of, Sea Country and sea kin including whales.
The artwork depicts:
- whale migration pathways from the warm waters to the north of Australia to the cold waters of the Southern Ocean
- the important role whales play in supporting a healthy ocean (for example, as they move through the ocean, they help cycle nutrients between deep and shallow waters, supporting marine productivity and food webs)
- other sea animals (kin).
Flowing lines represent:
- whale songs and stories
- migration pathways
- the tides
- the moon.
