Whales regularly migrate outside sanctuary boundaries. Pollution, habitat loss and other external threats unrelated to hunting effort impact stocks. For these and other reasons, three appointees of the International Whaling Committee Scientific Committee suggest that the existing global network of protected areas for whales is not scientifically justified—and does “little for whale conservation without additional protective measures beyond the boundaries.”

Among other measures, the scientists advocated the elimination of unregulated hunting under scientific permits, and the creation of sanctuaries designed to protected whales during breeding periods. Another option would be total protection throughout a species’ range.

This echoes arguments that are frequently raised when the subject of Marine Protected Areas comes up in relation to saltwater finfish. The concern is that fish such as snapper and grouper—all given to moving around from reef to reef—are threatened by outside fishing pressure from longlines, traps and overcapitalized fleets. Better to address the problem at its source, as the whale scientists would agree, than to draw up isolated pockets wherein all fishing would be halted.