NOAA Announces Public Meeting on U.S. IWC Positions
On May 7, 2008, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will hold a public meeting to discuss tentative U.S. Positions for the next International Whaling Commission meeting. The public meeting will be held at the NOAA Science Center Room, 1301 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland, beginning at 1 p.m.

NOAA is hosting this public meeting because the Secretary of the Department of Commerce is responsible for preparing and negotiating U.S. positions on international issues concerning whaling and for all matters involving the IWC. NOAA is part of the Department of Commerce.

NOAA's Federal Register notice of the meeting explains:

"Each year NOAA holds a meeting prior to the annual IWC meeting to discuss the tentative U.S. positions for the upcoming IWC meeting. Because the meeting discusses U.S. positions, the substance of the meeting must be kept confidential. Any U.S. citizen with an identifiable interest in U.S. whale conservation policy may participate, but NOAA reserves the authority to inquire about the interests of any person who appears at a meeting and to determine the appropriateness of that person's participation."