• It contains data from both member and non member nations.
• The numbers include lost whales including any struck & lost.
• The `other' column contains small whales (bottlenose, killer, pilot etc.) unless otherwise noted.
• The table lists only small whales for which the IWC has individual records - no other small whales are included.
• No numbers are given for the USSR pelagic catch prior to 1972 - the original `official' records are now known to have been falsified, and the correct numbers are currently being sought.
• In 1972 the International Observer Scheme was instituted and the numbers are then thought to be more reliable.

If anyone has other information on catches of large whales which are not reported here, the IWC would be pleased to receive information on them.

The USA aboriginal catch is taken off Alaska and the USSR aboriginal catch off Kamchatka.

Abbreviations: * Indicates catches for which no individual data is available i.e. which are not included in the IWC database

Areas:

• NA / SA : North / South Atlantic
• At:  Atlantic
• NP / SP: North / South Pacific
• IO: Indian Ocean
• SH: S. Hemisphere

L:   Lost       S/P:  Caught under special permit