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People have been whaling for thousands of years. In 1946, several countries joined to form the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Originally an industry body, the IWC’s purpose is to prevent overhunting of whales. However, the work of marine conservational ngo’s lead to a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1982. Many species of whale have benefitted from the IWC’s moratorium. Despite the general moratorium, limited whaling is permitted to indigenous cultures. Today, people are much more aware of the role of whales in the marine ecosystem, and the role of the IWC has also changed radically. What started as an industrial body turned into a forum for the protection and conservation of marine life.