According to Ray Gambell, then Secretary of the IWC, the organization had raised its suspicions with the former Soviet Union, but it did not take further action because it could not interfere with national sovereignty.
I følge Ray Gambell, daværende Præsident for IWC, havde organisationen mistanker om at Sovjetunionen drev underrapportering, men tog ingen videre skridt da dette kunne indvirke på spørgsmål om national suverænitet .