Whales are beautiful, intelligent, majestic creatures. Sadly, hundreds of thousands of them die as a result of bycatch, shipping accidents, plastic pollution, among other man-made issues every year. In 1986, a moratorium from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) banned commercial whaling; however, Iceland, Norway, and Japan refuse to comply. Whaling involves harpooning a whale that […]
Tag: minke whale
‘Minke whales for dinner’: Norway’s controversial whale hunt is still on
Norway plans to kill up to 1,278 minke whales this year, according to a recent announcement made by the country’s fisheries ministry. This is the same quota as the previous two years, although whalers only killed 503 common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in 2020, and 429 in 2019. “Norwegian whaling is about the right to […]
Norway Releases 2021 Hunting Quota for Over 1200 Minke Whales
According to the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Norway has issued a kill quota for over 1,200 whales for the 2021 whaling season. This issuance is despite a global moratorium on whaling. During Norway’s 2020 season, over 500 whales were killed. The government also relaxed several whaling regulations so additional vessels could join the hunt. Whalers […]
Campaigners condemn killing of minke whale trapped in nets in Japan
Animal welfare campaigners have condemned the killing of a trapped minke whale off the coast of Taiji, a town in Japan best known for its annual dolphin cull. The young whale, which had been trapped inside nets since 24 December, was killed early on Monday morning before being taken ashore wrapped in blue tarpaulin, according […]
Petition: Minke Whale Trapped in Net for 13 Days
Activists from Humane Society International (HSI) Australia are concerned about a trapped minke whale in Japan. A drone has been filming a Minke whale that’s been trapped in a fishing net near Taiji. Humane Society International/Australia’s animal welfare program manager, Georgie Dolphin, said in an emailed statement, “This minke whale has now been trapped in […]
Petition: Whale Meat Demand in Norway is Rising
According to an article in the Guardian, the demand for whale meat in Norway is increasing. While the demand was on the decline for years, regulation changes could play a role in future demand and supply. Norway, Japan, and Iceland are the only three countries that publicly allow commercial whaling. Japan has high demand for […]
481 and counting: Norway’s whaling catch hits four-year high
Four hundred and eighty-one. That’s how many minke whales Norway has killed so far this year, according to new data released by the country’s Fishermen’s Sales Organization, or Råfisklaget. That’s 52 more than all of last year, and 76 more than the two years before that. What’s more, this year’s whaling season has yet to […]
Petition: Cruel Commercial Whaling and Seal Hunts Continue as “Essential” Activities During Coronavirus Pandemic
While most of the world is on lockdown in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, the deadly pandemic sweeping the world, some countries are still continuing cruel activities. Japan and Norway have decided that commercial whale hunting, a horrible practice, is “essential.” Despite the global ban by International Whaling Commission on commercial whaling […]