other recent news

10 May 2001
Japan continues to mock science - whaling fleet will set out for third hunt within a year

3 May 2001
Norway embarks on whale hunt for commercial export

This week almost 30 Norwegian whaling vessels set out for the annual hunt of Minke whales in the North Atlantic ocean. But this year, whalers expect to export the whale meat to Japan for greater profit since Norway has decided to ignore the international ban on the trade of whale products. In January 2001, the Norwegian Government announced that it would allow exports to resume although a proposal to lift the ban on trade in whale products failed at the previous meeting of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). A spokesperson for the whalers' public relations arm described the government's decision to allow the export as 'the final victory'.

Norwegian whalers flensing a Minke whale. © Greenpeace June 1999

Greenpeace whale campaigner Frode Pleym says that in reality, the resumption of commercial whaling and the opening of the export are attempts by the political party in power to gain popularity in northern Norway and provide an unofficial subsidy for the fishing industry.

"They are using this as an alibi to help northern coastal communities as the parliamentary election approaches in September," said Pleym.

Norway began its commercial hunt for Minke whales in 1993 despite an international ban on commercial whaling. Since restarting commercial whaling, Norway has claimed that its Minke whale hunt is small-scale and traditional. In fact, Norway did not begin Minke whaling until 1930 and killed 487 whales during last year's whaling season. This year's quota is 549 whales.

Some of Norway's whaling vessels cross international waters and travel more than a thousand miles to reach their hunting grounds. These ships act as small factories, flensing whales on board and remaining at sea for weeks at a time

However, much of the whale meat from past hunts remains frozen in storage facilities around the country. Brochures published by the Norwegian government claim that whale meat is sold in Norway where it is a traditional part of the Norwegian diet. The reality is that the market for the meat in Norway is weak.

The real goal of Norway's whalers is export to Japan where prices paid for whale meat are several times higher than in Norway. Based on this year's whaling quota, the meat and blubber may fetch up to US$5.5 million for the Norwegian whalers. As one whaler commented to the press "when export is reopened, who ever has a license to whale will be sitting on a gold mine."

But the whalers may not get everything they hope for. Analyses of blubber from whales caught in Norway shows that it is so contaminated with PCBs, persistent chemicals that damage the whales' immune system, that it exceeds Japanese food safety guidelines. Although the whalers are making plans to export the meat, it is unlikely that the blubber will be exported.

Norway's whaling program and export to Japan will further jeopardise the worldwide moratorium on commercial whaling and whale populations.

Pirate whalers will inevitably take advantage of the cover provided by this trade to smuggle illegal whale meat, from endangered as well as the more abundant species of whale, into Japan. "If all countries followed Norway's example with respect to CITES, we would have no international control over trading in endangered wildlife whatsoever," said Frode Plyem.

Take action and voice your opposition to Norway's illegal hunt and export of whale meat and blubber by writing to the Prime Minister of Norway today.

For additional information, see the Financial Times article Norwegian whalers go for the kill by Valeria Criscione on May 2, 2001