Skip to content
All news
  • All news
  • About whales & dolphins
  • Corporates
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Green Whale
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Scottish Dolphin Centre
  • Stop whaling
  • Stranding
  • Whale watching
Icelandic hunting vessels in port

Whaling boat kept in port after more hunt cruelty exposed

Icelandic whale hunting fleet One of the whaling boats involved in the latest hunts in...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of...
Image showing two harpoon wounds in fin whale

Whalers kill just days after Iceland’s hunt suspension is lifted

Whalers in Iceland have claimed their first victims since the lifting (just a few days...
Fin whale

Icelandic government lifts suspension on cruel hunts

The Icelandic government is to allow fin whales to be hunted again after lifting a...

Norway ups whale kill numbers and removes whale welfare protections

A minke whale is hauled aboard by hunters

The whale hunting season in Norway has begun on the back of disturbing announcements from the country’s government stating the number of whales that can be killed (quota) will increase, whilst measures in place to protect whale welfare will be removed.

The number of whales that the government will allow hunters to slaughter will go up to 1,000. At the same time monitoring regulations will be eased with the onboard blue box’ (or ‘ferdskriver’) that records vessel position, engine speed, direction, harpoon shots, and the weight of the whale brought on deck, now no longer required on hunting vessels. 

The Norwegian Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran sought to justify the move by announcing that ‘Norway is far ahead in terms of effective catching methods and animal welfare.’. However, Norways own research does not support his view. A 2018 report revealed that almost 20% percent of the whales shot by grenade tipped harpoons suffered between 6 and 25 minutes before they eventually died. Many of the hunted whales are pregnant females. 

With this decision there are now virtually no reliable control mechanisms for Norwegian whaling’, says Astrid Fuchs, WDC´s head of policy and strategy. Given the huge welfare issues and lack of welfare regulations it is inconceivable as to why the government made the decision to further ease controls.

Bizarrely, Skjæran also remarked that If we are to achieve the UN's sustainability goals, we must eat more food from the sea, not less. Norwegian whaling is a small but important contribution to healthy and local seafood. He added that whales eat significant amounts of fish that are food for other species, including humans.’

These comments are in sharp contrast to international efforts to protect whales and increase their numbers to help fight the biodiversity and climate crisis. Science shows the positive ecological role that whales play in the ocean.

The misinformation around whales being detrimental to fish populations is also contrary to scientific research. The opposite is true. Increased whale numbers result in increased ecosystem productivity, which supports larger overall fish populations.

So far, 37 minke whales have already been killed in the opening weeks of the hunt season.

PLEASE HELP STOP WHALING - DONATE NOW

 

Related News

Hope the inflatable whale

Meet a whale called Hope

Kidzone - quick links Fun Facts Curious kids Blogs Fantastic fundraisers Gallery Splish and Splash Puzzles Hope is WDC's brand new life-sized inflatable humpback whale....
Harbour porpoise. Image: Charlie Phillips/WDC

Speaking up for the little guys – WDC in action

Whales and dolphins face so many dangers. These intelligent beings are crucial for the wellbeing of the ocean and therefore our planet. If their future...
Icelandic hunting vessels in port

Whaling boat kept in port after more hunt cruelty exposed

Icelandic whale hunting fleet One of the whaling boats involved in the latest hunts in Iceland has been kept in port after yet more controversy...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) in the South West Atlantic...