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Icelandic fin whales win a reprieve this summer

Icelandic fin whales win a reprieve this summer

I can’t tell you how delighted I am at the news that fin whales will swim in peace off Iceland – this summer at least. Last summer’s whaling season was particularly chaotic and distressing as the whalers killed 146 fin whales, including two rare blue whale/fin whale hybrids, and numerous pregnant females. A majestic fin…

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Japan to resume commercial hunts the day after leaving IWC

According to reports from Japan, whalers there are looking to begin a commercial whale hunt (killing whales for profit) one day after Japan formally withdraws from the IWC (International Whaling Commission – the global body that regulates whale hunting), on July 1st. This will be the first time Japan has openly hunted whales commercially for…

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Icelandic whaling report raises concerns

A long-anticipated report into the economic impact of Icelandic whaling has been released and raises a number of concerns.  Commissioned by the Icelandic government’s Ministry of Industries and Innovation, which includes the pro-whaling Fisheries Ministry, the report is authored by the University of Iceland’s Institute of Economic Studies, and concludes that whaling is of overall benefit to the…

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Japan officially announces intention to start commercial whaling again

Today the Japanese government confirmed its withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission (IWC – the international body that regulates whale hunting) in order to officially resume commercial whaling.  Yoshihide Suga, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, said in a statement the hunts would start in July 2019. In 1982, the IWC introduced a ban on all commercial…

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Japan to withdraw from International Whaling Commission and start hunting whales for commercial profit

The Japanese government has decided to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC – the international body that regulates whale hunting) so that it can begin hunting whales for commercial profit. In doing so, Japan has effectively turned its back on international co-operation around the regulation of whale hunting. In 1982, the IWC introduced a…

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