Norway Still Defies Global Ban and Threatens to Expand Whaling
Norway ramps up its self-allocated whaling quota and announces that it wants to start hunting humpback whales, whilst making a silly claim about the ‘threat’ from whales to fish catches.
False Justifications: Whaling as ‘Ecosystem Protection’
In a recent statement, Marianne Sivertsen Næss, Norway’s Minister of Fisheries, has both announced an increase in the number of minke whales that her country means to kill and also that this killing should be seen as part of protecting the marine ecosystem. Her overly simplistic argument that by removing certain animals they will magically boost fisheries yield, has long been discredited and it is remarkable to see a sophisticated country that prides itself on its science, repeating this myth at such a high level. In fact, she has also claimed that killing whales is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
The minke whale quota will be increased by 249 animals from last year, taking Norway’s self-allocated quota to 1,406 minke whales in 2025. The arbitrary and non-precautionary increase in quota is due to a ‘carryover’ of unused quota from the previous year and is a strategy that happens year after year. Ironically, while the quota continues to go up, the number of whales killed goes down, despite more vessels in the fleet.
Norway Defends Whaling
Here is a translation of the minister’s statement: “Norwegian whaling is sustainable, subject to strict regulations, and the minke whale population is in very good condition. Norway uses efficient and animal welfare-friendly fishing methods, and whale predation has an impact on the ecosystem. Whaling therefore contributes to increased balance in the ocean. To achieve the United Nations’ global goals for sustainable development, we must also eat more seafood, but whaling provides healthy food obtained from the consumers’ immediate environment.”
The minister’s aim to promote more demand for whale meat seemingly prompted the whaling company, Myklebust Hvalprodukter (‘whale products’), to comment on social media that it would like to start hunting Humpback whales. All of Norway’s whaling since it formally objected to the global moratorium on commercial whaling has been focused on minke whales. So, an expansion to the far larger humpback whales would be a major escalation.
All commercial whaling was banned by the relevant international body, the International Whaling Commission, in 1982. At that time, Norway took out a legal objection – as was its right in international law – and it continues to whale all these years later using this same legal loophole in defiance of what was agreed. It is one of only three nations still whaling for profit. The others being Iceland and Japan.
OceanCare Condemns Norway’s Ongoing Whaling
OceanCare’s Director of Science Mark Simmonds emphasized: “OceanCare deplores the ongoing whaling being conducted by Norway. They are one of only three nations still killing whales for profit and their attempt to defend this whale slaughter in the name of boosting fish catches is based on a grossly over-simplified understanding of how marine ecosystems works.”
OceanCare refutes Norway’s claims that Norway’s whaling is in accordance with sustainable development aims, that it is using mechanisms set to determine quotas set by the IWC and that killing whales will boost fisheries takes. We will continue to oppose their cruel and unnecessary whale hunting and that of Japan and Iceland.
