The fin whale, the second largest animal on Earth, faces renewed threats from whaling, despite being listed as endangered for over half a century. Iceland and Japan, two of the three countries that still permit whaling, recently added this species to their approved whaling quotas.
“The thing that’s really interesting to me is how the two announcements, one from Japan and one from Iceland, came within hours of each other,” Kate O’Connell, the senior policy consultant for the Animal Welfare Institute’s Marine Wildlife Program, said. “I’m not sure if I’m a person that believes in coincidence or not, but I’ll just say that was a very interesting coincidence.”
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Japan authorized the hunting of 59 fin whales, while Iceland approved the hunting of 128. This marks a significant shift for both nations. Japan had not allowed commercial fin whale hunts for decades. Iceland paused all whaling activities last year after the practice underwent an animal welfare investigation.
“They put video cameras on whaling vessels and veterinarians were analyzing the results of the hunt,” O’Connell said regarding Iceland’s whaling investigation. “And they found really disturbing times to death for a number of the whales, so very clearly showing that this is not a welfare-friendly hunt.”
These new whaling permits come amid record low demand for whale meat. A 2018 poll found that 84% of Icelanders have never eaten whale meat. The country has approximately 2,000 tons of unused whale meat in storage. Similarly, Japan recently reported the smallest domestic market for whale meat in its history.
“They’re trying to find ways to promote whale meat consumption in their own countries,” O’Connell said. “And it’s just failing, completely failing. And all three of the whaling countries, there’s just no domestic demand.”
Most of the world banned whaling, and the renewed hunts by Iceland and Japan have already drawn international criticism. The controversy is expected to be a topic of discussion at the upcoming annual International Whaling Committee meeting in September.
[JACK AYLMER]
IT’S THE SECOND LARGEST ANIMAL ON OUR PLANET.
[FIN WHALE SOUNDS]
[JACK AYLMER]
BUT THERE’S DANGER ON THE HORIZON FOR THIS MASSIVE SPECIES.
THE FIN WHALE HAS BEEN LISTED AS ENDANGERED FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY.
AND NOW THEY FACE A RENEWED THREAT FROM AN INDUSTRY THAT MOST OF THE WORLD HAS ALREADY BANNED-
WHALING.
ICELAND AND JAPAN, TWO OF THREE REMAINING COUNTRIES THAT STILL ALLOW THIS PRACTICE, HAVE ADDED FIN WHALES TO THEIR APPROVED WHALING QUOTAS-
JAPAN HAS PERMITTED 59 OF THESE ANIMALS TO BE HUNTED, WHILE ICELAND AUTHORIZED 128.
[KATE O’CONNELL]
“The thing that’s really interesting to me is how the two announcements, one from Japan and one from Iceland came within hours of each other. And I’m not sure if I’m a person that believes in coincidence or not, but I’ll just say that was a very interesting coincidence.”
[JACK AYLMER]
KATE O’CONNELL IS A SENIOR POLICY CONSULTANT FOR THE ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE’S MARINE WILDLIFE PROGRAM.
SHE TOLD US ABOUT HOW THIS MOVE REPRESENTS A CHANGE OF COURSE –
JAPAN HASN’T ALLOWED FIN WHALE HUNTS FOR DECADES, AND ICELAND PAUSED ALL WHALING ACTIVITIES LAST YEAR AMID INVESTIGATIONS INTO ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS.
[KATE O’CONNELL]
They put video cameras on whaling vessels and veterinarians were analyzing the results of the hunt. And they found really disturbing times to death for a number of the whales, so very clearly showing that this is not a welfare friendly hunt.
[JACK AYLMER]
THESE NEW WHALING PERMITS COME DESPITE DEMAND FOR WHALE MEAT HITTING RECORD LOWS.
A 20-18 POLL FOUND 84 PERCENT OF ICELANDERS HAVE NEVER EATEN IT, AS THE NATION IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE ABOUT 2,000 POUNDS OF WHALE MEAT CURRENTLY UNUSED AND SITTING IN STORAGE.
MEANWHILE, JAPAN RECENTLY REPORTED THE SMALLEST DOMESTIC MARKET FOR THE MEAT THAT THE COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN.
[KATE O’CONNELL]
“They’re trying to find ways to promote whale meat consumption in their own countries. And it’s just failing, completely failing. And all three of the whaling countries, there’s just no domestic demand.”
[JACK AYLMER]
THE CONTROVERSY IS EXPECTED TO BE ADDRESSED FURTHER AT THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMITTEE MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.
JACK AYLMER – STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.
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