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New whaling season underway

May 2, 2012  

Norway’s annual whaling season began this week with 20 boats registered to take part. The whale hunters have a quota of 1,286 whales they can harpoon this year.

The quota is around the same as last year’s, when only 533 whales were actually hunted down and shot, reported local newspaper Lofotposten. A total of 21 boats took part in last year’s hunt.

Actual activity during the first few days of the hunt was modest, with only around four of the registered boats sailing out towards Bjørnøya. One of the boats shot three whales, according to Per Rolandsen of the fish wholesales Norges Råfisklag in Svolvær.

Demand for whale meat has declined dramatically in the last 10-20 years, since the days when whale was common on Norwegian dinner tables. Nor is there much demand for the whale oil or blubber earlier used for fuel and in various other products, but Norway continues the hunt to appease northern fishermen and maintain the industry. The hunt, still controversial among environmental groups, normally runs through August.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/izambartas Ioannis Zambartas

    Please STOP whaling. It is a matter of compassion and civilization. Whales have the right to live safe and free…

  • NorwayExpat123

    “Norway continues the hunt to appease northern fishermen and maintain the industry”

    Appease the farmers, appease the fishermen, maintain industries that have no productive value, enact policies that benefit the few at the expense of the majority. What happened to equality and all that? I guess some people are more equal than others. I thought Norway would be above maintaining archaic and barbaric traditions just for the sake of it.

    If I were a Norwegian I would never have spent 6 years at university studying an extremely challenging engineering discipline, and I can understand why most of them don’t bother either, when it’s much easier to work in one of these “industries” that produce nothing and demand everything.

    • http://profiles.google.com/kiwi.robbie Robert Cumming

      I couldn’t have put if better myself NorwayExpat, I don’t really have a major issue with wailing but the reasons why Norwegians whale is ridiculous.

  • wakkerendijk

    DISGUSTING! Stop murdering these animals but instead admire them! All you folks who support this, you can all drown and get sick from the poisoned meat if you ask me. Disgusting low-lifes without a conscience and without any meaning in life. And this murdering is not just “controversial among environmentalists” it is absolutely unacceptable among any civilized society.

  • SeppoKoivula

    This whaling is barbaric and need to stop today!!

  • Jane1974

    Excellent, I was missing having some nice smoked whale before dinner. I like eating whale and I am not ashamed to admit it and I am supporting a tradition that helps fisherman who live on the remote islands survive.

    • http://www.facebook.com/stella.jonsson.1 Stella Jonsson

      Jane, and are there no alternatives to supporting local fishermen? What about cod farms? Proud to eat whale? Perhaps you might want to consider starting an industry where you can manufacture food products from one-year old babies: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1080/1080-h/1080-h.htm.

      “I wonder to see men proud but do not wonder to see them unashamed.” ~Jonathan Swift~

      • http://www.facebook.com/rneve Robert Neve

        Because 100s of fish suffering being reared in a bucket is far more humane than 1 animal that lives wild and free?

  • http://www.facebook.com/stella.jonsson.1 Stella Jonsson

    Most of the Norwegian people are against this barbaric practice. “Only 533 whales”? Yes, 533 creatures suffering needless, horrible pain. It’s 533 too many. So, explain to me: Why do northern fishermen need to be appeased? Norway is close to being the most environmentally conscious country in the world: stop whaling, and your beautiful nation will serve as an example to the entire world.

    • http://profiles.google.com/kiwi.robbie Robert Cumming

      You’re kidding right, Norway is nowhere near being the most environmentally conscious country in the world. Norway is a massive producer of hydrocarbons.

  • http://www.facebook.com/rneve Robert Neve

    Disgusting! Stop Whaling blah blah blah. Now that’s done I will go back to my cage reared chicken eggs, my sow stalled pork and feel good about myself in my child sweatshop clothing.