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 [...]
Whales pay a visit to Bergen
July 18, 2011
As many as 100 grindhvaler (pilot whales) swam into the Byfjord just outside Bergen on Sunday and came surprisingly close to the city’s Nordnes peninsula before heading north again. By Monday afternoon, though, they were threatened by curious boaters whom experts feared were coming too close to the majestic marine mammals. “Don’t get too close [...]
Anti-whaling activists still angry
July 6, 2011
A Norwegian official’s claim that the country no longer faces international protests over its commercial whaling activity has been soundly trounced by anti-whaling activists. They claim opposition to Norwegian whaling is as strong as ever. “I respectfully disagree with former IWC Commissioner (and Norwegian diplomat) Karsten Klepsvik’s claim that anti-whaling protests against Norway have died [...]
Whaling protests die down
July 5, 2011
After years of being on the defensive, Norwegian officials reportedly have begun to relax a bit after a marked decline in international protests over their controversial whaling activity. Now the Foreign Ministry even seems ready to hand over responsibility for whaling to the Fisheries Ministry. “We have noticed that there’s more calm around the whaling [...]
Whaling woes look set to continue
June 21, 2010
Norway normally champions international cooperation and adherence to international treaties, but not when it comes to whaling. It’s considered part of the national culture, and a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Morocco this week likely won’t resolve differences or make Norway’s annual whale hunt any more appetizing on the world scene. Whaling [...]
Whales adorn central station
March 24, 2010
It may seem ironic in a country that hunts whales, but the huge, graceful creatures of the sea are now being used to decorate Norway’s largest train station, and the exhibit is backed by animal protection groups. Called “Eye to Eye,” the life-size photographic portraits of whales are said to be the largest in the [...]
Annual whale hunt suspended
June 24, 2009
Norwegian fishermen’s own sales organization has decided to suspend this year’s whale hunt off the Norwegian coast. The group, Norges Råfisklag , claimed there’s not enough demand for more whale meat.The agency suspended the hunt as of 3pm on Tuesday. Fishing vessels approved for the purchase and production of whale meat were exempted from the [...]
