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Norwegian whaling quota largest in 25 years

Norwegian whaling quota largest in 25 years

Norwegian whalers are set to kill as many as 1286 whales, the highest quota set by the Norwegian government in over 25 years, despite talks of compromise at the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

At this year’s IWC meeting in June, Governments from around the world will consider a proposal which would allow Norway, Japan and Iceland to commercially hunt whales in exchange for a reduction in the number of animals killed.

New Zealand Country Manager for the World Society for the Protection of Animals said the Norwegian government’s unilateral decision to allow its largest catch in 25 years indicates how little whaling nations are prepared to compromise when it comes to whaling.

“Norway’s ongoing and escalating whaling shows a clear lack of good faith in the negotiations and undermines the compromise process which the New Zealand Government is so keen to support,” she said.

“It also defies all logic as well as popular opinion within Norway. This year’s quota is the largest since Norway began unilaterally setting their own quotas in defiance of the global ban on commercial whaling, and comes at a time of falling demand for whale meat. In fact, this year’s inflated numbers are largely due to the unexploited quota of 401 whales carried over from 2009, when Norwegian whalers ended their season prematurely, due, in part, to a collapse in domestic demand for whale meat.”

In an incontrovertible indication of failing demand, Norges Råfisklag - the Norwegian Fishermen's Sales Organisation, responsible for annually setting the minimum prices for whale meat – had seen prices for Norwegian whale meat fall to as little as 30 Norwegian kroner (approx £3) per kg, far cheaper than beef or reindeer meat.

Despite this stark evidence, Norway now rivaled Japan in terms of the number of whales it kills; this year the Japanese government’s so-called ‘scientific whaling’ programme will aim to kill 1,280 whales, said Ms Vercoe.

ENDS

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