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Norway ups whale kill numbers and removes whale welfare protections

The whaling season in Norway has begun on the back of disturbing announcements from the...
Image taken from an unmanned hexacopter at >100ft during a research collaboration between NOAA/SWFSC, SR3 and the Coastal Ocean Research Institute. Research authorized by NMFS permit #19091.

Southern Resident orca petition to list them under Oregon Endangered Species Act advanced

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted today to advance a petition seeking to protect...
Hysazu Photography

WDC and Conservation Partners Continue to Seek Oregon Endangered Species Protection for Southern Resident Orcas

On Friday, April 21st, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will determine whether the petition...
WDC Seal Rescue April 2023 (1)

WDC conducts milestone seal rescue in Marshfield

For Immediate Release, April 10, 2023 MARSHFIELD, MA - A young grey seal was found...

Icelandic whalers kill first minke whale of the season

Icelandic minke whalers have landed their first catch of the season. The whale, which measured 9m in length and weighed 7 tons, was shot on May 9th outside the so-called ‘whale watch zone’ in Faxafloi Bay by whaling vessel Hafsteinn SK.

Iceland has self-allocated a ‘quota’ for 2013 of 229 minke whales (Iceland whales under objection to the IWC, the International whaling Commission, the body which regulates whaling). Gunnar Bergmann, the owner of Hafsteinn SK, says his company aims to hunt between 50 and 70 minke whales this year. Gunnar reportedly killed 52* minkes last year, but claims this still did not meet the demand of the domestic market.

Unfortunately, as WDC has publicised, much of the ‚demand‘ for whale meat within Iceland comes from tourists rather than locals. Tourists mistakenly believe that whale meat is just another ‘traditional’ Icelandic dish but instead, are helping to keep this cruel industry alive.

If you are visiting Iceland this year, please support the whale watch industry rather than the whalers: avoid supporting restaurants and outlets which profit from dead whales.

Sources:
http://grapevine.is/Home/ReadArticle/first-minke-whale-shot
http://visir.is/fyrsta-hrefna-veidiarsins-skotin/article/2013705109955

* The Visir article attached gives 53 minkes killed in 2012, but WDC is using the figure issued by Fiskistofa, Iceland’s Fishery Department. http://www.fiskistofa.is/media/utgefid_efni/Starfsskyrsla_2012_web.pdf