Iceland company to resume commercial hunting of fin whales

"The common misconception is that we are allowing an endangered species to be hunted," Vikingsson said "But it is only in the southern hemisphere that the fin whale population is critical."

The species is classified as "endangered" so it's not a misconception... FYI, "endangered" means "categorized as very likely to become extinct".

Just a few facts :

Between 1904 and 1975, 750,000 individuals of this species were killed. About 10,000 a year.

Females reproduce every 2 to 3 years. Usually giving birth to only one calf.

Females reach sexual maturity between 6 and 12 years of age.

The latest counts from 2015 put the region's population at 40,000

Knowing how much they were hunted and how slow they reproduce, there's no way their population is near close what is was at the beginning of the last century.

Good to hear that Iceland has upped their health code standards to match Japan's so that their whaling program can can be resumed! Good hunting!

Great news from Iceland and well done to them! Mysteriously, all the anti-whaling virtue signalers have disappeared when it's not Japan doing the whaling! Absolute comedy

It's repugnant to hunt whales in 2018. It's even more repugnant to do it under the guise of scientific research because that is simply being intellectually dishonest.

Does this post demonstrate to others that I am a good person? That's the only reason I am doing it.

How can Japan be a 'vital market' for whalemeat from Iceland? They can't even sell the heavily-subsidised 'byproduct' of their 'scientific research', never mind (more expensive?) imported meat.

That picture, by the way, is disgusting. A beautiful animal tortured and covered in blood for the sake of filthy lucre.

cleoToday  10:29 am JST

How can Japan be a 'vital market' for whalemeat from Iceland? They can't even sell the heavily-subsidised 'byproduct' of their 'scientific research', 

Good question, Cleo. The logical answer would be that the "Japan can't even sell it's own whale meat" story is a myth.

The logical answer would be that the "Japan can't even sell it's own whale meat" story is a myth.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/9330828/Seventy-five-per-cent-of-Japanese-whale-meat-unsold.html

Good for Iceland!

Why is it good for Iceland? Why is it good to hunt whales?

Why is it good for Iceland? Why is it good to hunt whales?

It boosts their employment, local economy, and exports. Protecting whales over human livelihood is a nonstarter and invalid.

What is even better is whale watching has become an important part of Iceland's economy since 1997. Whale watching creates a bigger economy than a limited whale hunting when much of it must exported.

That is for Iceland to decide, not international "anger" over some big fish. It appears Iceland has chosen whaling over "whale watching"

https://s3.amazonaws.com/ifaw-pantheon/sites/default/files/legacy/economics-of-japanese-whaling-japan-ifaw.pdf

This is a report on japanese whaling.

Look at page 7 for a comparison of demand on different types of meat.

It boosts their employment, local economy, and exports. Protecting whales over human livelihood is a nonstarter and invalid.

Better invest in chicken then.

https://grapevine.is/news/2014/11/10/chicken-dethrones-mutton-as-king-of-meat/

While 80% of the population don't eat whale meat.

https://grapevine.is/news/2015/10/27/icelandic-support-for-whaling-decreases/

Great to hear that Fin will be back on the menu in restaurants in Japan soon! Will definitely sample this delicacy

The species is classified as "endangered" so it's not a misconception... 

No, to the extent some people believe it, it is indeed a misconception. 

Saying they are endangered around Iceland is like saying that humans globally are "low in number", because there are only 300,000 in Iceland. But obviously there are 1 billion plus in places like China.

Low numbers in one place (enough for an "endangered" classification) doesn't mean low numbers everywhere.

Their annual quota of 160 from a population estimated 40,000 works out to 0.4% of the estimate. It looks like a low, safe catch limit to abide by.

Good luck to the Iceland company in getting their products past Japan's trade barriers this time.

The logical answer would be that the "Japan can't even sell it's own whale meat" story is a myth.

Yes, it seems completely bogus.

Here we have a commercial operator in Iceland that sees a market for its products, even after jumping through the rep tape hoops laid out by Japanese trade protectionism.

So if there were insufficient demand for the products, or there were none willing to pay the price demanded by the Iceland company, those products would not be shipped here. Simple as that.

I think people should just get over it, the fact that many in Japan regard whales as food.

The crux of the matter should be ensuring that the use of such wild resources as fish and whales and whatever, is done on a sustainable basis. If that is ensured, I'm all for it. It supports human economic development, culture, and is more natural than methods such as farming of animals, which is good for both the animals themselves and their environment. In this day and age of global climate change, sustainable harvests of wild resources has to be encouraged.

Here we have a commercial operator in Iceland that sees a market for its products, even after jumping through the rep tape hoops laid out by Japanese trade protectionism.

https://grapevine.is/news/2015/08/07/whaling-company-loses-money-from-whaling/

I think people should just get over it, the fact that many in Japan regard whales as food.

Polls usually show most people have no opinion on whaling, and the vast majority don't eat whale meat.

The pro-whaling club is definitely out in force, and they clearly don't like facts.

Bintaro, the article doesn't suggest that the operator doesn't see potential profits if it invests in developing its business in Japan. It's normal for businesses to make losses before becoming profitable, but in any case, it's that business's business, anyway. If they lose money on their whale operation, who cares (but them).

So long as it's sustainable, and at 160 whales from 40,000 this year, there is no issue.

Whale meat sales are less than 50% of those 10 years ago. Not bogus.

Whale catches 10 years ago? Wasn't Japan catching many more at that point under it's ""scientific"" program? Come on, no silly games, let's just accept reality. People eat whales, so what.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/10086027/Endangered-whale-meat-sold-as-luxury-dog-snacks-in-Japan.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/30/japanese-firm-endangered-whale-pet-treats

Icelandic whale meat is used for dog food.

https://eatsiptrip.10best.com/2018/01/05/angry-about-restaurants-in-iceland-serving-whale-blame-the-tourists/

“Nobody eats it,” Ólafur Grímsson, a bartender at Bravo said. “It’s purely for tourists.”

“And whatever the tourists don’t eat gets sent to Japan and is turned into dog food,” a barback added. These claims are no exaggeration – exported whale meat that eventually becomes pet food is public knowledge, and may even be the main reason whale hunting continues at all.

Yes but many less than before. 

Yes but what would anyone expect given there is a ‘moratorium’, that means many less whales than before are caught now (not a bad thing given in the old days too many of some species at least were caught)

the Japanese whaling industry gets ¥5 billion in taxpayer subsidies 

That’s in reference to ““scientific”” programs I take it, programs that exist because of the “moratorium”.

Lets just end the moratorium already, for those whales which can be caught sustainably. 160 fin whales around Iceland is no issue, and for 500,000 minke whales in the Antarctic a similarly conservative catch should be permitted.

Until there is normal whaling for business, I can’t imagine the government ending ““scientific”” programs and the subsidies for them.

If we are against subsidies, let’s be for environmentally sustainable free-market enterprise instead.

(Arguing against subsidies as a front to argue against whaling at all is a ruse that no one will ever fall for.)

Bintaro - the problem with the links you provided is that they appear to be stating facts and approaching the situation not on emotion but on - this is the reality.

That's why many posters are confused. They still base their arguments on emotionally charged bouts of - it's our tradition, it's our right, it's our way of science, it's to help the starving, it's to kick sand in the face of youse huggers etc.

Present basic statistical evidence and the jellyfish take over.

Geez - And they call the protesters emotional. Heh, Heh!

Browny, basic statistical evidence shows that there are enough whales to catch a small number each year.

So just summarize in a sentence, what is the problem then?

fxgai - thanks for your query.

While statistically some whales aboundwhales,  - the problem is ....." ...They still base their arguments on emotionally charged bouts of - it's our tradition, it's our right, it's our way of science, it's to help the starving, it's to kick sand in the face of youse huggers etc....."

So you have a problem with people’s argumentation, but not the whaling.

fxgai - thank you.

No - the content of their arguments.

I've never said I am anti-whaling or pro-whaling.

I've put up for questioning ideas that are proffered relentlessly, such as this is our tradition(Antarctic Factory Whaling), protein sourcing is necessary etc etc etc.

I've yet to hear a substantial argument based on those decidedly emotional raps.

I have even acknowledged before somethings that could be taken as pro whaling - eg IWC states all by-products of scientific whaling must be utilized (consumed) or traditional coastal whaling carried out by communities that have being doing it for centuries could easily be justified.

As an observer of the issue, from most angles, I'd say the whaling industry as it is is doomed. Nothing to do with the emotive side of killing wild creatures, but simply on the economic feasability. It is a minor, minor industry propped up by huge govt monies and cronies with vested interests. Businesses fail all the time. It will.