This page is an attempt to collect these facts around whaling in norway.
We need to recognise that whaling in Norway is neither environmentally acceptable or economically sensible, and that the typical reasons we have to support the issue are ignorant of the truth.
myths:
we've been doing it for thousands of years, it's part of norway's tradition, why should we stop because of what the rest of the world thinks!
The stupidity in this patriotism. Humans have been killing each other for thousands of years, why should we stop that?norway is whaling in a sustainable manner
If this is any truth in this it is because norway is the only country whaling in Europe's oceans (Iceland has recently restarted its whaling program), and is intruding into the sustainability of surrounding countries' ecological systems. More realistically, looking into norway's methodology for finding 'sustainable' whaling quotas it can be seen the only interest involved is economic (betting on IWC ban being lifted), not environmental.only for norwegian consumption, therefore not many whales are hunted
While current international laws prohibit commercial trade of any endangered species, norwegian is killing ~1000 whales a year (similar numbers to japanese quotas), drastically over any national commercial demand, the vast majority of this whale meat is being stored waiting for norway to begin exporting to japanese markets again.we need to support the whaling industries in the north
The government of norway currently has to place such a high minimal sale price on whale meat to support the enormous government subsidies towards the whaling industry that few norwegian companies are actually willing to pay for the meat. Norwegian taxpayers money also pays to subsidise the industry. It is also globally accepted that whale watching brings in more money than the whale meat does. There are only roughly a hundred jobs involved in the industry.only minke whales are caught
Norway has long disobeyed the international rules regarding whaling, with acts like counting two small whales as one large whale, and smuggling whale meat to sell abroad. The industries simply cannot be trusted to keep accountable statistics, especially when the industries themselves promote returning to whaling of all species including dolphins.
references:
Norway exporting to Japan history
http://www.commondreams.org/news2002/0507-01.htm
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society -
http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/254AB9DF8328436E80256F350055151D
WDCS - Norwegian Commercial Whaling
http://www.wdcs.org
Wikipedia - Whaling in Norway
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling#Norway
Google search on "Norway Commericial Whaling"
http://www.google.com/search?hs=FBB&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aunofficial&biw=1527&q=whaling+comercial+norway&btnG=Search
Ban on commercial whaling upheld
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/06/21/whaling.meeting.ap/
HIGH NORTH ALLIANCE ( Norwegian Pro-Whaling Organisation )
http://www.highnorth.no/Default.asp
Norwegian statistics on whales killed
http://www.ssb.no/english/yearbook/tab/t-1005-424.html
The North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (nammco)
http://www.nammco.no
Description of nammco by wdcs
http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/8F79D54BA7F9B2DD80256F350055150B
Petter Garrett's Adjournment Debate on Whaling 26 May 2005
http://www.petergarrett.com.au/c.asp?id=49
Whaling begins amid protests
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1288008.ece
