Whaling in Norway
| year | Quota | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 319 | 280 |
| 1995 | 232 | 218 |
| 1996 | 425 | 388 |
| 1997 | 580 | 503 |
| 1998 | 671 | 625 |
| 1999 | 753 | 591 |
| 2000 | 655 | 487 |
| 2001 | 549 | 550 |
| 2002 | 671 | 634 |
| 2003 | 711 | 646 |
| 2004 | 670 | 541 |
| 2005 | 797 | 639 |
| 2006 | 1052 | 546 |
| 2007 | 1052 | 592 |
| 2008 | 885 | 484 |
Norway , along with Japan and Iceland, is one of the few countries that practice commercial whaling . State guarantee acceptances for whale meat are a form of subsidy in the Norwegian Far North, where there is a decade-long whaling tradition. Currently, around 1,000 minke whales are allowed to be caught per year, out of a population of around 107,000 in the north-east of the Atlantic .
history
In the mid-1920s, Norway had a monopoly-like position in whaling: up to 80 percent of the world's oil production was provided by Norway, non-Norwegian companies worked with Norwegian staff or Norwegian technology.
| Whaling companies | Whaling boats / BRT | Cooking boats / BRT | Transport boats / BRT | Fleet / GRT (total) | Captured whales | Tran |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924/25 - Arctic | ||||||
| 26th | 102 / 18.385 | 17 / 92.380 | 6 / 25.254 | 125 / 136.019 | 12,430 | 104,550 t |
| 1927/28 - Arctic and Antarctic | ||||||
| 21st | 89 / 17.213 | 15 / 92.260 | 7 / 30.929 * | 111 / 130.096 | 11,616 | 143,820 t |
Note: * 1926/27
Norwegian minke whale catch quotas (blue, 1994-2006) and catches (red 1946-2005)
Whaler's harpoon
Harpoon whaling
Norway objected to the moratorium of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and resumed commercial whaling in 1993. In addition to domestic demand, Norwegian whale meat is also purchased in Iceland and the Faroe Islands .
Since 1999, minke whale migrations have been scientifically investigated and tracked. In 2004, the Norwegian Parliament decided to expand whaling. Before the whaling moratorium, the annual catch was around 2000 animals, in 2008 it was significantly lower.
Norway has tried to export blubber to Japan for almost 20 years because it is not accepted by the domestic market. This failed until 2007 due to environmental concerns and import restrictions in Japan. In 2008 Norway and Iceland managed to export whale meat to Japan again and thus gain access to the most important whale meat market in the world.
Whaling is in decline in Norway. The catch quota has not been exhausted in recent years. In recent years, 660 (2015), 591 (2016) and 432 (2017) whales have been shot. In 1950 there were 350 fishing boats, there were 11 in 2017. In 2018, the country decided to significantly increase (by 28%) the quota to 1278 animals in order to make whaling more attractive again. In 2018 there was also a slight increase in catches with 454 whales killed. In 2019, however, the catch quota fell again to 429 animals. Since Norway only hunts minke whales, it comes into little conflict with the now economically more important whale tourism, which mainly focuses on orcas, humpback whales and sperm whales.
Use in Norwegian cuisine
Whale meat has long been used as an inexpensive substitute for beef in Norwegian cuisine (around NOK 100 / € 10 per kilogram by mail order in 2009 ). Depending on its origin and content, whale meat tastes similar to beef heart, rump steak or liver with a little fish flavor. A specialty is whale ham and carpaccio made from it .
controversy
Opponents of whaling consider the continuation of commercial whaling to be paradoxical in view of Norwegian wealth and international resistance. Norway is extremely restrictive in terms of fishing quotas and, in particular, their control.
Along with Japan and Switzerland, Norway is one of the countries in the world with the most heavily subsidized and protected agriculture and food production. According to the proponents, small companies and communities in the north of the country find a sustainable livelihood with whaling and whaling also plays an important role in local tradition and culture.
Web links
- Official Norwegian minke whaling ( Memento of June 28, 2009 in the Internet Archive ): Statement by the Norwegian government on whaling
- Website of a Norwegian whale meat producer, including films on modern whale hunting and processing
- Article: Sunday, Bloody Sunday Sea Shepherd Germany - accessed October 2, 2013
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Daily newspaper Aftenposten : Whaling quota draws fire Heated debate about the whaling quota Whaling quota draws fire ( Memento of February 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Ernst Ambrosius, Konrad Fenzel: The image of the earth. Published by Velhagen & Klasing , Bielefeld and Leipzig , 1930
- ^ International Whaling Commission, Norway. Progress report on cetacean research, January 2001 to December 2001 Progress report on whale research.
- ↑ Richard Black: Whale Meat traders 'defying ban'. In: news.bbc.co.uk. June 2, 2008, accessed February 9, 2015 .
- ↑ Norway releases even more whales for shooting. March 7, 2018, accessed June 21, 2019 .
- ↑ Norway boosts whaling quota despite international opposition. March 7, 2018, accessed June 21, 2019 .
- ^ Whaling in Norway. Retrieved September 27, 2019 .
- ↑ After a miserable hunting season, the future of Norway's whaling is uncertain. October 1, 2019, accessed January 15, 2020 .
- ↑ Whale Watching: The New Boom in Norway. April 17, 2018, accessed June 21, 2019 .
- ↑ Netthandel - Bestillinger fra Olavsen AS ( Memento from June 27, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Prices for whale meat in Norwegian kroner
- ↑ Norwegian website about Hvalbiff (whale meat) procurement, Food, promotions .
- ^ Arguments of animal rights activists against Norwegian whaling .
- ↑ SWR odysso: Sustainable fishing in Norway (2007).
- ^ High North Alliance, representatives of whaling in the far north .