Iceland Increases Whale Quota

A lot has been written recently about whale hunting. Japan has gotten the majority of the bad publicity, mainly because  they claim their hunt is for scientific killings, which under the rules of the International Whaling Commission, is the only justifiable reason to kill whales. However, no credible research has ever been seen from the annual Japanese whale hunts.

Norway and Iceland are the only two countries that don't follow the rules of the IWC and allow whalers to  hunt whales for the purpose of selling commercial whale meat. Iceland hunts  fin and minke whales and, apparently, only in numbers that are suggested to hunters by the Icelandic Marine Research Institute. This year, and up until 2013, whalers will be allowed to hunt 150 fin whales and 100 minke whales. This makes no sense to me, as fin whales are classed as endangered animals, but not minke whales, so why would the Icelandic Marine Research Institute suggest these numbers?

Last year the numbers were signifigantly lower only 9 fin whales and 40 minke whales were allowed to be hunted. Of course, most of the meat is sold abroad, primarly in Japan. A bad day for fin and minke whales and a careless decision by the Icelandic Marine Research Institute. Get on board with the rest of the world Norway and Iceland!  I am interested to hear your reactions, so please comment below.