News

Every year, hundreds of federally protected humpback whales off New England delight thousands of whale watchers who flock off the coast to see the marine mammals frolic and feed.

But now, some of them – or their relations – may be in danger with a request by Greenland to kill up to 50 humpback whales over the next five years for aboriginal subsistence according to the Plymouth-based Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

Today, the US chair of the International Whaling Commission meeting in Portugal postponed a vote on the contentious issue until a special meeting later this year – a move, the Conservation Society says, that was designed to avoid a vote that would have likely rejected Greenland’s request. A similar request by the country to kill humpbacks was denied last year.

At issue are how many whales the Greenland aboriginal population needs to live on. According to news reports, Greenland says it has grossly underestimated the amount of meat it is already allowed to take from fin and minke whales and needs humpback meat to meet the 730 tons for a growing number of aboriginal people.