What Is Whaling Ethical?

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Whaling started in the 11th century. It soon became very popular. It was a very dangerous job. Whales have abundant oil. Killing a whale was not an easy task. The International Whaling Commission is responsible for setting catch limits for commercial whaling. There is a schedule with the limits. The IWC decided to pause commercial whaling in 1982. This pause is often referred to as the commercial whaling moratorium, and it is still in place today (commercial). The IWC today consist of 89 member states, including whaling countries, ex-whaling countries, and countries that have never had whaling industries but joined either to have a voice in the conservation of whales or to support whaling interests (A History). The International Whaling …show more content…
These counties set their own limits on how many whales but must report to the IWC with the number they catch. Japan kills whales still and sells the meat. Japan's whalers have recently been able to find a loophole in the founding treaty of the International Whaling Commission, that allows whaling for 'scientific research'. On March 31st 2014, the UN’s International Court of Justice ruled that whaling in Antarctica is banned. On the Nov 27th 2015 Japan announced that it would resume “scientific” whaling in Antarctica. During the 2013-2014 season Japan killed 251 minke whales in the Antarctic. In Court, Japan’s whaling in Antarctica is under a scientific permit from the IWC. The Court ceased all of Japan’s Antartica whaling and will not allow permits again (Whales and …show more content…
Norway hunts minke whale's under an 'objection' to the IWC's moratorium on commercial whaling. In Norway the sales on whale products are going down so there are less fishers. Even though it is unnecessary, uneconomical, and cruel Norway has fought to get the right to hunt whales. In 2010 Norwegian whalers took only 468 whales which is 36% of their self-allocated quota of 1286. Until 2012, this was the lowest number of animals killed by Norway in ten years. News reports in June 2013 indicate that only 18 vessels would be hunting this season, having killed a reduced number of 459 whales in 2012. In 2011 Norwegian whalers killed a reported 533 minke whales out of a quota of 1286. In 2015, as of the end of October Norwegian whalers had reportedly killed 660 minke whales. In 2014 it was reported that Norway's whalers had killed some 729 whales, up from 594 in 2013 and 464 in 2012 (Whales and