whale-for-sale

WHALE FOR SALE THE GLOBAL TRADE IN DEAD WHALESDespite Faroese statements that the pilot whaling has no commercial aspects, pilot whalemeat is on open sale in Faroese supermarkets as well as in local hotels and restaurants. It isalso available on ferry boats travelling between the Faroe Islands and Denmark and Iceland. 1WDC is concerned with the potential for ‘commercialization’ of surplus pilot whale meat in the Faroes,particularly in view of the exceptionally large number of cetaceans killed in the 2013 season, yieldingmeat far in excess of dietary recommendations for per capita consumption. 2© WDCCommercial whaling: Until the early 1980s, the Faroe Islands conducted commercial hunts of largerbaleen whales, particularly fin and minke whales, giving them a relatively inexpensive supply of whalemeat. The blubber was primarily obtained for industrial purposes rather than for human consumption,unlike the blubber of pilot whales. The Faroe Islands ceased commercial whaling operations underdomestic legislation in 1984 as a consequence of the IWC moratorium, however they maintain theirright to conduct commercial whaling if the IWC ever sanctions the granting of quotas.“The Faroes do not trade our whale resources on international markets, but we have donein the past. And we wish to maintain our right to do so in the future, if we decide this is aneconomical option. We certainly respect the right of other nations to trade in their naturalresources. In this sense the Faroes are also a commercial whaling nation, in principle if notin practice.” 3Herálvur Joensen, Head of the Representation of the Faroes in Copenhagen, speaking in 2008Imports of whale meat: the Faroe Islands regularly import minke whale meat from both Iceland andNorway. 4Exports: Under a ‘special understanding’ with the EU, Faroe Islanders are allowed to bring up to10kg of whale meat into Denmark. This meat is supposed to be only used for private consumption:commercial use within Denmark is strictly prohibited. 5{ 12 }