Norwegian hunters want more whales

While Norwegian authorities are coming under increasing pressure internationally for not following the International Whaling Commission agreement that forbids commercial whaling, groups within Norway want to increase the whale and seal hunts.

The High North Alliance, a Norwegian lobby group representing commercial whalers, claims Norway is missing out on millions of dollars a year by not catching more whales.

To justify an increased hunt, researchers say whales and seals compete with fishermen for cod, herring and smelt. Figures from the Marine Research Institute show whales and seals eat 325,000 tons of cod, 280,000 tons of herring and 1,480,000 tons of smelt, as well as 1,200,000 tons of krill — in Barents Sea alone.

The industry also wants to increase the market for seal parts, such as seal oil, sealskins and seal byproducts for dog and cat food.