Commercial whaling

Commercial whaling began with shore-based and small-boat operations, but the 19th century saw the rise of American and British fleets targeting sperm and right whales for oil and baleen. The invention of the exploding harpoon and steam-powered catcher boats by Svend Foyn in the 1860s allowed hunting of faster rorquals, such as blue and fin whales. This led to a rapid expansion in the Antarctic, where factory ships processed whales at sea. By the mid-20th century, over-exploitation had driven several species to near extinction, prompting international regulation efforts.

The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) was signed in 1946, establishing the IWC to manage whale stocks. In 1982, the IWC voted for a moratorium on commercial whaling, which took effect in 1986. The moratorium was intended to allow depleted populations to recover, but it remains controversial. Japan, Norway, and Iceland have continued whaling: Norway and Iceland lodged formal objections, while Japan used scientific permits until 2019, when it withdrew from the IWC and resumed commercial whaling in its exclusive economic zone.

Today, commercial whaling is limited to a few countries. Norway hunts minke whales in the North Atlantic, setting annual quotas unilaterally. Iceland hunts fin and minke whales, though its operations have been intermittent due to market and animal welfare concerns. Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019, targeting minke, Bryde's, and sei whales, but its catch has been small. Whale meat markets are limited, and subsidies often support the industry. Anti-whaling groups, such as Sea Shepherd, have clashed with whalers, while the IWC continues to debate the future of the moratorium.

Beyond the major whaling nations, indigenous whaling is allowed under IWC aboriginal subsistence quotas, such as for the Makah tribe in the US and various Arctic communities. The Soviet Union historically falsified catch data, underreporting its kills by hundreds of thousands, which skewed scientific assessments. The use of whale products extends beyond food: whale oil was used in margarine, cosmetics, and even transmission fluid. The 'blue whale unit' system, which equated different species to a single blue whale, allowed overfishing of smaller species. The IWC's Revised Management Procedure, a scientifically rigorous quota formula, was developed but never implemented due to political deadlock.

Moratorium

A temporary suspension of an activity; here, the IWC's ban on commercial whaling.

Rorquals

A family of baleen whales including blue, fin, and minke whales, characterized by pleated throat grooves.

Aboriginal subsistence whaling

Whaling by indigenous peoples for local consumption, permitted under IWC quotas.