whaling

Japan has restarted commercial whaling for the first time in 31 years. It is the first commercial hunt since 1988, after commercial whaling was banned by the International Whaling Commission. It still killed several hundred whales each year through a loophole allowing “scientific” whaling expeditions in the Antarctic Ocean. The catch quota for the end of this year is set at 227 whales.

After 12 years of high-profile clashes over whaling, the conservation group says it can no longer compete with Japan.