JAPAN: Japan may raise Antarctic whale meat prices after controversial whaling vessel arrives home

Record ID: 466075

  • Title: JAPAN: Japan may raise Antarctic whale meat prices after controversial whaling vessel arrives home
  • Date: 15th April 2008
  • Summary: (ASIA) SENDAI, JAPAN (FILE) (REUTERS) JAPANESE FISH MARKET WHALE MEAT PRODUCTS
  • Embargoed: 30th April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA5EY3Y696ZZYURESGMR60AYRO
  • Story Text: Japan's main whaling fleet returns home after clashes with environmental activists off the coast of Australia which government officials say may cause Antarctic whale meat prices to rise.
    Japan's whaling fleet's factory ship, the Nisshin Maru, returned home on Tuesday (April 15) after heated clashes with conservation activists in the Southern Ocean.
    Japan stopped commercial whaling in 1986 in line with a moratorium imposed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), but began its research whaling the next year. Most of the meatup on store shelves and restaurant tables.
    A government official said Japan may raise prices of whale meat to finance the next round of its annual Antarctic hunt after activists stopped it whaling fleet from killing their target number of animals.
    This season's hunt saw a series of skirmishes between the Japanese fleet and anti-whaling protesters. The fleet caught only 551 minke whales, compared with the planned catch of 850. No fin whales were caught, although it had set a target of 50, a Fisheries Ministry official said on Monday.
    A Fisheries Agency official said the fleet's failure to meet its target could affect the overall financing of Japan's whaling programme.
    Whale meat is still sold in the country, which considers whaling a cultural tradition, while in the recent season Japan's fleet caught only about 60 percent of its initial minke whale plan.
    Mr Sato said Greenpeace played a significant part in reducing the number of whales caught but the number was still higher than three years ago.

    "Greenpeace played a significant part in nearly halving the amount of whales being killed this year. However, 551 whales being killed is more than 100 that Japan took three years ago in an international recognised whale sanctuary. This commercial whaling needs to be stopped immediately," said Mr. Sato of Greenpeace.
    Clashes during a 5-month hunting season included a high-profile standoff in January during which two activists boarded a Japanese whaling vessel. They also hurled bottles and substances at ships to disrupt operations.
    The incidents have prompted a spate of complaints between Japan, which calls the protesters "terrorists", and Australia, which is strongly opposed to whaling.
    Australia is considering international legal action to stop hunting, while Japan has threatened to quit the IWC for being refused permission to allow the limited restart of coastal whaling.
    Norway is the only country to hunt whales commercially despite the IWC moratorium, after Iceland stopped in 2007, citing a lack of markets for whale meat.
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