Whaling worldwide

Caribbean

In Grenada, the Commonwealth of Dominica and Saint Lucia limited whaling occurs. Short-finned pilot whales, pygmy killer whales and various dolphins including the spinner dolphin are caught. In the Commonwealth of Dominica an average of two sperm whales beach per year, and these are consumed if encountered in a fresh state.

The meat of the short-finned pilot whale is sold locally and eaten fresh or boiled. The meat is referred to as "blackfish". 300 - 450 pilot whales are hunted annually in at least four Caribbean countries.

In the past some sperm and humpback whales were hunted across the Caribbean. But today, humpbacks are hunted only in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Indonesia

Indonesia is not a member of the IWC. However, a hunt for sperm whales, an IWC species, takes place. In 1988, 26 sperm whales were caught, with 19 boats participating. The all time high was in 1969 when 56 whales were taken, and the all time low was in 1982 when only two were caught.

There are indications that about 20 Bryde's whales are also hunted. Traditionally killer whales and smaller cetaceans were hunted, but the current catch statistics are not known at this time.

Further reading:
Indonesia: The Whalers the World Had Forgotten 
Whaling in the Indonesian village Lamalera

New Zealand

New Zealand Maori represent one of the most southern whaling cultures in the world.

While in the past Maori hunted small cetaceans, they mainly relied on the regular strandings of various whales, which occur around the coastlines. The prized species is the sperm whale for the bone and teeth for carving, oil, and once meat. Pilot whales were also a great source of meat and are often referred to as 'blackfish'.

The ancient Maori practice of utilising stranded whales endured throughout the colonial period, but was made illegal in 1978 with the introduction of the Marine Mammals Protection Act.

While seeking to protect marine mammals, including stranded whales, the Act is seen by Maori as another attempt to extinguish their customary and Treaty rights to whales, by making it illegal to utilise them. Not only is access to meat, oil, bone and teeth lost, but the customary practices, or one primary vehicle for the transmission of traditional knowledge from generation to generation, is severed. Some very limited protocols to access only dead animals are being developed between Maori and the government.

Maori hosted the 3rd General Assembly of the World Council of Whalers in November 2001.

Further reading:
The Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission

The Philippines

The full extent of whaling in the Philippines is not known. Reports indicate that maybe a handful of Bryde's whales are caught annually, as well as an unknown number of various dolphin species and killer whales.

Russia

The Indigenous Peoples of Chukotka in north-east Siberia are whale hunters. They have an IWC quota of 120 gray whales and five bowhead whales annually. Using skin boats and wooden whaleboats, whalers take the whales using harpoons, spears and - for the last few years - American darting guns. A number of beluga and narwhal are also caught.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

St. Vincent and the Grenadines has an IWC-quota of four humpback whales. In addition, 50-60 short-finned pilot whales are taken annually as well as a number of dolphins. The meat is shared among those involved in the hunting and the processing of the whales. Some meat is consumed domestically, and the surplus is sold.

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