FISHING AND HUNTING
This family business has nothing in common with the giant corporations that
previously carried out whaling on all the world's oceans for much of this century.
Those corporations were driven by world-wide demand for whale oil. The
blubber, meat, and bones were rendered into oil on board the great floating
factory ships. The last of these whale oil factory ships were scrapped years ago,
but it is still this major industry that haunts people's subconscious when they
speak of whaling.
"Trøndergut" is 65 feet long, which is the average size of the 32 boats that took
part in the minke whale harvest in 1993. They are all family businesses, too. Over
half of them belong in Lofoten, the rest of them are spread along the coast.
Small family businesses, with costal vessels of between 25 and 75 feet in length,
constitute the major part of the fishing fleet and are the cornerstone of the widely
spread settlement that is to be found in innumerable, tiny fishing hamlets along
the coast. Most of the boats in Reine are between 25 and 45 feet in length with a
crew of one or two.
Only boats with a permit from the authorities can take part in the minke whale
harvest. The permits are inherited, but it is not enough to be the son or other
relative of a whaler. One must also have several years of experience in whaling.
The Norwegian authorities have chosen to use minke whaling as a means of
strengthening the costal fleet and maintaining settlement along the coast.
"Minke whaling is no big business," says Bjørn Hugo. "We don't dream of
becoming millionaires, or building up a great fleet of whalers. But whaling
provides us with a livelihood and is important in maintaining settlement out
here."
THE SEASON
During the winter cod fishery and throughout the spring, all hands are busy and
the harbours are hives of activity. Even the youngsters join the ranks of the self-
employed, cutting the tongues out of the cod's heads and keeping the proceeds for
themselves. Fried cod tongues are a North Norwegian delicacy.
But during the summer and autumn, there are few fish to be caught off Lofoten
and unemployment is high. "You can't offer young people with families work for
only half the year," says Bjørn Hugo who shares an old house with Nina, a girl
form a neighbouring village, and their six-month-old son Sverre.
Cod fishing and the minke whale harvest are a perfect combination in Lofoten.
The minke whales come north along the coast of Norway from southern waters in
the spring, and migrate back past Lofoten in the autumn. The whaling season
normally lasts from May to August.
THE INCOME
Bjørn Hugo: "If only that were true. The fishermen's income is about the same as
the national average and my own income over the past few years has been far
below that of the average industrial worker. We have a high standard of living in
Norway and a well-developed social security network. But who wants to be
unemployed and live on the dole? If the people in Greenpeace think being a
fisherman is such a good touch, I recommend they come here and try it."
Before the harvest was stopped in 1987 mink whaling constituted 50 percent of the
total income of the boats taking part. Then there were 56 boats engaged in mink
whaling. Today, just seven years later, only 35 remain. Many of the owners went
bankrupt or were forced to sell or condemn their boats while waiting for the
resumption of whaling.
"Trøndergut" has been owned by the Bendiksen family (photo) since 1968. Arne-Lauritz
(57) and his two sons Bjørn Hugo (29) and Lars (27) are joint owners of the boat.
The third son, Halvar (23), is also a member of the crew. Altogether, there are 6
men on board.
Vestfjord, the open fjord between Lofoten and the mainland, is the delivery room
of the cod. Early in the new year, the cod come here from all over the Barents Sea
to spawn, and fishermen from all along the coast assemble here. Vestfjord is
reserved for the coastal vessels using traditional tackle. No trawlers are allowed to
fish here.
In a brochure published in England in 1993, Greenpeace claims that the fishermen
don't need to catch whales because they earn two and a half times the average
Norwegian wage fishing, in Europe's richest country.
A minke whale is worth about NOK 70,000 (US$ 9,400) at the quayside. The total
catch from all the 32 boats had a first hand value of 16 million kroner. In 1993, 32
boats took part in the harvest, taking a total 226 minke whales comprised of the
full commercial quota together with 69 of 136 samples requested by the government for
scientific research. Before income can be calculated, running costs and investments
in boat and tackle must be subtracted.
For the Bendiksen family, the resumption of the harvest came at the last minute.
The five years following the suspension of minke whaling were a constant struggle to
avoid bankruptcy. They tried full-time longlining when the whaling was stopped,
but saw only a minimal return on their investment. In 1993 the engine bay of the
"Trøndergut" had to be replaced. "Without the harvest, we wouldn't have been
able to pay that bill," says Arne-Lauritz. Last year, the harvest constituted just a
quarter of their annual income.