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While the quota was 753 in 1999, it was reduced to 655 minke whales this year. Only 487 animals were caught this year, mainly due to poor domestic management and bad weather conditions.
The quota was announced today by the Minister of Fisheries, Otto Gregussen, at the annual meeting of the Norwegian Whalers' Association. The whalers were furious to see a further reduction, and called this a "political and scientific scandal".
New estimates of various quota options were presented. This is in accordance with the Revised Management Procedure of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which demands that these calculations should be done every fifth year.
The abundance estimates of the two stocks for which the quota is set, are however the same, a total of 184,000 minke whales.
The Minister of Fisheries says that a main reason for the quota decrease is that they are taking into account the sex distribution in the catches. A considerable percentage of whales taken are females.
However, according to the Revised Management Procedure of the IWC, the quota could have been set at 736 animals.
This has to do with the so called tuning level, that is the harvesting pressure, which results in different quotas. A high tuning level yields a low quota, and, consequently, a low tuning level yields a high quota.
The IWC Scientific Committee has recommend tuning levels between 0,60-0,72. A tuning level of 0,72 would yield a 377 quota for 2001, while a tuning level of 0,60 would yield a 736 quota.
Norway chose a tuning level of 0,66 this time, which results in the quota of 549 minkes.
"While the quota reduction is very disappointing, it is positive that the government has opted for a stronger hunting pressure," says Rune Frovik, secretary of the High North Alliance, referring to the change of tuning level.
Another positive note, is that it is more likely that the whole quota will be taken next year. Because in real terms, the quota is in practice reduced only in hunting areas where the catches have been meagre the last years. In other words, if the complete quota of 549 animals is taken next year, the catch can increase compared with this year's catch of 487.
The whalers had also expected the government to announce the lifting of the self imposed export ban on whale products. But they were disappointed. The minister announced that no decision has yet been taken, as this is still in the decision-making process.
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