Norway’s parliament instructs government to substantially increase whaling quota as soon as possible

High North News 18.05.2004

Today, Norway’s Parliament, the Storting, will decide to instruct the government to substantially increase the minke whale quota as soon as possible, in accordance with advice from Norwegian scientists.

This is one of several ground breaking decisions by the Parliament, when it now finalises the deliberations on the White Paper on Norway’s policy on marine mammals, submitted by the Government in March. The White Paper first went to the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Business and Industry, which presented recommendations last week, including comments on the issues and recommendations for formal decisions to be adopted. During its work, the committee members represented the views of their respective political parties. This means that the recommendation from the Standing Committee is what will be formally decided when the Parliament meets today. It is clear that the Committee thinks 1,800 animals per year is a good starting point until a new estimate will be available in four to five years’ time, and at that time consider an appropriate catch limit, with respect to the objectives of an ecosystem-based management regime. A catch level of 1,800 animals is the same as the average yearly catch from 1963 to 1982, which scientists consider to have been a sustainable catch. Since the population is estimated at more than 100,000 animals, a catch of 1,800 minke whales per year constitutes less than the stock’s reproduction rate of at least 2 %. "The most reasonable thing to do is to increase this year’s minke whale quota to 1,800 animals immediately" Rune Frøvik of the High North Alliance says. "It will be good for the market and good for the whalers." Also with respect to the anti-whaling groups, Frøvik believes it will make a steady leap forward. "A firm policy will shrug off the opponents. Faced with a fait accompli, they will understand that there is no reason to mobilise as there is nothing to be achieved. Hesitation will demonstrate weakness and be an invitation for these opponents to intensify their campaigns. Democracy has had its say, and this new policy will be implemented," he says. However, the anti-whaling groups are obliged to make some noise. But it seems relevant to ask whether these groups are actually representative of this so-called "world opinion" that they pretend to represent. For example, a coalition of 140 NGOs organised a demonstration against whaling outside Norway’s embassy in London last week, but according to media reports only 20 demonstrators attended " the same number as journalists present. The Parliament expresses strong disappointment with the International Whaling Commission, which has been completely derailed from its founding treaty ; the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. The North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO) is cast in a more positive light. The Parliament instructs the Government to consider giving NAMMCO tasks with respect to setting total allowable catches (TACs) for marine mammals and the distribution of TACs between Norway and other countries. Strong support is expressed for the establishment of an ecosystem-based management regime for marine mammals. Parliament is greatly worried over the vast amount of seafood consumed by various species of seals and whales. In the same ecosystem, minke whales and harp seals alone consume about twice the total amount of Norwegian fisheries (2.74 million tonnes in 2002). The Standing Committee notes that there is little knowledge about what " and how much " whale species other than the minke consume. In order to establish an ecosystem-based management regime, it is necessary to obtain more knowledge on how these other whale species interact with fish resources in the ecosystem. The Parliament therefore formally decides to instruct the Government to consider research whaling for other whale species. Such research can also be conducted in conjunction with ordinary commercial whaling. In another formal decision, the Parliament instructs the Government to prepare a new White Paper on Norway’s policy on marine mammals to be submitted in 2008 or when a new estimate is available for minke whale stocks. It is expected that these decisions, with the possible exception of the decision regarding minke whales, will be adopted by unanimous vote. For further information:

The recommendation from the Standing Committee (in Norwegian) Summary of the White Paper on Norway’s policy on marine mammals (in English) Complete version of The White Paper (in Norwegian)