Whaling in Norway

Norway is with Japan and Iceland among the few countries that operate commercial whaling. State guarantee acceptance for whale meat are a form of subsidy of the Norwegian High North, where a decades-long tradition of whaling is. Currently, the catch of about 1,000 minke whales is allowed in the year, with a population of about 107,000 species' animals alone in the northeast of the Atlantic.

History

Mid-1920s had a monopoly in Norway whaling: up to 80 percent of the world Tranerzeugung was provided by Norway, not Norwegian company worked with Norwegian Norwegian personnel or equipment.

Note: * 1926/27,

Norway objected to the moratorium by the International Whaling Commission ( IWC) and 1993 resumed commercial whaling. In addition to domestic demand of Norwegian whale meat will also be accepted in Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

Since 1999, migration of minke whales are scientifically investigated and prosecuted. 2004 summed up the Norwegian Parliament 's decision to extend the whaling. Before the whaling moratorium, the annual catches at about 2000 animals in 2008 were still significantly lower.

Norway has tried nearly 20 years to export blubber to Japan, as it is not removed from the domestic market. This failed until 2007 to environmental concerns or restrictions on imports in Japan. 2008 succeeded in Norway and Iceland, again to export whale meat to Japan and thus gain access to the most important Walfleischmarkt the world.

Use in the Norwegian cuisine

Whale meat (about 100NOK / 10 € per kilo of whale meat in 2009 in the mail ) used in the Norwegian cuisine long as a cheap substitute for beef. Depending on the origin and Trangehalt tastes similar to beef heart, rump steak or indeed liver with some fish flavor whale meat. A particular specialty is Walfleischschinken and it cooked carpaccio.

Controversy

Opponents of whaling stop the continuation of commercial whaling in the face of Norway's wealth and international resistors for paradoxical. Norway belongs - alongside Japan and Switzerland - the world's countries with the most subsidized and sponsored agriculture and food production. According to the proponents find small companies and municipalities in the north of the country whaling sustainable livelihoods and the whaling play an important role in the local tradition and culture.