A motion by Norway that would have allowed native tribes in Greenland to kill 10 additional humpbacks in so-called subsistence whaling was voted down by the 81-nation membership.

Greenland currently fails to catch all of the whales from its existing quota.

The commission attempted to ease tensions between nations opposed to whaling and the whaling countries of Japan, Iceland and Norway by avoiding votes on other issues.

Plans by Brazil, Argentina and South Africa to join Australia’s lead in establishing whaling sanctuaries in their territorial waters were shelved as part of that peace-making strategy.

Whaling opponents insist that large stockpiles of whale meat have accumulated from recent whale hunts, with some being buried in landfills due to lack of demand.

In 2007, Japan killed 551 Antarctic minke whales under its “research” whaling operations, along with 207 common minke, 100 sei, 50 Byrde’s and three sperm whales slaughtered in the North Pacific.

Iceland suspended whaling last year, unable to sell what it had caught during the previous two hunts.

Photo: Arne Fleischer - Greenland Tourism & Business Council
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