– There is no basis for the claim that more whales should be hunted

This is a discussion post. Expresses the writer’s position.

At Fiskeribladet on 30 November, Småkvalfangerlaget’s leader, Truls Soløy, stated that “whales eat 25 million tons of fish a year.” The number will increase if we do nothing. “The whole industry has to work together, because everyone is affected by the fact that whale numbers are constantly increasing.”

But there is no scientific evidence that “the whale eats the fish” – this is an old myth that must be put aside.

“Control of fish stocks through whaling has limited, if any, scientific basis,” Dr. Ida Elisapito Magnusdóttir of the University of Iceland recently stated in a report on the role of whales in the marine ecosystem.

Former fisheries ministers also stated that “Norwegian whaling contributes to the balance of marine ecosystems.”

Whales can lead to more fish

But on the contrary, research conducted in recent years shows that the presence of marine mammals – especially whales – likely contributes to the presence of more fish in the areas where they live, due to their supply of important nutrients at the sea surface.

The researchers also advocate that these mechanisms could help bind carbon dioxide and have a positive impact on ocean ecosystems.

There is little to suggest that whaling “contributes” to maintaining any balance in the ocean as an ecosystem – on the contrary, whales play a very important role in this ecosystem, and their presence can lead to more fish.

Climate change is sending whales north

New estimates show there are approximately 150,000 minke whales in Norwegian waters, which is an increase from the approximately 150,000 minke whales. 100,000 in the previous counts. But researchers are clear that this increase does not reflect a real increase in population, but rather that more whales are swimming northward than before, perhaps due to climate change.

It is not known how climate change will affect whale numbers in the long term, and here the precautionary principle must be used as a basis, and this talks about stopping hunting, not increasing hunting.

Learn about the important role whales play

Even if whaling stops, it will take a very long time for whale numbers to return to the level they were before industrial whaling began. This also includes the minke whale: it is estimated that before the industrial exploitation of marine animals began, there were about 265,000 minke whales in the North Atlantic alone.

The world population is estimated at approximately 200,000 individuals.
It is time for Norway to act like the rest of the world, recognize the important role that live whales play in the ocean and climate, and stop whaling once and for all.