June 2012. Despite a ban on commercial whaling, an undercover investigation by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) has revealed that Greenland (a Danish overseas territory) has been actively undermining the International Whaling Commission (IWC) ban on commercial whaling by selling whale meat, from whales it is allowed to kill solely for the nutritional needs of local aboriginal people, to tourists visiting the country.
WDCS investigators visiting Greenland documented restaurants and hotels deliberately targeting tourists by placing bowhead and other whale meat on their menus. The investigations also revealed supermarkets openly selling endangered fin whale and other whale meats, all freely available for visitors to the country to buy.
Denmark to request increase in whaling for ‘subsistence'
These revelations come on the eve of the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (the international body that regulates whaling) in Panama in July, where Denmark is set to ask that it be allowed to kill more whales in future years to meet the nutritional subsistence needs of the native population in Greenland.
‘Purpose of local aboriginal consumption'
However, the IWC requires that subsistence whaling should be for the ‘purposes of local aboriginal consumption', not for the type of commercial sale that the investigation by WDCS has revealed.
These revelations come on the eve of the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (the international body that regulates whaling) in Panama in July, where Denmark is set to ask that it be allowed to kill more whales in future years to meet the nutritional subsistence needs of the native population in Greenland.
‘Purpose of local aboriginal consumption'
However, the IWC requires that subsistence whaling should be for the ‘purposes of local aboriginal consumption', not for the type of commercial sale that the investigation by WDCS has revealed.
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