Education
FAQ's
Does the WCW support commercial whaling?
The World Council of Whalers does not distinguish between commercial and non-commercial whaling. As an organisation, the WCW is concerned only that all whaling conducted is done so on a sustainable basis, which means that whale populations are given the opportunity to replenish. If whaling is conducted on a sustainable basis, with robust monitoring systems and scientific analysis, the WCW believes it does not matter if whale byproducts are sold commercially.
Is WCW a front for commercial whaling?
The World Council of Whalers supports sustainable whaling. Commercial whaling still occurs all over the world. It has never stopped. Some of our member countries, like Norway and Japan, sell whale byproducts from their sustainable whaling practices. You can buy whale meat in Greenland supermarkets. It's important to note that the WCW exists so the views of all whaling nations are given representation; not just our members who continue to sell whale byproducts.
Why do some people want to kill whales?
Whaling peoples have utilized whales for hundreds, even thousands, of years. Whaling is conducted by a large number of countries throughout the world. Whereas in the past whales were hunted to satisfy oil and baleen markets, today whales are utilized for food. Whales supply communities, especially those isolated communities in and near the Arctic, with a fresh source of protein that they would otherwise not be able to obtain.
Some people say whales are endangered. Is this true?
There are 80 different species of whale. Some species are endangered, such as the Blue Whale and the Northern Right Whale. But other whales, such as the Minke, Beluga, Pilot, Narwhal, Gray and others are not endangered. These are the species of whale that are hunted for food.
What is the International Whaling Commission?
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is an inter-governmental organization formed out of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW)
IWC's mandate is the orderly development of the whaling industry. The IWC only has jurisdiction over the large cetaceans such as, the blue whale, bowhead, humpback, gray and sperm whale. Only countries that are members of IWC are bound by the rules of IWC.