Japan has added the endangered fin whale to its commercial hunting list, raising concerns among conservationists.
Fin Whales Targeted
The Japanese government announced on May 9 that fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) would be targeted by whalers within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). The inclusion of fin whales brings Japan's commercial whale catch to four species, along with minke, Bryde's and sei whales.
A Significant Addition
The latest addition is particularly concerning due to the species' size and scarcity. At 82 feet long, fin whales are the second-largest animals on Earth by length, after blue whales. They can live up to 90 years and have a global distribution across oceans.
Prior to 2018, fin whales were listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but their status was later downgraded to "vulnerable." Fin whale populations have roughly doubled since the 1970s, largely due to a ban on commercial hunting. However, Japan is now beginning to reverse that progress.
"This is a deeply worrying step backwards and the latest in a long line of efforts by the Japanese government to stimulate demand for whale meat that almost nobody wants," said Clare Perry, EIA Ocean Campaigner. "Fin whales are one of the world's great carbon capturers and deserve full protection, not least so they can continue to play their vital role in the marine environment."
Resumption of Commercial Whaling
Japan resumed commercial whaling in June 2019 after controversially withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the intergovernmental body that regulates the whaling industry. Commercial whaling was banned by the IWC in 1982, although it allows countries to kill whales for special purposes, such as scientific research.
Over 80 countries have signed the agreement that came into force in 1986. However, countries such as Norway, Denmark, Greenland, Russia, Iceland, and Japan have continued to hunt whales under the guise of scientific research, in defiance of the ban. "Now Japan is proposing to hunt the second-largest animal on the planet, in open defiance of the global ban on commercial whaling," said Perry.
Summary
Japan has added the fin whale to its commercial hunting list, despite the species' vulnerability and the global ban on commercial whaling. Conservationists are concerned that this move will jeopardize fin whale populations, which are vital to the marine ecosystem.