Do people still hunt whales?
Yes, some countries, such as Japan, Norway and Iceland still hunt whales and whale meat is still being consumed in these countries. The hunting of whales in international waters is not illegal, however the International Whaling Commission (IWC), of which a large number of countries are member nations, is responsible for the long term sustainability of whale populations. The IWC allows the hunting of whales for scientific purposes and its regulations state that any whale that is killed for this purpose must be utilised – often sold for human consumption. Small cetaceans are also hunted by a number of countries throughout the world and this does not often receive the same amount of attention as the killing of larger species. The effect of this exploitation on their populations is largely unknown.
