Why Should Whaling Be Stopped?

Humans pose the largest threats to whales and whaling is high up on that list. Whaling is the hunting of whales for food and oil (Jackson, 2018). Although traditional whaling practices allowed for a balance between predator and prey, industrialisation for commercial whaling puts populations at risk. 

In the past, whaling was limited to the underdeveloped tools and methods used by fishing communities. Hunted whales were seen as a valuable resource and used in a variety of ways. Traditions as varied as the Inuit (who hunted in the Arctic Ocean), Basque (who hunted in the Atlantic), and Japanese (who hunted in the Pacific) relied on whales to provide material goods, as well as part of their cultural identity. (Thornton & Marrero, 2022). In subsistence whaling cultures, ceremonial rituals ensure the communal relationship with the hunted animals (Cultures of Whaling - New Bedford Whaling Museum, 2021). However, as whaling became a global industry and technology evolved, the facility to hunt whales has negatively impacted these mammals. One major difference between traditional and commercial whaling is resource usage. Before industrialization, a captured whale supplied food, fuel, and light; sinews provided cordage, and bones were used for tools and construction. From the first intensive hunting of whales in the early 17th century to the early 20th century, little more than blubber and baleen was used, and the remainder of the animal was discarded (Jackson, 2018). This unnecessary killing of whales has become a trend in modern society as we no longer require whale blubber or oil for everyday products and whale meat is just seen as a delicacy. 

In order to put an end to whaling, significant measures have been taken and still need to be taken to ensure the future of whale species. One inter-government organisation dedicated to the conservation of whales is the International Whaling Commission. The IWC was established in 1946 as the global body responsible for the management of whaling and the conservation of whales (IWC, 2018). In a landmark agreement in 1982, IWC members decided to establish a moratorium, or a temporary ban, on commercial hunting to allow whale stocks to replenish (Evans, 2020). This moratorium is still in place today and although it has some exceptions it has allowed for the protection of whales and the awareness to stop whaling. Taking action to support whales is important as there needs to be closer regulation on the whaling industry. Everyone can do their part by donating to organisations such as WWF or Greenpeace; signing petitions against the whaling industry; and most importantly, not buying whale meat or whale products. As demand for whale meat decreases and whale watching tourism increases, there is hope for the further conservation of whales and an end to commercial whaling.

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