Norway Again Hunts The Minke

Norway opened its controversial whaling season Friday with whalers going after an increased limit of 580 minke whales. One boat was sabotaged by activists and may have to sit out the commercial hunt.

Norway resumed commercial whaling in 1993 following a six-year hiatus, despite international protests and a non-binding ban by the International Whaling Commission.

Norway’s Fisheries Ministry argues that minke whales are not endangered and that an uncontrolled population of the whales would threaten valuable fish stocks. It has steadily increased annual quotas.

The limit was raised from 425 minke whales to 580 for this year, even though hunters took only 382 whales in 1996.

One of the 34 authorized whaling boats was damaged by arson Wednesday night. It was unclear if it could be repaired in time to take part in the hunt, which ends July 21.

The same boat, the Senet, also was sabotaged in 1994. Paul Watson, leader of the Sea Shepherd environmental group, was convicted of the sabotage in absentia and sentenced to 120 days in jail.