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The International Whaling Commission (IWC) imposed a global ban on commercial hunting in 1986 because of the devastating effects whaling has had on populations. But whales' lives are still in peril.
"Scientific whaling," or whaling with the excuse of conducting research, has emerged to sidestep the ban. One major culprit is Japan, who currently harpoons more than one thousand whales a year. The whale meat is packaged for sale in restaurants and supermarkets in Japan, and even included in school lunch programs. Japan insists that whale flesh is an important source of food for its people. However, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society reports that Japan's stockpile of whale meat has doubled in the past decade as a result of more and more animals being killed each year. The excess whale meat is being sold as dog food in the latest attempt by Japan to stimulate the market and shift the hundreds of tons of whale meat piling up in Japanese warehouses.
Over 5000 tons of whale meat sits in cold storage, unsold and unused. Tell the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan to stop the wasteful harpooning of whales and to truly respect the IWC's ban.