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It became known about the death of the first male fin whale this season — the length of the killed sea giant was almost 20 meters.
Earlier this year, Japan announced the resumption of whaling, even as countries around the world work on strategies to save the vulnerable species of whales. What's more, the local government also gave the go-ahead killing finvals — protected and the second largest animal on Earth, writes IFLScience.
Japan have now confirmed they have scored the first goal in a decade. The victim of whalers was a male whale 19,6 meters long and weighing 55 tons, which was caught off the coast of Iwate Prefecture by the whaling company Kyodo Senpaku
The fin whale killing follows a controversial decision in May 2024 when the local government decided to add fin whales to the list of species that can be fished in Japan's exclusive economic zone. The country's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has announced that it will allow the hunting of 59 fin whales, along with existing quotas for small stripers, Bryde's stripers and seiwals.
Following this, whaling company Kyodo Senpaku announced the launch of its new whaling factory, the Kangei Maru. It is a huge vessel more than 112 meters long, on board of which there is a processing center.
Researchers note that fin whales are the second longest animals on Earth, only blue whales managed to bypass them. Moreover, the International Union for Conservation of Nature previously recognized them as a species vulnerable to extinction. Meanwhile, Japan claims that fin whale populations in the North Pacific have recovered to the point where whaling can be considered sustainable.
Unfortunately, many experts disagree with the Japanese government's decision, and have criticized it for its decision to approve the killing of the world's second-longest animal, citing environmental and ethical concerns.
The fin whale is the second-largest animal on Earth, so targeting it in 2024 is a big mistake for Japan, according to Kathryn Bell, director of international policy at the International Fund for Animal Protection. As a result, they called on the Japanese government to reconsider and reverse its decision.
