In July this year, Japan resumed commercial whaling after 31 years. According to Kyodo news agency, the whaling mother ship "rixinmaru", which is responsible for offshore operations in commercial whaling, returned to Xiaguan port in Xiaguan City, Shankou County on October 4. The fleet composed of "rixinmaru" and two whaling ships went to sea for three months and captured a total of about 1430 tons of whale meat.
On September 2, a minke whale was unloaded from a whaling ship in Hokkaido, Japan.
The Japanese commercial whaling fleet operated in the territorial sea and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) from the coastal waters of Aichi county to the coastal waters of Kushiro, Hokkaido, and captured 187 Brinell whales, 25 plug whales and 11 minke whales, totaling 223.
"Unlike scientific whaling, (commercial whaling) wants to capture and sell efficiently," said Sen yingsi, President of Coship He also revealed that during the whaling process, it was once again confirmed that whale resources are still abundant, and the next commercial whaling is planned to go to sea in March next year.
According to Japan economic news, the latest batch of whale meat will be listed in November and sold all over Japan. Kyodo shipping agency stressed that the commercial whaling target of this season was achieved, and the whale meat was of good quality. However, it is still unknown whether the resumption of commercial whaling can expand the whale meat consumption market.
On June 30 this year, Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which prohibits commercial whaling, and resumed commercial whaling on July 1 after a lapse of 31 years. The fishing scope is limited to Japan's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. In recent years, the scale of whale meat consumption in Japan has shrunk, and the prospect of restarting commercial whaling is uncertain.