A large number of dead whales have been found around Greenland and authorities are scratching their heads as to why. Now it has come to light that such a spate of sudden deaths may not be unprecedented. Read the full story

Iceland’s minister for finance, farming and fisheries, the Green Party leader Steingrimur J. Sigfusson, today announced that his predecessor’s controversial increase in the whaling quota will stand – at least for this year.

Former fisheries minister Einar K. Gudfinsson made it his parting act to announce a quota of 100 minke whales and 150 fin whales per year for the next five years. Many observers believed the decision was made partly to cause the strongly anti-whaling Sigfusson a headache in his new job. Read the full story

Last week Norway officially stated that it would not be able to catch enough whales this year to meet its allocated quota. Few nations still allow whaling, and animal activists are jumping on this opportunity to claim that this is proof Norway should abandon the highly controversial act of whaling.

Since the opening of this year’s whaling season on April 1, Norwegian fishermen have only been able to catch half of the number of whales allowed by government authorities. 533 minke whales have been caught out of an allowed quota of 1,052. The whaling season ended on August 31, and local fishermen were already admitting that they would fall far short of the quota weeks in advance, according to The Guardian.

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