Japan harvested 52 whales trapped in nets in 2001
Date: 15-Jan-02
Country: JAPAN
Japan, under pressure from environmentalists opposed to all whaling, changed the law in July so that fishermen are no longer required to free any whales that became trapped in their nets, the news agency said yesterday.
About 20 to 30 whales were trapped annually in fixed fishing nets before last July, Kyodo reported.
Japan, which is preparing to host the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission in May, says there is a plentiful stock of Minke whales in the world's oceans and it should be allowed to catch them.
Although the country gave up commercial whaling in line with an international moratorium in 1986, it has been carrying out what it calls scientific research whaling since 1987.
Kyodo news reported an agency official as saying the number of whales trapped in nets last year showed that the whales were abundant.