Fin whale meat sells for over $1,300 per kilogram in shocking auction

Japan resumed the auctioning of fin whale meat for the first time in nearly 50 years. On December 12, 2024, meat from fin whales, legally hunted after Japan added them to its quota, was sold at the Sapporo fish market and Shimonoseki, fetching prices up to 1,300 dollars per kilogram. This action follows Japan's withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission in 2019, when it resumed commercial whaling within its exclusive economic zone, after decades of international criticism related to whaling practices. Officials indicated that they caught 30 fin whales as part of a total quota of 60 for the season, part of a larger total quota of 379 whales across four species. This marks a significant shift in regulations, as fin whales were originally protected from overhunting since 1976. The sale of whale meat has been controversial, drawing criticism from conservation groups and raising questions about sustainability and demand. Despite its high price, whale meat is no longer a common food choice in many parts of Japan, being considered a delicacy. Experts have expressed skepticism about the viability of a sustainable commercial whaling industry without large government subsidies, given the declining interest in whale meat among the Japanese public. The event highlights the ongoing tensions between conservation efforts and local economic interests in whaling towns, as well as the broader implications for marine species conservation. The continuation of whaling practices, despite ongoing protests and concerns over whale stocks, poses a difficult dilemma for both local economies and environmental advocates.