Whales caught by Norwegian vessels take up to 25 minutes to die after being shot with grenade-tipped harpoons, the Norwegian government has admitted.
Norway kills more than 400 minke whales a year, saying it is justified because it has filed an objection to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling.
Whaling boats use harpoons loaded with explosives which detonate when embedded about a foot into the whale’s flesh. Whalers use a rifle to shoot animals if they are still alive when hauled in.
The whaling industry says grenade guns kill the mammals instantly or make them unconscious but a report by the Norway’s ministry of trade, industry and fisheries reveals that almost a fifth die slowly.
A survey of 271 minke whale