After the controversial Whale hunt of Japan last year, three quarters of the tons of its meat could not be sold. An official revealed on June 13 that despite repeated attempts to auction it, the meat could not be sold.
It was revealed by the Institute of Cetacean Research, a quasi public body that organises the country’s whaling that about 75 percent which is roughly 1,200 tons of minke, Bryde’s and sei meat from the mission would not find any buyers.
Moreover, this was separate from the smaller coastal whaling programs in northern Japan, whose meat still attracts buyers due to its freshness contrary to the frozen ones. The meat is also sold in the regions with deep whale eating traditions.
Regular auctions were held between the months of November and March to sell the frozen meat caught from the creatures caught in North western Pacific waters last summer. The intention was to promote hale consumption and to increase the revenue. A spokesperson from the institute said that the disappointing auction results on food sellers, was the main cause due to the fear of the anti-whaling activists. The spokesperson added that they might have to think about new ways to market whale meat.
