South Korea urged to ban sale of whale meat disguised as ‘lotto in the sea’ bycatch
- The demand comes as South Korea’s bycatch of whales remains suspiciously high compared with other countries
- But activists face challenges ranging from sustained demand for whale meat in the country to lack of interest in the issue among Korean politicians
A new bill introduced earlier this year by 15 lawmakers marks the first step towards a sweeping ban on the consumption of whale meat in the country, the campaigners said.
“South Korea is the only country in the world that protects cetacea with laws, while allowing the consumption of their meat at the same time,” Jo Yak-gol, head of the protectionist group Hot Pink Dolphins, told This Week in Asia.
South Korea banned whale poaching in 1986 after it joined the International Whaling Commission’s moratorium on commercial whaling.
Under existing law, a fisherman must immediately release a whale if it gets accidentally netted alive. If a whale is found dead, they must quickly report the bycatch to the Coast Guard, which will inspect the carcass to make sure it bears no harpoon marks. If checks show there are no such marks, a permit is issued that will enable the fisherman to auction the bycatch off as fair game.