Whale meat is meat that has been cut from the flesh of whales, usually for consumption by humans.
In the past during the whaling era whale blubber was considered a highly profitable substance due to its ability to be turned into an oil and used in various resources such as lamp oils, soaps and transmission fluids.
As cheaper alternative resources developed and the international whaling commission set new rules to limit and eventually prevent companies from hunting whales the whaling era eventually came to an end.
While the whaling era may have ended some countries are still hunting whales today, not for their blubber but for their meat.
In these countries whale meat is considered a delicacy by some and can be found sold at very high prices in certain locations.
Countries that consume whale meat include Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Japan and the Inuit of the United States among other countries.
For some whale meat carries a strong cultural history that has been passed down for centuries by individuals and groups that believe that hunting whales brings them closer to their ancestors.
For others whale meat continues to be a profitable business among those who have acquired a certain taste for it, especially in areas where whale meat is considered a delicacy.
There are also groups that continue to hunt whales for sport and hold annual whaling hunting events.
In many cases conflicts have been met between anti whaling and pro whaling groups.
Those that oppose the act of whaling state that there is no need to continue hunting whales because we already have cheaper alternative resources and that there is no need to eat whale meat.
There is also deep emotional connections among some groups that consider whale and dolphin hunting almost as bad as harming humans because of the high level of intelligence and emotion whales and dolphins are known to display.
Organizations such as the international whaling commission have banned the practice of whaling in many countries as a way to help endangered species recover and hopefully replenish their stocks.
If a particular species diminishes to heavily there is a good chance that it may not recover and will eventually become extinct.
Those that have a pro whaling perspective believe that there is nothing wrong with hunting whales.
Some groups believe hunting whales is fine as long as whale stocks are maintained and aren’t being severely deplenished.
Some groups also have a strongly rooted heritage in whale hunting and consider it a necessary part of their culture and beliefs.
For these groups hunting whales is a way to connect with their ancestors on a deeper more spiritual level.
For others it’s a way to make money by selling the whales meat for a profit.
Many pro whalers believe that whale hunting is a matter of perspective and choice, and shouldn’t be banned because they carry a different view than anti whalers.
Because of the controversial perspectives that exist between anti whalers and pro whalers the act of hunting whales for their meat will likely continue to be a main topic of contention for years to come.