Japan killed 251 minke whales during the 2014 Antarctic hunt, in what is expected to be the last "research whaling" mission in the Southern Ocean after an international court ruling.
According to data released by Japan's Fisheries Agency on Tuesday, the catch was more than double last year's tally of 103 minke whales, but much smaller than the target of 935.
The whalers caught no fin whales during the hunt, which ran between January 3 and March 13, the agency said.
Japan is a signatory to the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which bans commercial hunting, but has insisted its operation was research -- even though it acknowledged the meat from the animals ended up on dinner tables.
Militant environmentalist group Sea Shepherd has annually sent its vessels to the Southern Ocean to confront the whalers, and has in the past taken credit for the vastly-reduced catch.
The United Nations' International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled last week that the programme was a commercial hunt disguised as science, vindicating claims by opponents, notably Australia.
In the wake of the verdict, Japan said it was cancelling the annual Antarctic mission for the first time in more than a quarter of a century.
Japan has another research whaling programme that operates in the northwestern Pacific.
This hunt, which is not affected by the court ruling, operates two excursions a year, in coastal waters and offshore, from early summer through autumn.
Last year's whaling in the area netted 58 minke whales in coastal waters and 132 mammals -- including minke, sei and sperm whales -- offshore.
Analysts say Japan will likely have to review this programme in the Pacific in light of the UN court ruling.
Japanese fishermen also catch a small number of whales in coastal waters under an IWC provision allowing for small-scale "indigenous whaling".
AFP
Wed Apr 09 2014
A file photo from Sea Shepherd Austration showing crew members walking amongst whale flood on the Japanese ship Nisshin Maru.
AWANI Pagi: Hari sedunia bagi keselamatan & kesihatan di tempat kerja 2024
Memahami kaitan perubahan iklim kepada isu keselamatan dan kesihatan pekerjaan, yang diangkat sebagai tema Hari Sedunia bagi Keselamatan dan Kesihatan di Tempat Kerja tahun ini. Diskusi bersama Ts Mohd Soffian Osman, Perunding Keselamatan & Kesihatan Awam, Safety Management Academy 7.30 pagi nanti
Jualan kediaman kekal memberangsangkan - TA Global
Kenaikan harga hartanah akibat tekanan inflasi ke atas harga bahan binaan tidak menghalang hasrat rakyat Malaysia untuk memiliki rumah idaman.
Rakyat Israel desak kerajaan bawa pulang tebusan yang tinggal
Ribuan berkumpul di Tel Aviv pada Sabtu malam bagi mendesak kerajaan Israel mencapai perjanjian gencatan senjata dengan Hamas dan membawa pulang tebusan yang tinggal
Hamas keluarkan video dua tebusan Israel
Kumpulan pejuang Hamas mengedarkan video menampilkan dua tahanan Israel yang menyeru kepada Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, untuk memenuhi perjanjian pembebasan mereka.
Israel sedia tangguh serangan ke atas Rafah
Israel bersedia menangguhkan serangan ke Rafah jika perjanjian pembebasan tahanan Hamas tercapai. Menteri Luar Israel, Israel Katz, menegaskan keutamaan pembebasan tahanan.
Restoran nasi kandar dibaling cat, polis kesan tiga lelaki
Cat merah tersebut terkena papan tanda dan pintu hadapan restoran yang mula beroperasi pada Sabtu.
Kawasan Beris Lalang terbakar lagi
Cuaca panas melampau di Kelantan menyebabkan kebakaran ladang dan semak di kawasan Beris Lalang. Penduduk dan pekebun mengalami kerugian
Ringgit dijangka diniaga dalam jajaran kecil
Ringgit Malaysia dijangka berada di sekitar 4.77 berbanding Dolar AS minggu depan, bergantung kepada keputusan FOMC dan data ekonomi AS
Bursa Malaysia dijangka diniagakan dalam jajaran kecil
Analisis terkini menunjukkan Bursa Malaysia berpotensi naik dalam jajaran kecil minggu depan, dengan pandangan positif terhadap kembalinya dana asing. Paras sokongan dan konsolidasi disebutkan.
PM tiba di Riyadh untuk hadiri mesyuarat WEF
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tiba di Riyadh bagi menghadiri Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Sedunia. Beliau dijadual terlibat dalam dialog strategik, panel, dan pertemuan bersama pemimpin serantau