Photo: Legalize Whaling (a Little), Some Conservationists Say



A dwarf minke whale swims near Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

In an effort to curb unregulated whaling, even conservationists are now considering backing off a 22-year-old moratorium on whale hunts.

Japan has in previous years sought approval for a limited hunt of minke whales off its coast, and one potential deal would allow such hunts if Japan drops its widely criticized Southern Ocean whaling expeditions.

Flip Nicklin/Minden Pictures


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