Whaling is the hunting of whales for commercial purposes, primarily to obtain oil and meat. Whales have been hunted for centuries, but the practice declined significantly in the 20th century due to international agreements and the development of alternative sources of oil and meat. However, whaling continues to be practiced by some countries, such as Japan, Norway, and Iceland, primarily for scientific research purposes.
Whaling has a long and controversial history. In the 18th and 19th centuries, whaling was a major industry, and whales were hunted to near extinction in some areas. In the 20th century, whaling was regulated by international agreements, but the practice continued to be controversial. In the 1980s, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) imposed a moratorium on commercial whaling, but some countries continued to hunt whales for scientific research purposes.
