Under another provision of the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling, some nations have continued to hunt whales using the “scientific permit” exception.

This system allows nations to grant their whalers permits to conduct scientific studies, with the express understanding that the whales taken should be “processed” “so far as practicable”. In this way, whales may be taken and their meat and products commercially sold. Accusations have been made that Japan is using scientific permits as a way around the moratorium.

[…] These countries claim that the catches are essential to obtain necessary information for research and future cetacean management.