The single most important buyer of whale meat in recent decades, Ellingsen on Skrova, is reducing its involvement. "Maybe we buy, maybe not. But it will be considerably less than in previous years,"says Ulf Ellingsen.

The chair of Ellingsen Seafood is the first to regret the development. The Skrova factory has for many years lived for the whale - but off the salmon. Whalers have landed their take here since 1947. In 2005 the two Skrova factories bought over half of the meat from the domestic hunt. But the Ellingsen family has increasingly focused on aquaculture and Ellingsen doubts that they can get labour for both. He would rather take some summer vacation. Ellingsen fears that the hunt slowly but surely will stop, with less players everywhere. "Whaling is in a downward trend," he claims.

He's right! Japan is having trouble finding people to buy it as well.