Japan cuts short whale hunt season

Japanese whalers have officially called off their annual Antarctic whale hunt following a devastating fire aboard the fleet`s mother ship.

Japan`s Institute for Cetacean Research (ICR) has released a statement saying the whaling ships were on their way home early.

The ICR`s Glenn Inwood would not confirm whether Japan had completed its kill quota of 935 minke and 10 endangered fin whales. It had been expected the fleet would be forced back to Japan following the fire aboard the factory ship Nisshin Maru on February 15.

The official announcement said that