Viewer Discretion Advised: For decades, Norwegian whalers have evaded the scrutiny levelled at other commercial whale hunts in Iceland and Japan.
ESPA Investigative Journalist, Peter, has long admired the minke whales that pass by his home in Yorkshire, UK, every year. When he learns that the same whales are being hunted in nearby Norwegian waters, he cannot help but question why. Pete tasks ESPA Senior Investigator Hannah to dive deeper into why this is happening in modern-day Norway. Meanwhile, Pete leads a military-trained operations crew to the northern tip of Norway for the whaling season. Their mission is to capture the reality of Norwegian whale hunting to trigger further investigation into the industry.
The under-researched minke whales perform critical ecosystem services, boosting marine life and drawing carbon from the atmosphere. Onboard a whaling target vessel, a young whaling crew reveal a hunt in action.
Hannah’s intelligence missions uncover whale meat's dwindling domestic demand and low exports resulting in industrial use of whale meat in pet food. Their findings become increasingly concerning as severe human health risks – especially for women and children – associated with whale meat consumption are brought to light. Pete’s crew encounter Norway’s biggest whaling operator and record inhumane whale hunts and they are confronted with the scale of industrial whaling in the 21st century. Which whale species could be next if whaling in Norway continues?
ESPA’s new documentary film, Whale Wash, shines a long overdue spotlight on Norway’s inhumane and unnecessary minke whale hunt, responsible for the death of more than 15,000 whales since 1993. Compelling and well researched, this is a must-see film for anyone concerned about the future of whales and their ocean habitat