The Norwegian Parliament has ordered the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries to increase the quota on Minke whales to 2,000 in 2004.

Norway has engaged in illegal killing of whales since 1986. That is the year that the International Whaling Commission invoked a global moratorium on commercial whaling.

Whereas, Japan sneaks around pretending to kill whales for "scientific research", the Norwegians have blatantly defied the moratorium with commercial hunting. They have raised the quotas consistently.

The member nations of the IWC have refused to sanction Norway . The United States has refused to uphold the Packwood-Magnuson Act and the Pelly Amendment against Norway.

As a result, Norway is now engaged in an illegal mass slaughter of these intelligent and social animals. Since 1992, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has scuttled three of Norway 's outlaw whaling ships in an effort to enforce international conservation law against Norway .

All of Norway 's whaling vessels are illegal. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society urges all concerned citizens to put pressure on their governments to uphold the sanctions and to take whatever actions are necessary to enforce the moratorium against the pirate whaling activities of the Norwegian whalers.