Abstract
Norway was requested by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to explore the use of high-velocity projectiles to replace cold harpoon as killing device for minke whales (Anon 1980). Tests of suitable high-velocity projectiles for minke whales were therefore initiated in 1982 as part of a wider project with the purpose of studying alternative killing methods to the traditional cold harpoon used in the Norwegian minke whale hunt until 1984 (Øen 1995). The results of the trials have previously been presented in unpublished reports to the IWC (Øen 1982, 1983, 1992).
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Acknowledgments
The author wishes to thank Gunnar Lybeck, Einar Bjørnhaug and Erik Løkken at Raufoss A/S and skipper Alf Hansen and his crew on the whaling vessel “Asbjørn Selsbane” for their assistance and cooperation during the developmental work and field trials. Thanks are also due to Professor Dr. Lars Walløe, Department of Physiology, University of Oslo, for reading and commenting on the manuscript and to Alison J. Coulthard, who corrected the English.
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