U.S. says most humpback whales no longer endangered

Now could Japan return hunting?

No; they will still be protected by the IWC. I have mixed feelings regarding this; on one hand, though their population has rebounded, it still consists of only 80,000 worldwide - not much room for error; on the other hand, if the classification system is to be taken seriously, it must reflect actual conditions.

Good news, though. The curious, friendly and elegant humpback has always been my favorite cetacean.

“While commercial whaling severely depleted humpback whale numbers

What, today, isn't commercial? It was unsustainable levels of whaling that did it, not the fact that products made from the whaling might have been sold commercially - like anything.

What a pathetic excuse for an international organization the IWC is. When it did allow whaling, it allowed too much, and now when it doesn't allow whaling, it's a waste of money.