Oslo  - The Norwegian whaling quota for next year was set at 885 minke whales, the Fisheries Ministry said Thursday. That compares with a quota of 1,052 whales for
2008.

Published reports suggested that 532 whales were caught during the 2008 whaling season that opened in April and ended in early September.

The ministry said 750 whales would be allowed to be caught in coastal areas including the North Sea, the Barents Sea and the area around Svalbard.

The remaining 135 whales in the quota can be taken from the area around the island of Jan Mayen. However, high fuel costs have deterred whalers from operating in that zone in recent years.

Hunting conditions are also impacted by weather conditions.

Norway resumed whaling in 1993, arguing that hunting is necessary to prevent the minke whale population from growing so large that it threatens fish stocks.

Minke whales are the smallest of the seven great whales. They are up to 11 metres long, and can weigh about 8 tons. (dpa)