It seems like they are maintaining a ratio of how many whales there are vs how many they will catch, if the population increases, then it makes sense that they be allowed to catch more. Just because there isn't a commercial market for whale meat, Greenpeace says that japan shouldn't hunt whales? If they are using it to feed their schooly kids, then thats fine, smaller amount of people, less whales are needed. Looking at the #s, they are only 200 whales above what they were catching 20 years ago.