The allocation per vessel ranges from 13-40 whales. Inspectors will be on board vessels, and each vessel must complete its hunting within a six week period in order to reduce the cost of the inspection scheme. Each minke whale produces about 1500 kg of meat and about 500 kg of blubber. In the absence of a domestic demand for blubber and a Norwegian government ban on the export of whale products, the blubber in earlier years' hunts has been stockpiled. In order to monitor the trade and to prepare for a re-opening of international trade, DNA samples are taken from all whales taken by Norwegian whalers.
Research is also underway to develop a cheaper penthrite grenade.
In February 1998, the IWC Commissioners from China, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Russia held an informal meeting. The commissioners visited Taiji, a Japanese traditional whaling town impacted by the IWC whaling moratorium, and discussed the current situation with local residents. During their meetings, the commissioners exchanged views on the full range of issues related to whaling. They also exchanged views on regional cooperation for research and management of whales in the western North Pacific. The commissioners reaffirmed the value of maintaining cooperation among the states of the western North Pacific region on whaling issues and the management of cetaceans.