Well one of the breeds they're intend to hunt is endangered, they just dispute the population figures. Whales move around so it's not like Farmer Giles telling the leftie veggies he'll slaugfhter and eat whichever of his cows he pleases to, because they aren't necessarily 'their' whales. And the whale killing business is not like a slaughterhouse or hunter killing an animal quickly and painlessly with a humane killer or one shot - exploding harpoons or 19th century blades on sticks are slow and painful killers