Major whaling nations Japan and Norway are wasting millions of dollars in taxpayer money to prop up what is likely a loss-making industry, according to WWF.

"It is clear that whaling is heavily subsidised at present," said a report by the WWF, which analysed the direct and indirect costs of hunting the ocean mammals and selling their meat.

"In both Japan and Norway, substantial funds are made available to prop up an operation which would otherwise be commercially marginal at best, and most likely loss making," it added. While demand for whale meat is on the decline and prices have about halved over the past decade in Japan, the government had dished out €8.6 million dollars during the 2008-09 season for the industry to break even, WWF said.

Meanwhile, Norway had spent a total of nearly €14.3 million dollars since 1993 in direct and indirect aid on its whaling activities, said the report, which was co-published with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.