Humpback whales could be hunted off the coast of Greenland once more, under controversial proposals to be voted on this week by the international body in charge of whaling.

Greenland wants permission to slaughter 50 humpback whales — ten each year — under rules that allow "subsistence" hunting to meet the nutritional and cultural needs of aboriginal groups.

Campaigners argue that Greenland's indigenous population already has ample whale meat from other species, and surplus is ending up on supermarket shelves, despite the 1966 international ban on commercial whaling.

Denmark will submit the proposals tomorrow on behalf of Greenland, which has self-rule, to a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Madeira.

Similar proposals were defeated last year but campaigners say that the vote is on a knife-edge as Denmark has been lobbying intensively and gained support from other countries.

Nicolas Entrup, spokesman for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society on site in Portugal, said: “It is absolutely critical. There is a lot of sympathy from Northern European countries — it’s such a sensitive issue because they played the card with aboriginal people.

“This time there is much more support in favour of Denmark so we are extremely concerned. All other countries like Latin America will watch what EU is doing," he said.

Greenland argues that humpback whales are in abundance off their coasts and that “yearly catches of less than 30 humpback whales would be sustainable”. Humpback whales have not been hunted off Greenland for any purpose since 1986, when the IWC raised concerns about stock numbers.

Mr Entrup said there was clear proof that there was no need to resume hunting humpbacks. Currently only St Vincent and The Grenadines has permission to take a few whales each year.

"In 2007 Denmark, for Greenland, requested an increase in their quota to add 25 Minke whales and 2 Bowhead whales, because they stated a need for more meat," Mr Entrup said. Figures to be released to the IWC today would show that Greenland had taken only 146 Minke whales from its quota of 200. "This is absolutely strong evidence that there is no further need to take more whales," he said.

“They will try to say ‘We take less of other whales’ so they can have the humpback. They argue there is a specific taste they like, and they are easier to hunt than other whales. We cannot start talking about ending a quota for endangered species because something tastes good.”

A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We would support Aboriginal Sustainable Whaling where there is a substantiated need."

"We will not support any new proposal for the hunting of humpback whales unless there is a clearly defined need."

He said that the UK voted against Denmark last year because "the needs statement was not adequate" but they would "welcome an updated needs statement".

"The UK view is that the only sustainable use of whales is whale-watching," he added.

Greenpeace also questioned the need for an increase in whaling off Greenland, but called on the IWC to broaden its focus beyond hunting to assess threats to whales from climate change.

Times Recommends

• A doctor, a daughter and a man called Johnny
• Mona Lisa's smile may belie ill health
• ‘Parasite economy’ lies behind Greek tragedy