Catches of minke whales were up from 543 in 2004 and were the second highest since Norway broke with a global moratorium by the International Whaling Commission in 1993 and resumed commercial hunts.
Oslo says minke whales, a relatively small species eaten as steaks, are plentiful in the North Atlantic and no longer need protection like the endangered blue whale.
The High North Alliance, which represents the interests of whalers, said hunters failed to fill the quota largely because they only caught five of a quota of 145 set for the area off the remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen in the North Atlantic.
"High fuel prices made it more expensive to travel to Jan Mayen," said Rune Froevik, secretary of the High North Alliance. He told Reuters that one boat had travelled to the region on two trips, each lasting about a month.
Rough weather also disrupted the hunts — waves make it hard for harpooners to spot the whales when they surface to breathe.
The Alliance said catches had tailed off after a record 250 minke whales were harpooned in the first month of the season. Hunts began in April and lasted until Oct. 31.
Animal welfare groups outside Norway widely denounce whaling as cruel and doubt that stocks have recovered. Norway, Japan and Iceland are the main whaling nations.