Campaigners have welcomed Iceland’s decision to suspend this year’s fin whale hunt until the end of August due to animal welfare concerns, a move that is likely to bring the controversial practice to an end.
Luke McMillan from wildlife charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), says, “This is a major success for our campaign to stop whaling in Iceland and could now finally bring an end to the slaughter there. Japan and Norway use similar techniques to kill whales so the spotlight is now on them.”
The Icelandic government’s decision follows a report from the Icelandic food and veterinary authority which concluded that the killing of the whales contravened the government’s own animal welfare laws.
Iceland’s Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Svandís Svavarsdóttir says, “I have decided to suspend all whaling operations in view of the decisive opinion of the Expert Advisory Board on Animal Welfare. If the government and [whaling] licence holders cannot guarantee welfare requirements, this activity has no future.”
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Despite being classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and a lack of demand for the meat, Icelandic whalers killed 148 fin whales last year.
The species is the second-longest marine mammal after the blue whale.
Iceland has only one remaining whaling company, Hvalur, and its licence to hunt fin whales runs out in 2023.
Danny Groves from WDC adds, “Whaling normally runs from June to September and so getting the vessels ready to hunt after this date is unlikely. No new licences have been issued for 2024 onwards.”
Main image: Hvalur whaling boat with killed whales in 2014 in Reykjavik coastal waters © Fred49/Getty
