Iceland extends whale hunting until 2029

Despite pressure and protests, the outgoing Icelandic government has renewed whaling permits until 2029. 209 fin and 217 minke whales can be killed per year. A decision that divides and highlights a strong contrast with the growing environmentalist sensitivity

Iceland is continuing its practice of whale hunting, extending the permits until 2029, allowing hundreds of whales to be caught and killed annually.

Under the new permits from the outgoing government, for a hunting season that starts mid-June and goes into September, 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales are allowed to be killed every year. This move has sent shockwaves through environmental organizations and animal rights activists.

A controversial last-minute decision

The announcement came just ahead of a change in government: Interim Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, after the recent collapse of the center-right coalition, had approved the permits before resigning.

In the early elections, Benediktsson’s Independence Party lost to the Social Democratic Alliance, headed by Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir. Observers said the outgoing administration had acted pre-emptively to provide “predictability” for the whaling industry for the coming five years, and to limit the scope for regulatory changes by the incoming administration.

Iceland is one of only three countries in the world still allowing commercial whaling, along with Japan and Norway.

Whaling industry in Iceland

Two private companies currently drive Iceland’s whaling industry: Hvalur, which has a quota for fin whales, and Tjaldtangi ehf., which targets minke whales. All other cetacean species in Icelandic waters are considered protected. Though Iceland’s commercial whaling began in 1948, domestic and international pressures in recent years had led many to believe it could be permanently stopped.

In 2023, the hunt was stopped for two months after a government investigation found that the killing was done in a cruel and non-compliant manner. In those instances, explosive harpoons had caused captured whales to suffer in agony, hence a shortened season when only 24 fin whales were killed out of an allotment of 209. It gave cautious optimism for an outright ban. However, this outgoing government’s decision has overturned that hope.

Public and International Backlash

The responses were quick to arrive: organizations like Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and Icelandic environmental NGOs denounced the move as a “step backward” and an “abuse of power“. Some groups referred to the decision as an “offense to democracy”, citing the issuance of permits during a transitional period in politics as disregard for the ever-growing portion of Iceland’s population opposing whaling.

A 2023 survey by Maskina revealed that 51% of Icelanders opposed whale hunting, up from 42% in 2019, reflecting a societal shift toward greater cetacean protection. Moreover, the economic viability of whaling is in decline. International markets for whale meat, particularly in Japan, are shrinking, and Hvalur has been operating at a loss for years. Large quantities of unsold meat remain frozen in Japanese warehouses, underscoring the industry’s financial instability.

Ecological and economic reasons

Iceland’s leadership defends the new catch limit, citing recommendations by the Icelandic Marine and Freshwater Research Institute and other agencies in a way they characterize as “sustainable” and “precautionary“. Environmentalists brand that argument a “smokescreen,” underscoring the ecological significance of whales. Whales do much to fertilize oceans, help absorb carbon and make the climate more resilient. They reduce them to mere instruments that can be exploited, at a time when the globe needs ecological balance.

The decision also risks tarnishing Iceland’s international reputation. Known for its sustainable resource management and renewable energy initiatives, Iceland has cultivated an image of environmental leadership. Whale watching, a key attraction for eco-conscious tourists, promotes responsible tourism in harmony with marine life. Continuing commercial whaling could jeopardize this hard-earned reputation and deter visitors committed to conservation.

A pivotal moment for Iceland’s new government

This could be a chance for the new Social Democratic government to reconsider whaling policy. However, any move to revoke or alter existing permits would need to be accompanied by a clear strategy, political will, and a way to overcome possible legal obstacles, as well as providing incentives for alternative economic activities. Symbolically, the move would indicate that Iceland is serious about upholding contemporary environmental values.

A global issue

The impact of whaling has far-reaching implications beyond Icelandic borders. The protection of large cetaceans bears relevance to global biodiversity conservation and responds to the decline of marine ecosystems. This case underlines the fact that even countries renowned for their environmental achievements may not easily overcome cultural legacies and entrenched economic interests.

For now, Iceland’s position is emphatic: five more years of commercial whale hunting, until 2029, for those who waited with bated breath for a historical shift. Let us hope the new administration heeds the shifting attitudes within society and takes concrete steps toward eliminating an activity widely held to be cruel and contradictory to the environmental imperatives of the present day.