whales safe from harpoons in Iceland for second year running

London – Iceland’s two whaling companies have announced they will not be hunting whales this summer, with minke whalers reported to be calling time on killing whales for good. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has welcomed the news of a second consecutive year without whale hunting as the end of Icelandic whaling.

Fin whales – the second largest animal on Earth – had previously been harpooned in Iceland specifically for exportation to Japan while minke whales were killed for the domestic whale meat market, but used mainly to feed curious tourists in the country.

According to Icelandic media reports, fin whaling crusader and Chief Executive of Iceland’s only fin whaling company Hvalur - Kristjan Loftsson - cited export difficulties with Japan as well as current COVID-19 restrictions in Iceland as reasons not to use his harpoons again this summer. Gunnar Bergmann Jonsson, Managing Director of minke whaling company IP-Utgerd, told news agency AFP whaling was no longer financially viable and that he was stopping minke whaling for good.

IFAW’s Marine Conservation Programme Director Patrick Ramage said: “It is now clear that what we are seeing is the end of Icelandic whaling, which is good news for whales, good news for Iceland and good news for marine conservation worldwide.

“IFAW salutes and commends our long-time partners and friends in Iceland who have been working to end the cruel and wasteful killing of fin whales and minke whales in Icelandic waters and to end consumption of whale meat by international tourists.”

More than 1,500 fin and minke whales have been killed in Iceland since 2003 – the year the country resumed commercial whaling after a 13-year hiatus. IFAW has worked with Icelanders since this time to promote responsible whale watching as an alternative to the cruelty of whaling.

Ramage added: “Icelanders themselves are the ones driving the decision to end whaling, for reasons that make sense to them. We are proud to together welcome this milestone and will continue working to advance marine conservation in Icelandic waters and progress Iceland’s world-class whale watching industry.

“From Japan to Iceland, Europe to North America, Australia to Latin America, responsible whale watching is delivering economic benefits and a brighter future to coastal communities worldwide.”

In cooperation with local whale watch operators, IFAW runs a ‘Meet Us Don’t Eat Us’ campaign designed to inform tourists about the reality of whaling and whale meat consumption, as well as a ‘Whale Friendly’ restaurant scheme encouraging restaurants to offer a menu free from whale meat.

Whale watching is one of the top tourist attractions in Iceland, attracting more than 350,000 customers each year and generating almost £17.5 million annually, proving that whales are worth far more to the Icelandic economy alive than dead.

To support IFAW’s efforts to protect whales in Iceland visit www.ifaw.is

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For more information or to arrange interviews please contact Clare Sterling on mobile 07917 507717 or email csterling@ifaw.org. Images are available on request.

About the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) - The International Fund for Animal Welfare is a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans and in more than 40 countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate and release animals, and we restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems we’re up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organisations and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish. See how at ifaw.org