Iceland moves to permanently ban commercial whaling

Iceland’s government plans to introduce legislation in February to permanently ban commercial whaling, potentially leaving Norway and Japan as the world’s only countries still allowing the practice.

The proposed legislation could bring an end to years of controversy over Iceland’s whaling industry, which has faced opposition from animal rights groups and international campaigners.

The bill will include “a permanent ban on whaling”, the government said on its website.

Iceland’s ruling coalition holds a majority in parliament, boosting the prospects of the bill being approved.

“There is considerable political and public support for this bill to ban commercial whaling and compelling ethical, veterinary, legal and conservation reasons to hope it succeeds,” said Wendy Higgins, a spokesperson for Humane World for Animals.

Decreasing demand for whale meat

The proposed ban comes as whale watching has become a significant part of Iceland’s tourism industry. Around 350,000 people take whale-watching trips in the country each year, while tourism accounts for about 8.8 per cent of Iceland’s GDP.

Commercial whaling, meanwhile, has become increasingly marginal. Surveys cited by Humane World for Animals suggest fewer than two per cent of Icelanders eat whale meat, with foreign tourists accounting for much of the domestic demand.

Opposition to Iceland’s whaling industry has attracted support from internationally known figures, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jason Momoa, filmmaker James Cameron and Icelandic musician Björk. DiCaprio has previously called for an outright ban, while other campaigners have backed efforts to bring commercial whaling in the country to an end.

Iceland’s final whaling company

Iceland’s whaling industry has focused mainly on fin whales, which are classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

During this year’s hunting season, which runs from June to around the end of September, 80 fin whales had been caught by 9 September, according to Humane World for Animals.

The current quota allows as many as 150 fin whales to be killed this year.

In 2024, Iceland’s interim government granted a five-year licence to the country’s only remaining whaling company, despite continued criticism from environmental and animal welfare organisations.

Norway and Japan could become only commercial whalers

If Iceland approves the ban, Norway and Japan could become the only countries still conducting commercial whaling.

According to catch records from the International Whaling Commission, Iceland, Norway and Japan have been the only countries conducting commercial whaling in recent years.

Norway resumed commercial whaling in 1993, while Iceland restarted the practice in 2006, despite an international moratorium introduced in 1986 to help protect whale populations.

Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission in 2019 and resumed commercial whaling in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.

International rules allow indigenous whaling

The global ban on commercial whaling includes exceptions for certain indigenous communities, including those in Greenland and Alaska.

These communities are permitted to hunt whales because whale products remain an important part of their traditional diets and cultural practices.

Iceland’s planned ban would represent a significant shift for the country after decades as one of the few nations to maintain a commercial whaling industry despite international pressure.

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