Iceland will resume the hunting of fin whales after the island’s government decided against extending a ban imposed in June.
(Bloomberg) — Iceland will resume the hunting of fin whales after the island’s government decided against extending a ban imposed in June.
The government agreed to let the temporary ban expire on Thursday, allowing the hunt to commence on Friday “with thorough conditions,” according to Svandis Svavarsdottir, minister of food, fisheries and agriculture.
Whaling had been temporarily suspended after veterinary officials concluded that the killing of the animals took longer than allowed by animal welfare laws.
“I understand well the concerns of those who question whaling,” Svavarsdottir told reporters, adding that her party wants to end the practice. Still, the industry has a “valid license,” she said, suggesting that putting a stop to whaling requires changing the law.
Read More: Iceland Suspends Fin Whale Hunting Over Animal Welfare Rules
Iceland is one of just three countries in the world, along with Norway and Japan, to have allowed commercial whaling in recent years, though some indigenous communities in other countries hunt the creatures for subsistence.
Iceland’s catches have mostly consisted of fin whales, the world’s second-largest mammal, which can measure up to 27 meters (88 feet) and weigh as much as 80 metric tons. The species is classified as ‘vulnerable’ to extinction globally by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, with 148 killed by Icelanders in 2022. In addition, a single minke whale was killed in the 2019 to 2021 period.
Still, the industry has had a negligible effect on Iceland’s economy in recent years, according to a report by consultancy company Intellecon ehf commissioned by the Ministry of Fisheries this year.
The issue has raised tensions within Iceland’s three-party coalition government, pitting Svavarsdottir’s Left Green movement against the centrist Progressive Party and the right-wing Independence Party, both of which considered the sudden imposition of the temporary ban in June disproportionate.
The government plans stricter requirements for equipment and methods, as well as increased supervision, training and education, according to a statement.
–With assistance from Gina Turner.
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