Iceland’s Whaling Company Pauses Whaling – But There Is No Change of Heart From The Government
The news that started to break last week that the employees of Iceland’s fin whaling company, Hvalur hf., had been told that there would not be any whaling this year has now been confirmed by the company’s CEO.
The CEO is quoted as saying that “Product price developments in our main market country, Japan, have been unfavourable recently and are worsening, which makes the price of our products so low that it is not justifiable to engage in whaling”. He reportedly added that the turmoil in world markets due to a tariff race was not improving the situation and that the situation will be reviewed next year.
Local disappointment overlooks healthy whale-watching industry
The Chairman of the Akranes Trade Union in Iceland, expressed his view that this is very sad news because whaling is of great importance to the local community where up to 200 people are typically employed during the whaling season. He also expressed his hope that whaling might resume next year, which it could as the government has not changed its position and issued quotas last December. His comments do not take into account the value of Iceland’s whale watching industry, which has continued despite the ongoing whaling activity.
What is likely to be affecting this situation is the decision by Japan, the main export destination for Iceland’s whale meat, to hunt fin whales themselves, meaning that Japan may have no future interest in importing from Iceland.
Controversial quotas granted by an interim government
Very controversially, the Icelandic quotas were granted by the then ‘acting’ Prime Minister and Minister of Food, Bjarni Benediktsson, during a period when he was leading an interim government after the elections in Iceland and before the real government came into play. He issued a permit for 201 fin whales to Hvalur hf. and one for 217 minke whales to the trawler- and minke whale fishing vessel Halldór Sigurðsson. These permits were both granted for a period of five years. No comment from the minke-whale hunting company has been reported.
OceanCare calls for an immediate revocation of permits
Since this time and with the new government now properly in place OceanCare and many others have been calling for these permits to be fully revoked. So, whilst the news that Iceland’s main whaling fleet will not be in action this summer can be welcomed, we also wish to see a formal ban on whaling announced as soon as possible.
Mark Simmonds, Director of Science at OceanCare comments ‘Whilst the announced pause in fin whaling this year can be welcomed, it must be appreciated that this is the unilateral decision of the relevant company, reportedly based on financial assessments, and is not government policy. Iceland continues to have active quotas in place for fin and minke whales and as a nation needs to revise its national position, especially given the evidence collected there of how inherently cruel whaling is.’
More about Iceland’s whaling including its inherent cruelty and the recent history of this issue please see: https://www.oceancare.org/en/stories_and_news/call-to-end-whaling-iceland/
