Iceland’s government has announced that it will no longer permit whaling by 2024. The reason is the lack of demand from the main customer Japan: The country had allowed the controversial practice again in 2019.
The Icelandic government wants to end the controversial whaling in 2024. This was announced by Fisheries Minister Svandis Svavarsdottir. The catch quotas that apply until 2023 should not be extended. The politician from the left-green movement referred to falling demand.
“Unless there are developments to the contrary, there will be little reason to authorize whaling after 2024,” wrote Svavarsdottir in an article for the Morgunbladid newspaper. “There is little evidence that there is any economic benefit to practicing this activity.” Therefore, the quotas should not be extended.
Iceland, Norway and Japan currently allow whaling
Iceland is one of three whaling countries, the other two being Norway and Japan. The hunt for marine mammals has long been criticized by animal rights activists.
Iceland currently has a quota that runs until 2023, according to which 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales can be killed per summer. However, there has been virtually no commercial hunting in Iceland in the past three years, with just one whale taken.
The reason is massive sales difficulties on the Japanese market, the main buyer of whale meat. This allowed hunting whales again in 2019. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) welcomed the news. “It’s a fantastic announcement,” said Andreas Dinkelmeyer, campaign manager at IFAW.