Iceland proposes permanent ban on commercial whaling

Matichon•International•10d ago

Reader Briefing

The Icelandic government plans to propose a law to permanently ban commercial whaling in February of next year.

•Iceland's government will propose a permanent whaling ban to parliament in February of next year.
•If passed, Norway and Japan will be the only remaining countries conducting commercial whaling.
•The proposal follows long-term protests from animal welfare groups and Hollywood celebrities.
•80 fin whales were caught by September 9 in the current season, against a quota of 150.

•The Icelandic government announced via its website on Wednesday (September 9) that it will propose a bill to permanently ban whaling in February of next year.
•The proposal comes after prolonged protests against whaling activities in Iceland from animal welfare campaigners and Hollywood celebrities.
•According to Humane World for Animals, 80 fin whales had been caught as of September 9, with a season quota of 150 whales.
•The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorized the fin whale, the primary target of Iceland's whaling industry, as a species at risk of extinction.
•In 2024, the caretaker government of Iceland issued a 5-year license to the only remaining whaling company.
•The International Whaling Commission (IWC) notes that Iceland, Norway, and Japan have remained in commercial whaling despite a global moratorium in effect since 1986.
•Norway resumed commercial whaling in 1993, Iceland in 2006, and Japan returned to commercial whaling in its own waters and EEZ after leaving the IWC in 2019.
•Whaling remains permitted for indigenous peoples in certain areas, such as Greenland and Alaska, for nutritional and cultural needs.

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Iceland(ไอซ์แลนด์)ℹ️

A country whose government is proposing a permanent ban on commercial whaling.

Norway(นอร์เวย์)ℹ️

A country that resumed commercial whaling in 1993.

Japan(ญี่ปุ่น)ℹ️

A country that left the IWC in 2019 and conducts commercial whaling in its own waters and EEZ.

Greenland(กรีนแลนด์)ℹ️

An area where indigenous people are permitted to hunt whales for nutritional and cultural reasons.

Alaska(อะแลสกา)ℹ️

An area where indigenous people are permitted to hunt whales for nutritional and cultural reasons.

Wendy Higgins(เวนดี ฮิกกินส์)ℹ️

Spokesperson for the group Humane World for Animals.

Humane World for Animalsℹ️

An animal welfare group that tracks whaling statistics.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)(สหภาพระหว่างประเทศเพื่อการอนุรักษ์ธรรมชาติ (IUCN))

An organization that categorized the fin whale as a species at risk of extinction.

International Whaling Commission (IWC)(คณะกรรมาธิการการล่าวาฬระหว่างประเทศ (IWC))

An organization whose whaling lists identify countries continuing commercial whaling.