Iceland Kills First Whales in Years After Restarting Commercial Hunt
Iceland’s research institute recommended a 150-whale fin quota for 2026 as the government plans a bill to ban whaling this autumn.
- Two fin whales were killed off the coast of Iceland on June 22, marking the first commercial catches since a two-year hiatus; Icelandic public broadcaster RUV reported the animals "were killed last night."
- Commercial whaling resumed after Iceland suspended the practice for two years due to economic challenges and insufficient market demand that made the industry unprofitable.
- Two ships departed on June 19 for the 2026 hunt despite protests in Reykjavik, where a demonstrator boarded a vessel; Hvalur manager Daniel Jonsson said the whales would be brought ashore.
- Humane World director Joanna Swabe called the deaths "devastating," citing Iceland's killing of more than 1,000 fin whales in two decades, and said the move had "not come soon enough to stop the agonising and protracted deaths of whales in Icelandic waters this summer."
- Iceland's government plans to introduce a Bill this autumn aimed at banning whaling, while the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute recommended no more than 150 fin whales be caught in the 2026 season.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Two whales were killed off the Icelandic coast two days after the resumption of commercial hunting, which ended a break of a few years, according to local media and animal rights activists. The Icelandic public broadcaster RUV reported that two common whales were killed last night, marking the first catches since 2023. The common whale is the second largest animal on Earth after the blue whale. Iceland is one of only three countries that still o…
"This cannot be described as anything other than barbaric hunting that has no basis in modern times," says a statement issued by the Icelandic Animal Welfare Association regarding whaling. But last night, the first fin whale in two years was caught off Iceland. Two fin whales were caught by the whaling ship Hval 9. The association says it strongly opposes the hunt, which it calls "inhumane and completely pointless in terms of...
Iceland resumes the hunting of whales after two years of pause with the departure of two whale ships that mark the return of an activity increasingly questioned internationally because of its impact on protected and threatened species.The decision comes amid animal protests, economic difficulties for the sector and while the Icelandic Government is studying a possible definitive ban on commercial hunting of cetaceans. Iceland resumes the hunting…
Only three countries in the world are hunting whales. This includes Iceland. After a two-year break, a company is now allowed to kill more than 150 Finn and 168 dwarf whales.
Aftenposten
hbl.fiTwo fin whales have been shot off the coast of Iceland after commercial whaling resumed in the country for the first time in three years.
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