Iceland resumes commercial whaling after a two-year pause despite protests from activists

The whaling ship Hvalur, one of the last two whaling vessels in Iceland, has raised anchor to begin the hunting season after a two-year break. The ships started preparations on Friday evening, and a protester tied themselves to the mast of one of them, later being escorted by the police. Iceland, along with Norway and Japan, is one of the few countries that still authorize commercial whaling.

This did not take place in 2024 and 2025 due to economic difficulties and low profitability. The Marine Research Institute of Iceland recommended a reduction in annual catches, setting a limit of 150 fin whales and 168 minke whales. Activist Joanna Swabe criticized the resumption of whaling, highlighting the suffering of these animals. This autumn, Iceland will introduce a bill to ban whaling.