Industry Facts

• Whaling in Iceland is carried out by a very small industry, primarily one company (Hvalur hf.), and public opinion in Iceland has increasingly shifted against the practice.

• 2 companies hold licences for 5+ years. One for Fin whale hunting and other for Minke whaling with the combined quota up to 400 whales. 

• Industry created more loss than profit. Based on data from the annual accounts of Hval hf. Between 2012 and 2020, the company's losses from whaling amounted to 3 billion ISK. 

• Iceland is the only country in Europe that hunts Fin whale. IUCN has recently moved Fin Whale status from Endangered to Vulnerable based on abundance survey done by NAMCO.  

• Controversy surrounds the status in IUCN. Since NAMMCO is a Pro-Whaling body, research bodies connected to whaling states may have incentives to produce data supporting sustainable hunting. In the past, Japan was the biggest consumer of Icelandic whale meat through importation, but this trade has ceased because Japan has a whale meat stockpile due to lack of local appetite. It has also expanded its own whaling. 

• Almost all the meat from the hunt of fin whales is being sent to Japan. Japan has been the biggest consumer of Icelandic whale meat through importation, however this trade has ceased because Japan has a whale meat stockpile due to lack of local appetite. It has also expanded its own whaling. 

• No market.The stock from the last while hunt in 2023 is still in freezers and has not been sold.

• Since re-joining the IWC, Iceland has killed more than 1,500 whales, including endangered fin whales. In 2018, among the 146 fin whales Iceland killed was a pregnant female and a rare fin-blue hybrid whale;

Political Facts 

• A political dilemma now exists: despite the planned ban, existing permits allow another hunting season to begin beforehand, meaning whales could be killed in the months immediately preceding the proposed legislative end.

• Whaling is against Animal welfare act of Iceland.The Icelandic Council on Animal Welfare has concluded that the fishing method used to catch large whales does not comply with the provisions of Act No. 55/2013 on Animal Welfare. It is not possible to meet the conditions necessary to ensure the welfare of animals during killing.

• In 2023 also a damning report by the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority concluded that commercial whaling is inconsistent with the country’s animal welfare law. Its observation of whale killing footage taken onboard revealed that 41% of whales took on average 11.5 minutes before dying, while some took up to two hours to die, in contravention of the Animal Welfare Act. More than one quarter of the whales were harpooned twice before eventually dying. The report also showed that most whales killed (73%) were female, 11 of whom were pregnant and one lactating, meaning her dependent calf will have perished at sea without her. 

• The current minister has publicly announced her intention to introduce legislation to ban commercial whaling in autumn.

• Controversy surrounds the issuance of the current whaling licences. Investigative reporting revealed a secret recording suggesting alleged political deal-making connected to the granting of whaling permits to industry actors with political ties.

• Legal accountability mechanisms are contested. Environmental organisations attempted to challenge the legality of the permits through the parliamentary ombudsman, but their complaint was dismissed, raising concerns about effective access to justice under the Aarhus Convention. 

• Icelandic organization have filled a complaint toUnited Nations Special Rapporteurs requesting an investigation into potential human rights violations linked to commercial whaling in Iceland. Alleged Human Rights violations by whaling in Iceland. 

• TheEuropean commission was questioned from an MEP regarding the legality of Whaling and the prosecution of environmental protest. In their answer, European Commission expresses concern over prosecution of whale-hunt protesters while reaffirming opposition to commercial whaling.

• A political dilemma now exists: despite the planned ban, existing permits allow another hunting season to begin beforehand, meaning whales could be killed in the months immediately preceding the proposed legislative end.

• International scrutiny is growing. The situation has been raised with UN Special Rapporteurs and has also reached the European Union through a parliamentary question asking the European Commission to clarify the implications for environmental governance and access to justice.

• More than a hundred International Organisations have signed on a letter to Iceland pledging to end whaling based on the Scientific data regarding the importance of Baleen Whales. 

Social Facts

• Icelandic people do not consume whale meat (less than 2% of the consumption comes from Icelandic people. 98% goes to tourists). Whale is not a traditional dish. It is a tourist trap and the whale meat is Minke imported from Norway. 

• Recent polling in 2025 indicates that majority of Icelanders are dissatisfied with the whale hunting permits issued by the caretaker government.

• Iceland was the first country to ban whaling in 1886. Promoted by United States, it was started after world war II. 

• All Icelandic organisations have collectively signed on a letter to the government to Ban whaling. 

• Civil society mobilisation is significant inside Iceland. Campaigns such as For the Love of Iceland  invite citizens and international supporters to pledge support for ending whaling and protecting the country’s reputation as a place committed to ocean stewardship.