On the 19^th of May 2008, the Fisheries Minister, Einar Guðfinnsson, issued the permit to hunt 40 minke whales commercially for the local market. Surprisingly enough, since in August 2007, commercial whaling was stopped due to the lack of a whale meat market internationally and locally. Shortly after the announcement, the whaling fleet left the shore, with the first minke whale (7,4m long) being killed in the northern part of Faxaflói Bay on the 21^st of May.  

The Social Domocratic Party and Coalition partner of the Cabinet distanced themselves from the decision. As the Foreign Minister, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, put it: "I believe this sacrifices long term interests for short term gains in despite of the quota being smaller than in previous years." But is there a gain at all? Whales are and have been worth more to Iceland alive than dead. Only nine dedicated whale watchers can provide the income equal to the market value of one dead minke whale in Iceland (source WDCS UK).