Whaling in Iceland

Recent Developments in Brief 

The year 2007 marked the end of a controversial scientific whaling program from 2003-2007 and a brief resumption of commercial minke and fin whaling in autumn 2006. In 2008, the Minister of Fisheries issued permits for the hunt of a limited number of Minke whales for domestic consumption. By the end of 2008, the fin whale meat from the hunt in 2006 could lastly be sold to Japan, after having been in the freezer since and stuck at Japans customs for several months. 

In January 2009, the outgoing Fisheries Minister Einar K. Guðfinnsson announced his decision to resume commercial whaling from 2009 - 2013. He determined the quota to be 150 fin whales and 100 minke whales each year, which he bases on the recommendations for sustainable whaling by the Icelandic Marine Research Institute.

The subsequent Minister of Fisheries, Steingrímur J. Sigfusson, decided to limit the whaling activities for the ongoing year firstly, wanting to review the matter by the end of 2009. Meanwhile, a research study is underway, investigating the impact of whaling for tourism and Iceland's image.   

Use the links to the left to learn more about the whaling situation in Iceland, presently and in the past.