Edited by Yujin Tchun
Following an ever-increasing number of public concerns and a lack of interest in products obtained by whaling, Iceland has made plans to ban the practice altogether by 2023. The decision has been heavily impacted due to the pandemic - with companies unable to operate ships, officials realized there was no longer any demand for whale products, meaning there were no more gains to be made. It will also make Iceland the first of the three remaining countries in the world (that endorse whaling) to cancel this practice, leaving Norway and Japan.
Whaling has been an ongoing topic of debate in Iceland for years, many considering the practice to be inhumane and unnecessary due to general public disinterest in whale meat or other commodities. This belief was most clearly shown in the ‘Meet Us, Don't Eat Us’ campaign run by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which garnered over 175 thousand signatures (Corbley, 2022). It became the largest signature campaign in the nation’s history, with many believing whales, were worth more alive than dead.
The decision was announced by the country’s fisheries minister earlier this month, explaining that no new whaling licenses would be granted after the year (LaBrecque, 2022). This announcement quickly followed Iceland’s declaration, that there were no more social or economic gains to be made from continuing its production. A survey was also able to find that only 1% of the population ate whale meat at least six times a year, with 85% claiming they had never tried it in their entire life.
Patrick Ramage, the director of marine conservation for IFAW, said that “The last remaining whalers seem to be making an exit,”, continuing “Hunting whales with cameras delivers economic benefits to coastal communities around the world, and Iceland is pointing the way.” (Mulvaney, 2020).
References
Corbley, A. (2022, February 18). Iceland To Hang Up Her Harpoons For Good, Issuing No
More Whaling Permits. Good News Network. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/iceland-bans-whaling-save-minke-and-fin-whales/
LaBrecque, S. (2022, February 10). What went right this week: Iceland to ban whaling, plus
more positive news. Positive.News. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from
https://www.positive.news/society/positive-news-stories-from-week-6-of-2022/
Mulvaney, K. (2020). Commercial whaling may be over in Iceland. National Geographic.
Retrieved February 22, 2022, from
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/commercial-whaling-may-be-over-
iceland
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