With many whale species now critically endangered, most people believe it is wrong to hunt and kill them. Even in Northern Europe, where whaling industries have thrived for centuries, pressure is mounting to end the practice for good.
Iceland has become the latest country to suspend its whaling season amidst increased criticism of the industry.
The countryโs summer whaling season typically takes place from mid-June to mid-September, with legal hunting quotas allowing for no more than 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales to be killed.
Fin whales are the longest marine mammal after the blue whale, while minke whales are the smallest species of baleen whale. Mike whales are also hunted in Greenland, Japan, and Norway.
Although whaling practices have continued in a few number of countries, public support for the industry has been rapidly dwindling. Could we finally be approaching a total ban on the practice?
Public perceptions of whaling are strongly divided, but a recent national survey does indicate that support for the industry is declining.
A 2023 consensus found that 51 percent of Icelandic citizens are against whale hunting, which is a massive jump from a few years ago when only 42 percent said they disapproved of it.
Whales are primarily hunted for their meat, which has been served in Icelandโs restaurants as a traditional dish for centuries. However, the number of Icelanders with a real appetite for whale meat has seen a steady decline.
We know that climate change, ocean pollution, entanglement, and commercial shipping already threaten the fragile existence of whales. As the general public becomes increasingly aware of these issues, it makes sense that they would hope for an end to commercial whaling.
What do Icelandic authorities think?
The local governmentโs Food Minister, Svandis Svavardottir, has cited the recent public survey along with Icelandโs national Animal Welfare Act to leverage his decision to suspend โ and potentially ban โ the countryโs whaling industry.
His decision is further supported by a report by Icelandโs Food and Veterinary Authority, which states that the amount of time it takes to kill a whale violates national animal welfare laws.
In video footage from last yearโs whaling season, one killing took a total of five hours. Additional research found that most whales killed had taken two hours to die, with a total of 41 percent of whales suffering unnecessarily for prolonged periods of time before dying.
โIf the government and [whaling] licensees cannot guarantee theย welfareย requirements [of our national policies], this activity has no future,โ Svavadottir said.
He added that this summerโs ban could result in whale hunting becoming entirely illegal in Iceland by the year 2024.
A renewed perspective
The European charity Humane Society International has praised Icelandโs move to suspend its whaling season, calling it a โmajor milestone in compassionate whale conservation.โ
Though modern whale hunts are typically justified by their roots in ancient traditions, public outrage during whaling seasons in places such as the Faroe Islands continues to push back on the practice.
With each day, we learn more about the threats humans have brought upon animal species trying to survive in the wild through nature documentaries, social media content, and growing evidence from climate science.
As our global society becomes more educated on the importance of conserving and nurturing life on our planet, itโs likely that weโll see more countries abandon activities that only cause pointless destruction.
With Iceland looking to end legal whale hunts, at least we can hope so.
Iโm Jessica (She/Her). Originally from Bermuda, I moved to London to get a Masterโs degree in Media & Communications and now write for Thred to spread the word about positive social change, specifically ocean health and marine conservation. You can also find me dipping my toes into other subjects like pop culture, health, wellness, style, and beauty. ย Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.
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