In a massive step backwards Iceland’s government have granted Hvalur hf. a whaling licence for 2024. This will enable the company to hunt a total of 128 fin whales – 99 animals in the Greenland-West Iceland area, and 29 animals in the East Iceland-Faroe Islands area. Despite widespread criticism of the practice, Minister of Fisheries Bjarkey Olsen Gunnarsdóttir, stated earlier today that the government was obligated to issue the permit, despite her own personal stance on the matter and the policy of her own party.
Whaling in Iceland generally takes place between mid-June and September and most of the whale meat will be sold to Japan. Devastating news indeed as we had hoped that the Icelandic government may have shown compassion by not issuing a licence for the hunt to continue, however, they appear to continue to be out of step with public opinion on the matter, to the cost of the lives of whales.
