Commercial Whaling: A Cruel Practice That Still Continues
In 1986, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) implemented a global ban on commercial whaling to protect whale populations from extinction. Yet today, several countries continue to defy this ban, killing hundreds of whales each year despite overwhelming scientific, ethical, and public opposition.
Japan, Norway, and Iceland are among the nations that still hunt whales — exploiting legal loopholes or outright rejecting the IWC’s authority. These hunts often involve explosive harpoons, causing immense pain and suffering. In many cases, whales do not die instantly and may endure prolonged agony before death.
ICELAND
Iceland’s only whaling company, Hvalur hf., resumed hunting in June 2022 after a two-year pause, killing 148 fin whales that year. After its licence expired in 2023, the company applied for an indefinite renewal. A report by Iceland’s Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) exposed the cruelty of these hunts, documenting whales taking over an hour to die after being struck with explosive harpoons, some being shot multiple times, and one whale chased for five hours before escaping. Hvalur hf. paused whaling in 2024, but in June 2026 its vessels returned to sea, and, within 48 hours, two fin whales had been killed. Over the coming months, up to 150 fin whales and 168 minke whales could lose their lives. The thought of so many being harpooned and killed is deeply upsetting. Despite the continued hunts, fewer than 2% of Icelanders eat whale meat. Most of the demand comes from tourists, many of whom believe they are trying a traditional delicacy, while much of the meat is exported to Japan. The Icelandic government is expected to introduce legislation this autumn that could finally end commercial whaling once and for all – that day cannot come soon enough.
JAPAN
In 2019, Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to resume commercial whaling within its territorial waters, though it continues to hold observer status, signalling ongoing openness to international dialogue. Before leaving the IWC, Japan’s so-called “research hunts” in the Antarctic and Northwest Pacific were widely seen as a cover for commercial whaling, with most whale meat sold in restaurants and supermarkets. In 2023, Japan caught 294 whales, including minke, Bryde’s, and sei whales. In 2024, Japan added fin whales to its list of commercially hunted species, setting a combined catch quota of 379 for minke, Bryde’s, and sei whales in the same year. Japan’s 2025 whaling quota was set at 413 whales: 60 fin whales, 144 minke whales, 153 Bryde’s whales, and 56 sei whales. The season concluded in early December with the return of the whaling vessel Kangei Maru to Shimonoseki. By the end of the season, Japan had taken its full quotas of fin whales (60) and Bryde’s whales (143), while 35 sei whales and 55 minke whales were killed, both below their respective quotas. In late April 2026, Kangei Maru (the 9,300-ton mother ship) departed Shimonoseki Port for its third year of operations, including expeditions in the Sea of Okhotsk, where it is scheduled to catch a total of 247 whales, among them Bryde’s whale.
NORWAY
Norway continues to conduct commercial whaling despite falling demand, with whale meat still sold in shops and tourist locations. Nearly 15,000 minke whales have been hunted since 1993, and recent annual catches have typically ranged from 414 to 580 whales. Quotas have risen, from 1,000 in 2023 to 1,157 in 2024 and 1,406 in early 2025, when 428 whales were taken by 10 vessels. Norway’s commercial whaling quota will rise by 235 whales this year, bringing the total number of minke whales that could be killed to 1,641. Declining demand for whale meat in Norway has pushed the country’s remaining whaling fleet to seek alternative markets. Increasingly, producers are turning to the pet food industry, supplying whale products to pet food manufacturers and developing new offerings such as freeze-dried whale snacks for dogs and whale oil-based supplements designed to promote shinier coats.
The practice persists even amid international criticism and shifting global views on whale conservation. Whales are intelligent, social beings who form deep emotional bonds. Causing them suffering through whaling is unnecessary and inhumane.
The time has come to bring commercial whaling to a permanent end – NO exceptions, NO delays.
