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. When its licence expired in 2023, the company applied for an indefinite renewal. A report by Iceland’s Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) documented the suffering endured during these hunts. It found that some whales took more than an hour to die after being struck by explosive harpoons, while others were shot multiple times. In one case, a whale was chased for five hours before eventually escaping. Hvalur hf. paused whaling again in 2024, but in June 2026, its vessels returned to sea. Within 48 hours, two fin whales had been killed. By the end of the season, the company had caught 85 fin whales against a quota of 150. The Icelandic government is expected to submit a bill in February 2027 that could permanently ban whaling. For those who care about these intelligent, long-lived marine mammals, that day cannot come soon enough. The thought of so many of these magnificent animals being harpooned and killed is deeply upsetting. Despite the continuation of whaling, fewer than 2% of Icelanders eat whale meat. Much of the demand comes from tourists, many of whom may believe they are trying a traditional Icelandic delicacy. At one point, much of the meat was exported to Japan, although Hvalur hf. announced earlier this year that it would no longer sell fin-whale meat there.
JAPAN
In 2019, Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to resume commercial whaling within its territorial waters. It retains observer status, signalling continued openness to international dialogue. Before leaving the IWC, Japan’s so-called “research hunts” in the Antarctic and Northwest Pacific were widely regarded as a cover for commercial whaling, with most of the meat sold through restaurants and supermarkets. In 2023, Japan caught 294 whales, including minke, Bryde’s, and sei whales. In 2024, it added fin whales to its list of commercially hunted species and set a combined quota of 379 minke, Bryde’s, and sei whales. Japan’s 2025 quota was 413 whales: 60 fin, 144 minke, 153 Bryde’s, and 56 sei. The season ended in early December with the return of the whaling vessel Kangei Maru to Shimonoseki. By then, Japan had taken all 60 fin whales and 143 Bryde’s whales, along with 35 sei and 55 minke whales, both below quota. In late April 2026, the 9,300-ton Kangei Maru departed Shimonoseki Port for its third year of whaling and completed its Sea of Okhotsk operation in early June, killing 24 fin whales and 27 Bryde’s whales. The overall 2026 season is expected to continue through November, with different vessels and coastal operations taking place during the year.
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 increased by 235 whales this year, bringing the total number of minke whales that could be killed to 1,641. The 2026 whaling season ended in mid-September, with a total of 418 minke whales killed. However, this figure does not include unborn calves that die when pregnant females are harpooned. Around 40% of the minke whales killed in Norway are pregnant. 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.
