Iceland plans review of whaling laws as permanent ban considered

Iceland’s Minister of Business Affairs Hanna Katrín Friðriksson plans to submit a bill on whaling law amendments to parliament in February, with a permanent ban on whaling among the issues to be examined, according to mbl.is.

The bill is part of the government’s parliamentary agenda for the coming legislative session. It will involve a comprehensive review of the current whaling legislation, which dates from 1949 and is considered outdated.

The review will draw on a 2025 report by a working group on the administration and legal framework for whaling. More than 60 fin whales, or 61 in total, have been caught so far this summer.

The planned legislation has attracted international attention. The British newspaper The Independent reported that whaling off Iceland has faced opposition from animal rights activists and Hollywood stars for years. It said ministers were assessing options to modernise the country’s whaling laws, with particular emphasis on a possible permanent ban.

The Guardian quoted Wendy Higgins of Humane World for Animals as calling the bill an important milestone in efforts to end commercial whaling. Higgins said every whale killed with an explosive harpoon in Icelandic waters represented an unnecessary loss of life for an industry that served no purpose.

Norwegian outlet ABC Nyheter reported that an Icelandic ban would further reduce what it described as a small group of countries that still conduct commercial whaling. It noted that Norway’s quota this year is higher than last year because unused quota had been carried over, while Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission.

ABC Nyheter also noted that the proposed ban is far from certain. During a parliamentary panel discussion in early September, representatives of all parties reportedly took part, but none said they opposed whaling. No majority for a ban is therefore guaranteed.