In a rare win for whales, Iceland‘s largest commercial whaling company, Hvalur hf., has announced it will not hunt fin whales during the summer of 2025. The decision follows years of controversy, global criticism, and a shrinking market for whale meat in Japan, where the company exports nearly all of its catch.
According to Mongabay, Hvalur’s CEO Kristján Loftsson told Icelandic media outlet Morgunblaðið that low prices in Japan have made whaling economically unviable this year. The Japanese market has long struggled with falling demand and an oversupply of imported whale meat, leading to stockpiles that remain unsold.
Despite being granted a five-year license in December 2024 to kill up to 209 fin whales annually through 2029, Hvalur has pulled back — at least temporarily. While this move has been welcomed by conservationists, it’s caused concern for workers in Akranes, the coastal town where Hvalur is based. Union representatives say the cancellation is a blow to the local economy.
Still, marine advocates are calling the pause a potential turning point. “It’s clear that killing hundreds of whales a year is an economic and environmental loser,” said Sharon Livermore of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), adding that these whales have far greater value alive — both ecologically and for sustainable tourism.
Fin whales are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, yet Iceland, Japan, and Norway continue to permit commercial whaling, defying the global moratorium set by the International Whaling Commission in 1986.
This summer’s cancellation doesn’t end the practice entirely — minke whales remain at risk — but for now, hundreds of fin whales will be spared.
Let’s use this moment to double down on compassionate choices. Choose plant-based foods, Support whale-safe tourism, and speak out against outdated industries that harm animals and our oceans. Whales don’t belong on dinner plates — they belong in the wild.
This article by Nicholas Vincent was first published by One Green Planet on 18 April 2025. Lead Image: Image Credit :Gema Alvarez Fernandez/Shutterstock.
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