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Iceland stops commercial whale hunt

Archive photo: Hvalfjörður whaling station in Iceland. Seagulls feeding on the carcass of a fin whale. Enlarge Image

Revealed: Icelandic whale in storage, landfill

In Iceland we have discovered an unprecedented amount of the whale meat from the recent hunt has not been used. Even whaling captain Sigurður Njálsson has said the meat is unfit for domestic consumption. 200 tonnes of the meat is in storage with a further 179 tonnes of entrails buried at a landfill site. But despite demand for whale meat plummeting, Japan and Iceland continue to hunt whales.

The strange-looking deep sea creature known as the Blobfish (Genus Psychrolutes). Enlarge Image

Iceland harpoons deep-sea protection

The proposed moratorium on high-seas bottom trawling was harpooned today at the UN, as Iceland put the interests of their fishing fleets above other countries and scientific advice (sound familiar?). Even Canada and Spain gave in to common sense in the end. Today Iceland has single-handedly destroyed its own reputation as a nation with responsible fishing policies. The decision affects 64 percent of the world's oceans, and the food security of future generations.

An endangered Fin Whale, harpooned yesterday is brought to the harbor of Hvalfjörour, Iceland. The Fin whale is the first kill by Iceland and marks the resumption to commercial whaling for the country. Enlarge Image

Demarche against Iceland whaling

Today, 26 nations delivered a formal diplomatic protest (called a "demarche") to the Icelandic government. The protest was led by the UK and signed by nations from around the world including the US, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Finland and Sweden.

Archive photo: Hvalfjörður whaling station in Iceland. Seagulls feeding on the carcass of a fin whale. Enlarge Image

Iceland resumes commercial whaling

In Iceland, the whale watching industry contributes more to the national economy than commercial whaling did before it was put on hold in the '80s. Yet now, after 17 years, Iceland has officially resumed commercial whaling.

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