Iceland’s outgoing government on Thursday, December 5, issued permits to two companies for whale hunting over the next five years.
This was stated in a report from the Icelandic government.
The permits allow for the annual hunting of 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales during the whaling season, which lasts from mid-June to September. Whaling permits in Iceland are typically issued for five years, but the last set of permits expired in 2023.
Last year, the country suspended whaling for two months after a government-commissioned investigation revealed that the methods used in whale hunting did not comply with animal welfare standards.
Iceland is one of only three countries in the world, along with Norway and Japan, that permits commercial whaling. In recent years, this practice has faced increasing controversy: members of the public, activists, local and international celebrities have called on Icelandic authorities to end it.
Moreover, economists point out that the impact of whaling on Iceland’s economy is now almost negligible.
