Government Moves to End Whaling Permanently

The government of Iceland has announced plans to introduce legislation that would permanently ban commercial whaling, marking a significant step toward protecting the country’s whale populations.

“This is good news for whales,” says Luke McMillan, anti-whaling campaigner at Whale and Dolphin Conservation, who stresses the importance of ensuring the legislation brings hunting to a permanent end.

The proposed bill is scheduled for February 2027 and has the backing of a government with a parliamentary majority. However, existing five-year whaling licences issued in 2024 could delay implementation. Around 80 fin whales have already been killed during the 2026 hunting season, despite declining domestic support and Japan’s decision to stop importing Icelandic whale meat. If enacted and implemented, the ban would leave Norway and Japan as the only countries continuing commercial whaling.