On Thursday, the Icelandic government announced that it would resume the hunting of fin whales after a two-month hiatus. However, new guidelines have been introduced, which require that the whales must be “killed as quickly as possible to minimize their suffering.”
A government task force concluded that improvements could be made in the hunting methods.
The Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries said in a statement: “A regulation will be issued that includes more detailed and stricter requirements for hunting equipment and methods, in addition to increased supervision.” Whalers are also required to undergo training in whale biology and pain and stress awareness.
The public broadcasting service in Iceland reported that whalers would be provided with detailed instructions on how to strike the animals to ensure their quick demise.
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• The International Whaling Commission, a global body overseeing whale conservation, had imposed a temporary ban on whaling in 1986 after some species came close to extinction.
• Despite many species still being endangered or on the brink of extinction, Iceland, along with Norway and Japan, has resumed its commercial whaling activities.
The resumption of whaling practices is likely to spark debate on multiple fronts, including ethical considerations, animal welfare, and global conservation efforts. Given the rapid changes in global sentiment towards animal welfare and environmental sustainability, Iceland’s decision is a topic that warrants close monitoring and analysis.
Whaling has been a contentious issue globally due to the ethical implications and environmental impact. While the International Whaling Commission imposed a temporary ban on whaling in 1986, some countries like Iceland, Norway, and Japan have resumed commercial whaling activities.
Iceland had halted its whaling for 20 years but restarted it in 2006. This controversial decision faced another setback in June when a report indicated that the whales took a long time to die, even suffering for hours, in violation of Iceland’s animal welfare laws.
