Iceland has resumed commercial whaling for the first time since 2023, ending a two-year hiatus that had fuelled hopes the controversial practice might be coming to an end.
Image used for illustrative purposes/Iceland/Adam Jang/Unsplash
According to euronews, two fin whales were reportedly killed off the country’s coast shortly after the 2026 hunting season opened, according to local reports and animal welfare organisations.
The move has reignited debate around one of the world’s most contentious marine conservation issues. Iceland remains one of only three countries — alongside Norway and Japan — that continue to permit commercial whaling despite a long-standing international moratorium on the practice.
According to Iceland’s Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, up to 150 fin whales may be harvested during the 2026 season. The recommended quota represents a reduction from previous years, reflecting updated management assessments. Authorities have also set a catch limit of 168 minke whales for the current season.
The latest kills mark the first whales taken in Icelandic waters since 2023. Commercial whaling had effectively paused during 2024 and 2025 after Iceland’s largest whaling company, Hvalur hf., chose not to participate in the hunts amid economic and market pressures.
Fin whales, the species primarily targeted by Iceland’s whaling industry, are the second-largest animals on Earth. Conservation groups continue to oppose the hunts, arguing that modern whaling is unnecessary and poses ethical and ecological concerns. Icelandic authorities, however, maintain that regulated whaling can be managed sustainably under national quotas and oversight measures.
The decision comes at a time when whale watching has become one of Iceland’s most popular nature-based tourism activities, drawing visitors from around the world to witness the country’s rich marine wildlife. The coexistence of a thriving whale tourism industry and commercial whaling remains a source of ongoing controversy.
As the 2026 season unfolds, conservation organisations are expected to continue monitoring the hunts closely, while debate around the future of whaling in Iceland shows little sign of fading.
(Source: euronews)
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