Iceland's government is planning to submit a bill in February that could ban commercial whaling, potentially leaving Norway and Japan as the only countries allowing it. The move comes after years of opposition from animal rights groups and Hollywood figures against Iceland’s whaling industry. During this year's hunting season, which ends in September, 80 fin whales had been caught out of an annual quota of 150, raising concerns about conservation and ethics.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-12,
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Story summary
Iceland is considering banning commercial whaling, which could leave Norway and Japan as the only countries allowing such hunts. The Icelandic government plans to submit legislation in February 2024 to potentially outlaw the practice. This move has garnered support from both political figures and the public due to ethical, veterinary, legal, and conservation reasons. During the current hunting season, which runs until September, 80 fin whales had been caught out of an annual quota of up to 150 fin whales. Animal rights campaigners and Hollywood celebrities have long opposed Iceland's whaling industry, leading to increased scrutiny and calls for reform.
Written for “Whale Hunting Ban Iceland” on 2026-09-12,
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Leaning score -0.35 for article 8339 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-12
A bill to be submitted by Iceland's government in February could outlaw whaling, leaving Norway and Japan as the world's only remaining nations to permit commercial hunts.
uncertain
bill → submit → hunts
The industry in Iceland has provoked years of opposition from animal rights campaigners alongside prominent Hollywood figures.
asserted
industry → provoke → figures
Ministers are evaluating various options to modernise the country's whaling legislation, placing specific focus on the potential implementation of a permanent ban, according to an update posted on the official government website late on Wednesday.
uncertain
Ministers → evaluate → Wednesday
The governing administration holds a parliamentary majority.
asserted
administration → govern → majority
During this year's hunting season, which runs from June until around the end of September, 80 fin whales had been caught as of 9 September, according to figures from animal welfare group Humane World for Animals.
uncertain
whales → run → Animals
The current annual quota allows 150 fin whales to be killed this year.
asserted
whales → allow → ?
"There is considerable political and public support for this bill to ban commercial whaling, and compelling ethical, veterinary, legal and conservation reasons to hope it succeeds," said Wendy Higgins, a Humane World for Animals spokeswoman.
asserted
Higgins → be → Animals
Fin whales, the primary target of Iceland's whaling industry, are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable.
asserted
whales → classify → Nature
In 2024, Iceland's interim government issued a five-year license to its sole remaining whaling company.
asserted
government → issue → company
Only Iceland, Norway and Japan have conducted commercial whaling in recent years, according to the International Whaling Commission's catch list.
uncertain
Iceland → conduct → list
Norway resumed commercial whaling in 1993 and Iceland in 2006, despite an international moratorium that took effect in 1986 to protect whale populations.
asserted
that → resume → populations
Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission in 2019 and resumed commercial whaling in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
asserted
Japan → withdraw → waters
The moratorium allows indigenous peoples in certain parts of the world, such as Greenland and Alaska, to hunt whales because whale products play a vital role in their nutritional and cultural lives.
asserted
products → allow → lives
