Iceland’s last active whaling company, Hvalur hf., recently applied for an indefinite whale hunting licence, causing disagreement amongst the ministers in Iceland’s caretaker government over whether or not they will approve the application.

While the country granted a one-year licence to Hvalur to kill more than 100 fin whales earlier this year for this hunting season, and typically maintains a pro-whaling stance alongside Norway and Japan, hopes were raised over progress towards ending the practice of whaling and breaking Iceland’s tradition at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting this October, when it abstained from voting on certain related issues.

Photo: Hard to Port

A temporary ban on fin whale hunting was issued in 2023 on the day the hunt was to begin, following concerns over cruelty and transgression of Iceland’s animal welfare laws, however this was later ruled unlawful. A coalition of conservation and animal welfare groups are urging Iceland’s president to step in and stop any plans the prime minister has to issue a whaling licence to Europe’s last whaler before the Icelandic election at the end of the month.

The Icelandic government is in a state of transition between elections, and the country is currently being governed by a ‘caretaker government’. This is meant to only act as a ‘placeholder’ until elections at the end of November establish the country’s new leadership. Typically, caretaker governments avoid making decisions on controversial matters, as the role is to simply keep the government running smoothly.