Calay News
According to animal rights activists, the resumption of this ancient practice is unacceptable. In a press release, the NGO Humane Society International denounces that the Minister of Agriculture is ignoring the clear scientific conclusions that she herself requested.
At the end of June, reports from the Icelandic veterinary authorities revealed that the deaths of the whales were too slow. The harpoons used in hunting do not kill the whales immediately, which means that the death throes of the animal can last up to five hours in some cases. Also, whaling takes place at sea, which makes it a rather opaque industry, and no one really knows how the killing of these animals is done.
The Icelandic government has justified its decision to resume whaling by arguing that it is based on the need to change the methods used so that there are fewer irregularities. However, animal welfare advocates are again pointing out that no change can meet the protection needs of whales and that this is a missed opportunity to end the killing of these animals at sea.
Currently, there is only one active whaling company left in Iceland due to declining demand for whale meat. The last Icelandic whaler had already announced that this would be its last whaling season due to a lack of profitability before this new government decision.
