Iceland Prepares to Permanently Ban Commercial Whaling
If the bill submitted by the Icelandic government in February passes, only two countries in the world will continue commercial whaling.
The Icelandic government is preparing to submit a bill to parliament in February that will permanently ban commercial whaling. If enacted, this decision will leave Norway and Japan as the only countries globally to continue the practice.
Bill to Be Submitted to Parliament in February
According to an announcement made by the Icelandic government on its official website, a bill foreseeing the complete ban of commercial whaling will be submitted to parliament in February.
Whaling Season and Number of Whales Hunted
In this year's whaling season, which lasted from June until the end of September, 80 fin whales were hunted as of September 9, according to data tracked by the Humane World for Animals organization.
The current quota allows for 150 fin whales to be killed this year, and fin whales constitute the primary target of the hunt.
International Status and Global Situation
According to data from the International Whaling Commission, in recent years commercial whaling has been carried out exclusively by Iceland, Norway, and Japan.
While the international moratorium entered into force in 1986, Norway resumed commercial whaling in 1993 and Iceland in 2006.