The expansion of the whale sanctuary in Faxaflói bay in West Iceland has led to a dramatic drop in the number of minke whales killed by whalers. IP Útgerð, one of two companies engaged in minke whale hunting, has canceled its whaling operations in the bay after catching only six animals.
The manager of the company told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that the six animals are nowhere nearly enough to meet domestic demand for whale meat. The company will therefore likely import whale meat from Norway to satisfy the domestic demand. Most minke whale meat sold in Iceland is consumed at restaurants, where it is almost exclusively ordered by foreign travelers.
Read more: Whale sanctuary in Faxaflói bay to be expanded, new sanctuary established in N Iceland
The reason for the poor whaling season is the expansion of the Faxaflói whale sanctuary. The sanctuary was expanded last year to cover the area where most minke whales have been killed in recent years. Whale watching companies have been calling for the expansion of the sanctuary for years, arguing that it is impossible to permit whaling to take place in the same areas where whale watching takes place.
Read more: Support for whaling continues to drop: Only 34% of Icelanders now in support
Each year the Icelandic Marine and Freshwater Research Institute issues guidelines for the total allowable catch of any marine resource to ensure that all resources are used in a sustainable way. These guidelines are then given the force of law by the Ministry of the Fisheries. The total allowable catch for this year is 217 minke whales. Only six animals have been caught so far.
The expansion of the whale sanctuary in Faxaflói bay in West Iceland has led to a dramatic drop in the number of minke whales killed by whalers. IP Útgerð, one of two companies engaged in minke whale hunting, has canceled its whaling operations in the bay after catching only six animals.
The manager of the company told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that the six animals are nowhere nearly enough to meet domestic demand for whale meat. The company will therefore likely import whale meat from Norway to satisfy the domestic demand. Most minke whale meat sold in Iceland is consumed at restaurants, where it is almost exclusively ordered by foreign travelers.
Read more: Whale sanctuary in Faxaflói bay to be expanded, new sanctuary established in N Iceland
The reason for the poor whaling season is the expansion of the Faxaflói whale sanctuary. The sanctuary was expanded last year to cover the area where most minke whales have been killed in recent years. Whale watching companies have been calling for the expansion of the sanctuary for years, arguing that it is impossible to permit whaling to take place in the same areas where whale watching takes place.
Read more: Support for whaling continues to drop: Only 34% of Icelanders now in support
Each year the Icelandic Marine and Freshwater Research Institute issues guidelines for the total allowable catch of any marine resource to ensure that all resources are used in a sustainable way. These guidelines are then given the force of law by the Ministry of the Fisheries. The total allowable catch for this year is 217 minke whales. Only six animals have been caught so far.
