“This is great news for Iceland, whales, and animal welfare,” says Sigursteinn Másson, spokesperson for International Fund for Animal Welfare, about Hvalur’s decision to not hunt endangered fin whales this summer or in the foreseeable future.
As reported, Hvalur hf, Iceland’s only whaling company has faced great difficulty selling fin whale meat in recent years and the company has been operated at a loss in past years.
Read more: No fin whales will be caught this summer due to difficulties selling whale products in Japan
Kristján Loftsson, the CEO of Hvalur hf, claims that the company will cease operations completely if Japanese authorities do not slacken regulations and adapt a more modern method of operation. Japan is the only remaining market for fin whale.
“It was likely a difficult decision for Kristján Loftsson to make. But I’m sure the decision will benefit the Icelandic seafood industry as a whole and Iceland itself,” Sigursteinn told Vísir.
Local whale watching companies are likely to rejoice, as they have long maintained that whale-hunting and whale watching simply cannot coexist in Iceland.
“This is great news for Iceland, whales, and animal welfare,” says Sigursteinn Másson, spokesperson for International Fund for Animal Welfare, about Hvalur’s decision to not hunt endangered fin whales this summer or in the foreseeable future.
As reported, Hvalur hf, Iceland’s only whaling company has faced great difficulty selling fin whale meat in recent years and the company has been operated at a loss in past years.
Read more: No fin whales will be caught this summer due to difficulties selling whale products in Japan
Kristján Loftsson, the CEO of Hvalur hf, claims that the company will cease operations completely if Japanese authorities do not slacken regulations and adapt a more modern method of operation. Japan is the only remaining market for fin whale.
“It was likely a difficult decision for Kristján Loftsson to make. But I’m sure the decision will benefit the Icelandic seafood industry as a whole and Iceland itself,” Sigursteinn told Vísir.
Local whale watching companies are likely to rejoice, as they have long maintained that whale-hunting and whale watching simply cannot coexist in Iceland.
