According to Icelandic law whalers are allowed to kill 262 minke whales this year, as well as 238 fin whales. With the whaling season still underway the number of animals killed so far is 86 fin whales, and just 6 minke whales. It is very unlikely the full quota of minke whales will be caught.
The National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports that the primary reason, according to whalers, is the expansion of the Faxaflói whale sanctuary. Reykjavík stands by Faxaflói bay.
Read more: Whale sanctuary in Faxaflói bay to be expanded, new sanctuary established in N Iceland
Gunnar Bergmann, the CEO of one of the companies engaged in the hunting of minke whales told the Fishing industry newspaper Fiskifréttir that the company would not continue the hunt this year. IP Útgerð had put its whaling on hold at the beginning of July, he told Fiskifréttir. The reason was that the hunt had simply become too expensive: The entire bay was closed, it's as simple as that he told Fiskifréttir. The expansion of the sanctuary means it is far more expensive to hunt for whales than previously.
Only two vessels have been cleared for minke whale hunting in Iceland, Hrafnreyður, operated by IP útgerð, and a second boat, Krókurinn. Krókurinn has not left harbor this summer, and it is very unlikely the boat will head out to hunt for whales before the season ends, Fiskifréttir reports. As a result, it looks like only 6 of the 262 minke whales which could be killed will be killed this year, leaving 256 more minke whales in the sea than otherwise.
According to Icelandic law whalers are allowed to kill 262 minke whales this year, as well as 238 fin whales. With the whaling season still underway the number of animals killed so far is 86 fin whales, and just 6 minke whales. It is very unlikely the full quota of minke whales will be caught.
The National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports that the primary reason, according to whalers, is the expansion of the Faxaflói whale sanctuary. Reykjavík stands by Faxaflói bay.
Read more: Whale sanctuary in Faxaflói bay to be expanded, new sanctuary established in N Iceland
Gunnar Bergmann, the CEO of one of the companies engaged in the hunting of minke whales told the Fishing industry newspaper Fiskifréttir that the company would not continue the hunt this year. IP Útgerð had put its whaling on hold at the beginning of July, he told Fiskifréttir. The reason was that the hunt had simply become too expensive: The entire bay was closed, it's as simple as that he told Fiskifréttir. The expansion of the sanctuary means it is far more expensive to hunt for whales than previously.
Only two vessels have been cleared for minke whale hunting in Iceland, Hrafnreyður, operated by IP útgerð, and a second boat, Krókurinn. Krókurinn has not left harbor this summer, and it is very unlikely the boat will head out to hunt for whales before the season ends, Fiskifréttir reports. As a result, it looks like only 6 of the 262 minke whales which could be killed will be killed this year, leaving 256 more minke whales in the sea than otherwise.
