Iceland to submit bill that could ban whaling in its waters

A long-standing whaling controversy in one of the few remaining nations allowing commercial whaling may soon reach a turning point, as the government prepares to introduce legislation in early 2027 that could end the practice entirely. The proposal comes after a government-backed study in 2023 revealed that harpooned whales suffered prolonged distress, lasting up to two hours before death, prompting a temporary halt to the hunt. If passed, the ban would isolate just two countries as the last holdouts in the contentious practice. The move reflects growing international scrutiny over the country’s whaling industry and its ethical implications.

The country is one of just three that still permits commercial whaling, while its government has faced mounting pressure to ban the practiceIceland will submit a bill in February 2027 which could permanently ban whaling in its waters, a move that would leave Norway and Japan as the only two countries to permit commercial whaling.Whaling in Iceland has been put under intense scrutiny since a government-commissioned report was published in 2023 that found harpooned whales took two hours to die. The report led to a temporary suspension of the hunt that year. Continue reading...