The Icelandic government is preparing to propose a bill banning commercial whaling to the parliament in February next year. If passed, only Japan and Norway will remain as the two countries still engaged in whaling.
On 15 September 2026, foreign news agencies reported that the Icelandic government announced plans to submit a bill to parliament in February 2027 to ban commercial whaling. This follows a report from the whale management task force recommending an end to the country's commercial whaling. If the bill is approved, Iceland will cease commercial whaling, leaving only Japan and Norway as the remaining countries conducting commercial whaling.
The news report stated that the Icelandic government's announcement comes after the country's sole whaling company did not hunt whales in 2024 and 2025, partly due to declining demand for whale meat. Meanwhile, a nonprofit animal welfare organization noted that since early 2026, 80 whales have been hunted in Iceland. The organization also highlighted that the bill has strong support from both political and public sectors, expressing hope that parliament will pass it on ethical and animal welfare grounds.
Iceland was once among the countries supporting commercial whaling despite opposition from animal conservation groups and the international community. Japan and Norway, however, continue to carry out commercial whaling.
Source: AFP