Icelandic whalers have brought ashore the first two fin whales killed since the country resumed commercial whaling, marking a controversial return to a practice that had been on hold for years. The landing of the whales went ahead despite international protests against Iceland's decision to hunt the animals again.
Iceland resumed commercial whaling on Friday, ending a pause that had lasted more than two years. The restart put the North Atlantic nation back among the small group of countries that still hunt whales commercially, reviving a debate that has long surrounded the industry. Iceland's marine research institute has set a quota for the year of 150 fin whales and 168 minke whales.
The resumption did not pass without resistance at home. Before the ships set out, an activist chained himself to the mast of one of the vessels in Reykjavik in an act of protest. Police intervened and removed the activist, allowing the departure to proceed.
Iceland is now one of only three countries that still officially permit commercial whaling, alongside Norway and Japan. That status has drawn sustained criticism from the public and from animal-welfare and conservation organisations, who oppose the continued hunting of whales.
The country had suspended its whaling in 2023, a decision driven largely by economic problems and by falling demand and profitability. With markets for whale products shrinking, the commercial case for the hunt had weakened, and the pause had raised questions about whether Iceland would return to it at all.
Sentiment within Iceland itself has also been shifting, with locals increasingly viewing whaling critically. The decision to resume the hunt, and the arrival of the first fin whales back on shore, has reignited the argument over an industry that faces mounting opposition both at home and abroad.