Tag: whaling

An estimated 2.9 million whales were killed in commercial whaling operations during the 20th century, decimating global populations. Given significant illegal and unreported whaling, even higher levels of depletion are likely.

In September 2024, the 69th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC69) will be held in Lima, Peru. Decisions taken at this meeting will have far-reaching consequences for the conservation of cetacean species, one quarter of which are already threatened with extinction.

Iceland’s last whaler has sought to justify the killing of endangered fin whales by claiming their slaughter will help Iceland achieve its climate goals. In this briefing, EIA’s Ocean experts debunk his spurious assertions and call on the Government of Iceland to finally institute a permanent ban on all commercial whaling.

Japan, Norway and Iceland continue commercial whaling, which flies in the face of international environmental agreements while serving no economic or nutritional purpose. It is time for commercial whaling to end and for the IWC to reaffirm the continuation of the moratorium and promote the conservation of all whales

Our second report examines the background and history of the slaughter of pilot whales. It also assesses claims made by Faroese authorities in support of the kills. It concludes that much-heralded changes in domestic whale hunting regulations amount to nothing more than a public relations exercise