The economic weapon is always the most effective, and that has proved true in the case of Iceland's reluctance to give up its whaling legacy. Iceland's annual fin whale hunt will be postponed indefinitely due to lack of a market for whale meat. A reported 2,000 tons is on ice in warehouses. According to reports, the CEO of the Hvalur whaling company told staff members of the suspension this month. Hvalur killed 273 endangered fin whales in the past two years, to produce a product that was admittedly a 'lost leader' in an effort to build a market for the meat in Japan. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society began a consumer campaign to boycott companies selling whale products in 2010. Although it appears to have been effective, the disruption of processing companies in Japan also contributed to the decision to suspend the fin whale hunt. Anti-whaling activists note that Iceland declared the end of commercial whaling once before in 2007 only to come back with a larger hunt in 2009, so consumer vigilance must be maintained. Efforts to get governments to ban whale products also must continue. Germany and Netherlands have passed parliamentary resolutions stating Iceland should not be admitted to the European Union until commercial whaling stops. Killing of smaller Minke whales continues, despite the lack of a market in Iceland. Sixty minke whales were killed last year. The International Fund for Animal Welfare opposes all whaling on humanitarian grounds.
