The Icelandic government to the consternation of conservationists and the public, allowed the resumption of whaling. It is only one of three countries that engage in commercial whaling. The practice was suspended in June after an official government report found that whales die a painful, prolonged and inhuman death at the hands of whalers. Hunted whales are killed with explosive tipped harpoons fired from a cannon. The primary target of hunters is the fin whale, considered vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN.
The minister of food and agriculture said that stricter regulation will be applied to the hunt, but whale advocates said such regulation is "pointless" because killing sentient whales is inhumane. Conservationists called the lifting of the temporary ban, a "massive step backward". The current licensing is valid to the end of 2023.According to the minister no decision on licensing renewal in 2024 has been made. Havalur is the only remaining whaling company in Iceland. Some see the resumption as a step forward, thinking that Havalur will be unable to meet the new requirements leading to termination of the hunt at the end of the year. Minister Savarsdottir said last year the Government planned to end whaling in 2024 due to dwindling demand for the product; she is a member of the Green Party in power. Currently Iceland exports whale meat to Japan. Japan has its own active whaling industry.
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Whaling in traditional in Iceland, but there is minority public support for continuing the dying industry at the expense of whales in Icelandic waters. Under the new rules, hunting must take place in daylight and within 80 feet of a targeted whale. No mothers with a calf can be hunted. No electricity can be used, rising the specter of electrocution as a method used to finish a dying whale on board. Kristjan Loftsson owner of Hvalar [photo] may continue his operations to the end of September when it become too cold and dark to hunt.