Can we, in 2025, agree on something as basic as killing our allies against climate change in a brutal way for a business that is dying is nonsense?
There are so many subjects that might divide us, but surely not whale protection, right? In just weeks, Iceland’s lone whaler, Kristjan Loftsson, will sharpen his harpoons and begin another season of bloody slaughter.
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Despite global and local opposition, Iceland’s interim government has issued a five-year whaling licence allowing Loftsson’s company, Hvalur hf, to kill up to 209 fin whales every year—a shocking 1,045 whales by 2030.
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Before the whaling season begins, we must tell the Icelandic government that this has to stop.
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Fin whales are crucial for ocean health. As natural carbon sinks, they help fight climate change by capturing and storing carbon. They also enrich marine ecosystems, supporting fish stocks and biodiversity. But they are already classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List—and this slaughter pushes them closer to extinction.
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It gets worse: a 2023 study found that harpooned fin whales suffered, on average, an excruciating 11.5 minutes before dying.?This cruelty must end.?A growing number of Icelanders do not support whaling, and neither should their government. We must send a clear message before the harpoons strike again.
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Will you add your name to the IFAW petition before the whaling season in Iceland starts?