Iceland grants five-year whaling permits allowing catch of 426 whales annually

Iceland has issued new five-year whaling permits, allowing the annual catch of 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales. This decision comes despite previous welfare concerns and criticism from animal rights and environmental groups. The whaling season will run from June to September. The permits were granted by Iceland's outgoing conservative government, which faced backlash for prioritizing industry predictability over animal welfare. The previous permits expired in 2023, leading to a shortened whaling season. A government inquiry had previously suspended whaling for two months due to animal welfare law violations.