Notable development · Iceland
Iceland’s 2026 fin-whaling season ends as reform is planned
Current status
Commercial whaling remains lawful in Iceland. The current Whaling Act provides for licensing, and in June the Minister of Industries told Alþingi that a regulation was in force and that Hvalur hf. was not prevented from whaling if it chose to do so. Read the parliamentary record.
Hvalur hf. is Iceland’s active commercial fin-whaling operator. Its 2026 season has ended: RÚV reported that 93 fin whales were caught over 34 days, with weather among the factors that disrupted operations. That is the reported final season figure recorded here. Read RÚV’s report.
A reform is planned, not enacted
The government is planning a bill to amend Iceland’s whaling legislation in February 2027. The Minister of Industries has publicly expressed her view that the law needs fundamental review and that she intends to prohibit whaling; the bill has not been introduced or enacted. The present law remains available in Alþingi’s official legal database. Read the current Whaling Act.
The distinction matters. A planned reform is not bill text, passage, an effective date, or a settled answer about existing commercial rights.
Positions and unresolved questions
Kristján Loftsson, chief executive of Hvalur hf., has said that he would take the Icelandic state to court if a prohibition is introduced. This is Hvalur’s stated position, not a finding that compensation is required or that a claim would succeed. Read RÚV’s report of his position.
The treatment of any existing licences or commercial interests, the final legislative text, an implementation date, parliamentary support, and the outcome of any future litigation remain unresolved. Whaling Watch will review the primary Icelandic bill text when it is published.