An animal welfare expert has called on Icelandic authorities to impose administrative fines on whaling company Hvalur hf., arguing that recent findings on the prolonged death of a fin whale demonstrate that the hunt cannot comply with Iceland’s animal welfare legislation. Katrín, a member of Iceland’s Animal Welfare Council, criticised the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) for concluding that a whale’s death, which reportedly took around 30 minutes after being shot, did not warrant further action against the company. Original source: Vísir An Animal Welfare Council member says recent whaling findings breach animal welfare law.
She has urged MAST to act against Hvalur hf. The comments follow scrutiny of a whale that reportedly took around 30 minutes to die. Calls for Stronger Enforcement Katrín argued that accepting a prolonged death because those involved were “doing their best” reflected a failure to uphold the standards set out in Iceland’s animal welfare legislation.
She said the Animal Welfare Council, which advises MAST on the interpretation and development of animal welfare policy, has consistently maintained that commercial whaling cannot be reconciled with the law. According to Katrín, the latest case illustrates the council’s concerns, with the whale reportedly enduring a prolonged death despite being shot in the prescribed target area. She also called for faster publication of inspection reports, saying campaigners have so far received documentation for only six of the approximately 20 whales caught this season.
She added that animal welfare groups are aware of several cases in which whales required more than two shots before dying, but that official information has been slow to emerge. Katrín argued that regulators must place greater weight on the welfare of the animal rather than solely assessing whether the crew followed procedures. She said the case showed that even repeated shots to the designated target area may not result in an immediate death because of the size of the animals.
She urged MAST to use its existing powers, including administrative fines, against Hvalur hf., arguing that if whales cannot be killed immediately, as required under Icelandic law and regulations, enforcement action should follow.
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