Hvalur hf will not be sending vessels to hunt fin whales

Incredible news from Iceland today: Hvalur hf will not be sending vessels to hunt fin whales this summer, according to RÚV reports.

Although CEO Kristján Loftsson hasn’t officially confirmed the decision, employees were reportedly informed this week that the 2025 season is off.

Why? While the exact reasons are unconfirmed, it's believed to be linked to declining demand for fin whale meat. Last year, Japan’s main importer had to take out a $20 million loan after anticipated government subsidies didn’t materialise—while Japanese whalers resumed hunting fin whales domestically.

This decision marks a huge victory for whale conservation, especially after the outgoing Icelandic PM controversially issued a five-year whaling permit just this past winter.

⚠ However, the fight isn’t over. Icelandic minke whales are still at risk, and the new government must take action.

“We believed this year’s hunt wouldn’t go ahead—and we’re thrilled that’s now a reality, saving up to 209 fin whales. But the government can’t keep stalling. It’s time for Icelandic politicians to listen to the public and end whaling for good.”

— Rob Read, COO, Neptune’s Pirates UK

After years of campaigning against this cruel practice, our collective efforts have paid off for this year.

This is a team victory — and you were part of it.

Paul Watson’s History in Iceland – Summary

1985: Captain Watson takes his ship the Sea Shepherd II to the Faroe Islands with a stop in Iceland to warn the Icelandic whalers that when the IWC Global Moratorium begins, Iceland must end whaling or I would return to sink their ships.

1986: Iceland ignores the Global Moratorium on Whaling and kills Fin and Minke whales under a 'scientific' quota of 60 whales per annum.

November 1986: In the name of paul watson, two of Kristjan Loftsson four whaling ships got sunk - the Hvalur 6 and Hvalur 7 and damage vital equipment at the whaling station at Midsandur on Hvalfjordur. This action is credited with saving potentially over 10,000 fin whales by reducing Hvalur's fleet capacity.

1988: Captain Watson travels to Iceland to demand to be arrested for the sinking of the two whaling ships. Iceland does not press charges and Captain Watson is told to leave the country. The Icelandic Foreign Minister says: “Who does he think he is, coming to Ice;and and demanding to be arrested. Get him out of here.” Captain Watson wanted a trial to bring attention to Iceland’s violation of the Global Moratorium.

1989: The Icelanders managed to kill 196 whales of the quote of 500 Fin and Minke whales during the period between 1985 thru 1989.

2002: Iceland rejoined the IWC with a reservation against the moratorium and resumed scientific whaling in 2003. Between 2003 and 2007, Icelandic whalers killed 200 minke whales and seven fin whales.

2007: Iceland announces a new quota. Captain Watson organizes a campaign to intervene. Seven Fin whales are killed

2008: Zero Kills

2009: Resumption of whaling 134 Fin whales Killed

2010: 148 Fin whales killed. Captain Watson prepares to return to Iceland

1990: 2012 – No Whales killed

2013: Whaling Resumes. 134 Fin whales killed

2014: 137 Fin whales killed while revenues from whale product sales were approximately 1 billion ISK but operational costs exceeded 2 billion ISK proving that whaling is a loss making business.

2015: 155 Fin Whales killed

2016: 46 Whales killed (in total from 2006–2016: Hvalur killed 706 endangered fin whales)

2017: 2021 No Whaling by Iceland.

2018: Peter Hammarstedt states that Iceland's whaling "is not a conservation issue" in an email to Rob Read, leader of the UK charity - so Paul and Rob launch 'Operation Mjolnir' and our UK crew began to document every whale killed and landed at Loftsson’s shore station at Hvalfjordur including many pregnant whales and the illegal killing of 2 Blue/Fin hybrid whales causing global outrage in the media.

2019: Captain Watson sends the vessel Brigitte Bardot to Iceland to oppose Icelandic whaling operations, Iceland cancels whaling for 2019. Sea Shepherd Global director Peter Hammarstedt calls the campaign provocative and controversial and calls for a rebranding of Sea Shepherd to become more mainstream stating that Captain Watson’s activities in Iceland was causing concern with African nations that Sea Shepherd Global was working with.

2022: Whaling resumes – 148 whales killed. Operation Northern Exposure. Our UK crew chartered the vessel Glomar Arctic to document the whaling operations at sea while land crew continued to document every whale dragged back to the whaling station reporting on multiple harpoon strikes, pollution incidents and health violations by Loftsson's company.

2023: Captain Watson launched Operation Paiakan and returned to Iceland. On the day of his arrival a moratorium is ordered by the Icelandic Fisheries Minister until the end of August 2023. Denmark has the registry on the John Paul DeJoria struck preventing Captain Watson’s return. 24 Fin whales are killed - again documented by the UK's land crew.

In 2023, Captain Watson discovered that the reason that Peter Hammarstedt wanted to not provoke the Icelanders. Hammarstedt was worried that the Namibian Fisheries Minister was upset with Captain Watson’s intervention because he was involved in the Icelandic Fisheries company Samherji and the Namibian state owned company Fishcor. Sea Shepherd Global was provided with free berthage by the Namibian government.

2024: Captain Watson makes plans to return to Iceland with Operation Ice Storm. Whaling is cancelled for 2024 – no whales killed. Loftsson uses his influence to secure a five-year whaling permit and announces plans to kill 160+ whales in 2025.

2025: Captain Watson makes preparation to return with the John Paul DeJoria to Iceland to intervene against illegal Icelandic whaling operations.

Thank you

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