Iceland’s commercial whale hunt is one of the most controversial exploitations of marine wildlife today. In recent years, the voices of those who are calling for an end to the unethical and economically questionable killing of these majestic animals have grown louder both in Iceland and internationally.

Efforts to rally even more support for the call to end the commercial killing of whales in Iceland have been hampered by the lack of transparency  around the most gruesome part of the whole hunt: the killing operations that take place far off the Icelandic coast. 

In spite of the whalers' best efforts to shield their operations from public scrutiny, during the 2022 whaling season marine animal welfare organizations were able to document several irregularities that cast serious doubt on the claim that the massive animals are killed in a “humane” manner.

The Icelandic Government has responded to these incidents and the international publicity they have received with a pledge for more oversight and transparency. 

Although the actions of the Icelandic Government are a welcome first step, we believe that they don't go far enough.

In particular, we believe that until the Icelandic Government allows unrestricted access to the footage of the killing operations, the pledge for transparency rings hollow. The public has an interest in real transparency, especially when it comes to controversial issues like the widely criticized Icelandic whale hunt. We, therefore, demand that the Icelandic Government release all existing footage and consider allowing independent monitoring of Iceland's commercial whaling operations.

We kindly ask you to participate in this petition letter to Iceland’s current Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries by adding your name to the list of signatories who demand full transparency about the treatment of whales. 

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Dear Minister Svavarsdóttir, 

I am writing to express my deep concern about the current lack of transparency about the treatment of the whales that are being hunted and killed by Icelandic commercial whalers.

Last summer, I became aware of some very disturbing incidents that took place during Iceland’s 2022 commercial whaling season. I was shocked and dismayed when I saw photos that had been taken at the whaling station close to Reykjavík and that were widely shared on social media. The images showed pregnant fin whales that had been hunted and killed by commercial whalers lying next to their discarded unborn offspring.

I understand that these images were captured by conservation organizations that monitored and documented the Icelandic whaling operations over the course of several weeks. The same organizations also collected evidence of whaling equipment that had repeatedly malfunctioned, thereby causing enormous suffering to the whales that had been killed with explosive-tipped harpoons. 

Furthermore, I was alarmed by the fact that if it had not been for the courageous actions of responsible members of the public, none of these incidents would have come to light.

As a consequence of the publication of these and other images that document repeated cases of wildlife abuse, your ministry has revised its regulations on whaling. I want you to know that I truly appreciate that you took this matter seriously.

Although the introduction of new regulations was an important first step, I believe that the regulations themselves are insufficient to guarantee the accountability they are meant to ensure.

The regulations that you have introduced require mandatory video surveillance of all whale hunts. However, it is my understanding that the footage of the hunts will be evaluated by government-appointed veterinarians and that there is no requirement to make the footage accessible to the wider public.

By participating in this petition, I am joining the call for full transparency around the commercial killing of whales in Iceland.

Animal welfare is of great public interest. A critical examination of practices that potentially violate existing animal welfare laws should not be restricted to the eyes of a small group of people.

Ordinary citizens like myself have a legitimate interest to learn about the treatment and welfare of wild and domestic animals in our societies. Despite your recent initiative, the plight of fin whales in Iceland remains inaccessible to the general public. If the Icelandic government is serious in its commitment to greater transparency, then it mustn’t restrict access to the footage to a very small number of hand-picked individuals. 

Minister Svavarsdóttir, I kindly ask you to make all footage of the whale hunts in Icelandic waters openly accessible to the public, and to give serious consideration to the idea of allowing independent observers to monitor future whale hunts.

Yours sincerely,