The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) says it has received more than 700 enquiries from around the world in recent weeks concerning Iceland’s ongoing whaling season.
The authority issued a statement on Monday after the volume of correspondence increased, with many of the messages relating to reported animal welfare incidents during this year’s hunts.
What’s the Story?
Original source: RÚV
- ESA has received more than 700 enquiries about Icelandic whaling.
- The authority says it has no legal mandate over whale welfare under EEA law.
- Similar complaints were dismissed by ESA in a 2024 decision.
No legal basis for action
“We have received more than 700 enquiries regarding whaling in Iceland over the past few weeks,” Jarle Hetland, ESA’s Head of Communications, told RÚV. He said the messages had come from across the world and that each one was being assessed individually, even where many contained similar wording.
ESA said its role is to monitor compliance with the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement and legislation incorporated into it. However, the authority reiterated that there is no EEA legislation governing the welfare of wild marine mammals during hunting.
“As stated in ESA’s 2024 decision, there is no EEA animal welfare legislation applicable to the killing of wild marine mammals such as whales,” the authority said. “In the absence of relevant EEA rules, ESA cannot take action on the issues raised in the recent enquiries.”
ESA also referred to an April 2024 decision dismissing an earlier complaint that alleged Icelandic whaling breached EEA rules on animal welfare, food handling, environmental objectives, water quality and waste management. The authority concluded at the time that none of the complaints fell within its remit under EEA law.
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