The Iceland Nature Conservation Association has filed a formal complaint with the Parliamentary Ombudsman regarding former Minister of Agriculture Bjarni Benediktsson’s decision to issue fin and minke hunting whale permits. Meanwhile, one of the world’s most notorious anti-whaling activists has already pledged to come to Iceland when the hunting season begins.
Legality
The core of the complaint, RÚV reports, is whether or not Bjarni had a legal mandate to issue these permits. They contend that no such legal justification has as yet been demonstrated.
Meanwhile, a ministerial workgroup, which was assembled in February 2024, is due to release findings on the legality (or lack thereof) of whale hunting at the end of this month. These findings will need to tackle such issues as the right to maintain a profession, animal welfare laws, and ministerial power.
Watson returns
Relatedly, anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has vowed to return to Iceland for the whaling season, Vísir reports. Watson and Iceland have a long and storied history together, most significantly in 1986 when his group Sea Shepherd sabotaged two whaling ships and a processing factory.
In 2022, Watson formed a new group, the Paul Watson Foundation which, like Sea Shepherd, is a 510(c)(3) tax exempt charity. Protestors from this group were also involved in the 2023 anti-whaling protests.
