A total of 110 whales, 46 minke whales and 64 fin whales, have been caught during the current whaling season in Iceland, according to information from the Directorate of Fisheries. The sale of minke meat has proven successful.
Whaling in Iceland. Copyright: Icelandic Photo Agency.
“Until now, we haven’t frozen a single piece of meat. It has all gone fresh to the domestic market—it is probably been the most popular BBQ meat this summer,” Gunnar Bergmann Jónsson, managing director of the Association of Minke Whalers, told Fréttabladid.
According to recommendations from the Icelandic Marine Research Institute, quota was issued for 200 minke whales and 150 fin whales. A quarter of the minke whale quota has already been caught and close to 50 percent of the fin whale quota.
Jónsson said he does not necessarily expect that they will finish the quota, which is not a goal in itself. The quota was increased from 100 to 200 animals in June and whalers had only been prepared to catch 100 minke whales.
Minke whalers are now considering exporting some of their catch. “We will see whether it will go to Japan, Norway or the Faroe Islands,” Jónsson told visir.is.
Fin whale hunters plan to export all of their catch to Japan. Managing director of whaling company Hvalur hf., Kristján Loftsson, says there is definitely market for it while Greenpeace claims there is none.
Click here to read more about whaling in Iceland.
