Three months before whale hunting regulations were amended last year, the owner of Iceland’s only whaling company sent an email to the Minister of Fisheries requesting similar changes. Vísir reports that Kristján Loftsson, owner of Hvalur hf., wrote to Minister of Fisheries Kristján Þór Júlíusson on May 15, 2018, requesting changes in the regulations on processing of whale products. Three months later, the Minister amended said regulations.
“Hello Kristján Þór, I’m sorry to have to pester you about the following,” Hvalur owner Kristján writes to the Fisheries Minister in the opening of his email. He goes on to argue that the regulations for processing of whale products should be amended, attaching a copy of the legislation with his suggested changes in red. The amendments enacted by the Minister three months later are very similar to Kristján’s proposals.
A regulation requiring whale butchering to take place indoors came into effect in 2009, but according to Vísir, Hvalur hf never abided by the rule. The Minister removed the obligation in his amendments last year. Last week, the Minister of Fisheries granted Hvalur hf. a five-year license for whaling.
