An Icelandic minister has given campaigners hope that the country could end whaling by 2024.
Svandís Svavarsdóttir, the Icelandic fisheries minister, has indicated that the government sees little economic benefit from the practice. In a piece for the Icelandic “Morgunbladid” newspaper, the minister stated:
“Why should Iceland take the risk of keeping up whaling, which has not brought any economic gain, in order to sell a product for which there is hardly any demand?”
She then followed up with a simple tweet:
“Whaling needs to be reviewed.”
Activists and conservationists across the board welcomed the move. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation charity’s Vanessa Williams-Grey stated:
“This is obviously hugely welcome news that the fisheries minister sees no future for whaling — and not before time. Icelandic whalers have killed hundreds of whales in recent years, despite almost zero domestic demand, and declining interest from tourists and the Japanese market.”
