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We're at COP28 to Save the Whale, Save the World.

We’re at COP28 to save the whale, save the world

Ed Goodall Ed is WDC's head of intergovernmental engagement. He meets with world leaders to...
Gray whales from drone.

We’re taking steps to uncover the mysteries of whales

Vicki James Vicki is WDC's protected areas coordinator, she helps to create safe ocean spaces...
We must protect our non-human allies. Image: Tom Brakefield, aurore murguet, johan63

We’re urging governments to protect all of our climate heroes – CITES

Katie Hunter Katie supports WDC's engagement in intergovernmental conversations and is working to end captivity...
The Natütama Foundation are dedicated to protecting endangered river dolphins. Image: Natutama

Guardians of the Amazon: protecting the endangered river dolphins

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Amazon river dolphins. Image: Fernando Trujillo/Fundacion Omacha

Amazon tragedy as endangered river dolphins die in hot water

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin © Mike Bossley/WDC

WDC in Japan – Part 3: Restoring freedom to dolphins in South Korea

Katrin Matthes Katrin is WDC's communications and campaigns officer for policy & communication in Germany...
Wintery scene in Iceland

Seeking sanctuary – Iceland’s complex relationship with whales

Hayley Flanagan Hayley is WDC's engagement officer, specialising in creating brilliant content for our website...
Whaling ship Hvalur 8 arrives at the whaling station with two fin whales

A summer of hope and heartbreak for whales in Icelandic waters

Luke McMillan Luke is WDC's Head of hunting and captivity. Now that the 2023 whaling season...

Iceland – 2014 minke whale hunt falls short of quota

The 2014 Icelandic minke whale hunt has killed less than 10% of their self-allocated quota. RUV, Iceland state broadcaster, reports that Iceland’s Whale hunters have failed to reach even a small percentage of their qouta, making it very likely that there will be a shortage of whale meat in Iceland this winter.

Although the Icelandic government has allocated a political total quota for its small number of remaining whalers to take 229 minke whales, only 24 were actually caught this year – less than the 36 taken in 2013. The hunt officially ends on October 30th, but the whalers don’t believe that they will catch many more whales if any at all.

Reykjavík Grapevine reports that Gunnar Bergmann Jónsson, managing director of the whaling company IP Útgerð, only sells minke whale meat domestically, but predicts that the relatively small hunt will lead to a shortage of the meat this winter. 

Iceland was highly condemned at this year’s whaling commission meeting, and has been certified the U.S.A for its continued whaling outside intenational control.

Whilst only 3% of Icelanders eat whale regularly, minke whale meat has been heavily promoted amongst tourists in recent years and the low catch is likely to precipitate a shortage in Iceland’s shops and restaurants.

Please help: WDC is running a campaign to end this trade once and for all.

 Minke whale in the Shiant East Bank proposed MPA