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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...

Icelandic minke whaler who blamed vet strike for delaying his hunt is forced to retract

Yet more smoke and mirrors from Iceland’s whalers – this time, the turn of minke whaler, Gunnar Bergmann Jonsson, who has recently been spending a great deal of time whining and complaining on the radio and elsewhere in the news, that he can’t start his whaling until the current strike by veterinarians ends. In fact, he landed his first minke whale on 11th May and landed at least one more whale on 1st June.  As I write, his boat is off Grindavik to the southwest.

When confronted with the truth, Gunnar was forced to issue a retraction and admit that not only had his company already started killing whales, but the meat from at least one of the whales has already been disposed of under hygiene regulations, due to the vet strike. Whilst the meat from the second whale has been reportedly stored on ice, it is quite likely that it too, will be dumped as there seems no prospect of an early end to the strike.

The first Sunday of June is Fishermen’s Day in Iceland and this coincides with the annual two-day Festival of the Sea in Reykjavik this weekend. in recent years, the minke whalers have attended this festival to serve up barbecued minke whale meat to visitors – it remains to be seen whether Gunnar Bergmann will want to show his face there this year.