The Captain Paul Watson Foundation strongly condemns the planned resumption of minke whale hunting by Tjaldtangi ehf. this summer. Gunnar Torfason’s intent to kill up to 217 minke whales off Iceland’s coast is not only a brutal assault on marine life — it is a blatant violation of the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) global moratorium on commercial whaling.

Any hunting of whales by Iceland — whether fin whales or minke whales — stands in defiance of international agreements designed to protect these highly intelligent, ecologically vital beings. Iceland’s whaling industry places short-term profits over the future of our oceans and the will of the international community.

Minke whales, like all whales, are essential to ocean health. They help sustain marine ecosystems and fight climate change. Killing them for meat that the vast majority of the world rejects is not “tradition” — it is ecological vandalism.

“There is no humane way to kill a whale. Claims of “high welfare standards” during harpoon hunts are a lie — a harpoon blast cannot deliver swift or painless death. The reality is slow suffering, trauma, and devastation, not just to the whales but to Iceland’s global reputation.” – states Locky MacLean Captain of the John Paul DeJoria

We stand with Icelandic citizens, whale watching associations, and conservationists calling for the establishment of a permanent whale sanctuary in Ísafjarðardjúp and beyond. The whales of the North Atlantic must be defended — not sacrificed for an obsolete industry.

The Captain Paul Watson Foundation calls on Iceland to immediately end all plans for minke whale and fin whale hunts, respect the IWC global moratorium, and lead the world in marine protection — not marine destruction.

The North Atlantic is not a slaughterhouse. It is a sanctuary. We will defend it.

Captain Paul Watson Foundation