Iceland prepares bill that could end whaling
The Icelandic government plans to submit a bill to parliament in February on changes to whaling legislation. The document could pave the way for a complete ban on whale hunting, Asharq Al-Awsat reports, citing a representative of the country's Ministry of Industry.
Possible permanent ban
According to the ministry representative, the text of the bill will pay particular attention to recommendations on introducing a permanent ban on whaling. Iceland is one of three countries that still allow commercial whale hunting; the other two are Norway and Japan.
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Minister of Industry Hanna Katrín Friðriksson told local outlet Visir that whaling barely turns a profit and that animal protection is a priority. She noted that last year, despite a permit being issued, no one went to sea to hunt whales.
Catch below quota
This year, whaling vessels went out to fish, but their catch was significantly below the established quota, the minister said. Wendy Higgins, a representative of the animal protection organization Humane World for Animals, called the proposed bill an important step toward ending a practice the organization considers cruel.
