Iceland killed two endangered fin whales earlier this week; they were the first two whales killed in Icelandic waters since 2023.

The killing resumed this week after a two-year hiatus, taken partly because the industry wasn’t deemed profitable enough due to a lack of demand.

The two whales were killed by Hvaluf hf., which is the only whaling company in Iceland, run by billionaire Kristján Loftsson, who’s been described as the “last hunter of fin whales in Europe.” This isn’t some ancient tradition the government is upholding, they’re simply allowing one billionaire to burn money by killing fin whales.

Fin whales are the second largest animal on earth and officially classified as vulnerable to extinction. They’re 80 feet long and can weigh as much as 180,000 pounds. Although Norway and Japan also allow commercial whale killing, only Iceland permits the killing of fin whales. The country’s main market for fin whale meat is Japan, though they also market whale meat to visiting tourists.

In 2024, when Iceland’s government expected to allow 129 fin whales to be hunted, FoA said “Any ethical person would cancel a visit to Iceland and forget about traveling there or buying Icelandic products until their foolish leaders commit to a total, permanent ban.”

Now, they’re going through allowing 150 to be hunted, and FoA is echoing the same sentiment.

Photo by NOAA