Hard To Port

11/05/2026

From Ægisgarður to Hobart – The Long Road to the IWC

Appeal by Arne Feuerhahn

When the International Whaling Commission voted to implement a global moratorium on commercial whaling, I was just three months old. Needless to say, whales and whaling were not yet on my mind at that time.

Today, 44 years later, I find myself standing before two ships that embody the brutal and destructive chapter of human history that led to the moratorium. These two steam-powered relics are tied to the decimation of whale populations across our oceans and to unimaginable suffering inflicted on highly intelligent and sentient marine animals.

As I write this appeal, both of these ships are being prepared for what may become another, potentially their last, summer hunt off the coast of Iceland. While I have witnessed this process many times before, it remains a troubling and deeply upsetting sight.

Yet despite this current troubling development, I remain hopeful that we may finally be witnessing the beginning of the end for this industry here in Iceland. Following years of meticulous documentation work that helped spark a political reassessment of commercial whaling and shift public perception regarding the continued exploitation of these animals, we may now be witnessing the final attempt by the whaling industry and its political enablers to resist a development that increasingly appears inevitable.

As we have reported on before, Iceland’s current Minister of Industries has repeatedly hinted at significant legislative changes in the second half of the year. Should this Government remain in power, and should these promises be fulfilled, it could permanently close the chapter on commercial whaling in Iceland. It is a hopeful and potentially historic moment - one that I, together with Hard To Port and many others, have worked passionately toward for years.

At this critical moment, it feels more important than ever to remain present here in Iceland over the coming months — while also ensuring that our voices on behalf of the whales in these waters are represented internationally.

Earlier this year, as some of you may know, Hard To Port - Marine Conservation was granted observer status at the International Whaling Commission (IWC), thus enabling us to participate in future Commission meetings. This unquestionably marks an important milestone for Hard To Port and allows us to engage directly in the international forum where the future of whaling is debated and shaped. It also gives us the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and organizations, while deepening our understanding of the many cetacean-related issues within the IWC’s scope.

For our non-profit, after years of engagement here in the North Atlantic, joining the international conversation on whaling is an essential next step - and the International Whaling Commission provides that global platform.

With this message, I am calling on my friends, long-time whale conservation companions, Hard To Port’s community and supporters, to help us make this important journey possible.

From Ægisgarður — home to Iceland’s notorious fin whaling fleet and the birthplace of Hard To Port – Marine Conservation — to the conference halls of IWC70 in Hobart, Australia, it is a long road ahead.

17,553 kilometers, to be precise, as my self-crafted Icelandic road sign indicates.

If you would like to help me & Hard To Port take this journey, please consider contributing toward our fundraising goal of approximately €2,500 to help cover registration, participation, and transportation costs.

Thank you for your continued support, trust, and belief in our work for the whales of the North Atlantic.

https://hardtoport.org/financial-support/

📷 Anahita Sahar Babaei

26/04/2026

Unacceptable delay - the whales will pay the price

"It is deeply troubling to read recent reports suggesting a possible return to commercial whaling in Iceland this summer. I find it both incomprehensible and unacceptable that an industry which has repeatedly failed to meet even Iceland’s own standards on animal welfare may once again be permitted to operate."

A first take on recent developments in whaling here in Iceland.

https://www.visir.is/g/20262874421d/oasaettanleg-seinkun-hvalirnir-munu-borga-fyrir-thad

(English Version at the end)

Það er mikið áhyggjuefni að lesa nýlegar fréttir sem gefa til kynna mögulega endurkomu hrefnu og langreyðarveiða í atvinnuskyni á Íslandi í sumar.

23/04/2026

Preparations for a likely 2026 fin whaling season in Iceland are now underway. The catcher vessel Hvalur 9 has been brought into dry dock in Reykjavík’s Old Harbour, while its sister ship, Hvalur 8, remains moored as it undergoes repairs and maintenance.

This troubling development stems directly from the controversial decision in 2024 to issue new whaling licenses. These licenses were granted by then interim Minister of Fisheries Bjarni Benediktsson, whose close political alignment with prominent whaling protagonist Kristján Loftsson has raised serious concerns about the decision-making process.

Yesterday, the Marine and Freshwater Institute (Hafrannsóknastofnun) released its provisional one-year advisory for the upcoming hunting season. The recommendation includes a quota of 116 fin whales within Hvalur’s primary hunting grounds, the so-called East Greenland / West Iceland management area.

The Institute’s full statement is available via the link below.

This news represents a significant setback for our collective ongoing efforts to end this outdated and inhumane industry. Following a two-year hiatus, the whaling industry in Iceland appears to be preparing for a renewed season. In response, we at Hard To Port, alongside local and international partners, remain committed to opposing these planned hunts through constructive and coordinated action.

Evidence from previous seasons has already exposed the severe and unacceptable suffering inflicted on whales during these hunts, as documented in comprehensive reports from 2022 and the shortened 2023 season. In light of these findings, authorizing further whaling is both indefensible and fundamentally at odds with Iceland’s own animal welfare laws and standards.

https://www.hafogvatn.is/en/about/news-announcements/category/1/whaling-advice-in-2026

📷: © Arne Feuerhahn | Hard To Port

21/04/2026

Icelandic media: The 2026 fin whaling season may go ahead. Read today's short update here:

https://tinyurl.com/mvx48whe

Watch this space for further updates in the coming days.

Photo credit: Arne F. | Hard To Port

03/03/2026

We are proud to announce that Hard To Port – Marine Conservation has been accredited with NGO Observer Status at future meetings of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

This acknowledgment marks an important milestone in the continued development of our non-profit organisation and recognises more than a decade of dedicated work in marine conservation. We are sincerely grateful to the Commission and its Secretariat for the opportunity to participate in this vital biennial forum.

As outlined in our application:

“The International Whaling Commission provides a central forum for global discussion on the future of whaling and wider cetacean conservation issues. Over the years, the Commission has benefited from the valuable input and perspectives of third-sector initiatives working locally and internationally to advance whale conservation efforts.

Over the past twelve years, our organisation has demonstrated that we can contribute constructively to these discussions by providing accurate, evidence-based information, fostering public engagement, promoting transparency, and highlighting ethical and welfare considerations that complement scientific and policy perspectives.”

Observer status at the IWC will enable us to engage directly in the international conversations shaping the future of whale and cetacean protection. We look forward to contributing meaningfully, collaborating with partners, and building strong, productive relationships at future Commission meetings.

The next biennial meeting of the IWC will take place from 27 September to 2 October in Hobart, Australia 🇦🇺

To learn more about the work and history of the International Whaling Commission, please visit the IWC website.

If you would like to support Hard To Port’s participation at future Commission meetings, please consider making a manageable donation to our non-profit organisation.

➡️ Go to https://hardtoport.org/financial-support/

💙 Choose your donation amount and frequency of your donation ('one time' or 'recurring' donation)

🐋 Select 'IWC70' as your donation purpose.

🫶 Thank you / Takk fyrir / Vielen Dank

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📷 ©️ Boris Niehaus | Hard To Port

21/01/2026

Minister signals push for whaling ban - but will she follow through?

As we enter the twelfth year of campaigning to end the killing of whales in Iceland, recent signals suggest a potential turning point in the country’s whaling policy.

Remarks by the Minister of Industries, whose responsibilities include those formerly held by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, together with reports appeared in Icelandic media, indicate a possible legislative move to end Iceland’s commercial whaling activities in the autumn of 2026.

Two whaling licenses were granted in a controversial decision by interim minister Bjarni Benediktsson in late 2024, shortly before he exited the political arena. Despite holding a license, no attempts to hunt minke whales were made in 2025, to our knowledge. Hard To Port monitored the movements and activities of part-time whaling ship Halldór Sigurðsson ÍS 14 as closely as possible, though the remoteness of the Westfjords limited regular observation.

It remains unclear whether there was a genuine intent to hunt minke whales when the license application was submitted, or whether it was potentially a move to secure financial compensation should the government impose a future ban.

In early 2025, the vessel associated with the license holder appeared for sale, along with its minke whaling equipment. Later that year, during the festive season, the Westfjords-based seafood company Nora Seafood announced on Facebook that the vessel is now in its hands. At this stage, it is unclear whether this acquisition signals any intention to resume minke whaling in 2026, or whether the vessel will be used exclusively for other fisheries.

Meanwhile, the fin-whaling and investment company Hvalur hf. has not hunted fin whales for the past couple of years. In 2025, the company cited economic reasons for calling off the hunt. Given Hvalur’s damaged reputation following repeated animal-welfare violations in the years previous, it would be unsurprising if a lack of demand in their products were to persist.

Hard To Port welcomes Minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson’s work and consideration of a bill to ban the hunting of whales in Iceland. We hope this issue will receive the attention and priority it rightfully deserves in 2026, and that it will no longer be unnecessarily delayed.

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📷 (background) Arne F. | Hard To Port
📷 (Minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson) Alþingi via Wikimedia Commons

https://tinyurl.com/dpfm5sp5 (RUV/2026)

https://tinyurl.com/bdz5cbpb (Vísir/2025)

17/01/2026

In Support of Elissa and Anahita

If you happen to be in Reykjavík in the coming week, we encourage you to take part in this supportive event:

📅 https://tinyurl.com/mwn75zam

For more information and updates please follow our colleagues Hvalavinir-Stop whaling in Iceland

📷 Boris Niehaus | Hard To Port

05/01/2026

It’s time to turn the page

In 2026, the world will mark 40 years since the introduction of one of the greatest conservation milestones of the past century: the moratorium on commercial whaling.

Adopted in 1982 by the member states of the International Whaling Commission and fully implemented four years later, the global ban represented a decisive turning point in the effort to protect the world’s whales.

For decades prior to this landmark decision, relentless commercial exploitation - particularly in Arctic and Antarctic waters - had pushed many whale populations toward collapse. It is estimated that nearly three million great whales were killed by industrial-scale operations during the 20th century alone. The immense suffering behind these numbers remained largely hidden from public view; only rarely did those within the industry speak openly about the cruelty involved.

Our investigations into Iceland’s whaling industry over the past few years have shown just how severe that suffering can be, offering a glimpse into what countless whales endured during the peak of commercial whaling. It is no coincidence that Iceland’s whaling protagonists preferred to work away from public scrutiny.

That changed in 2022, when widespread documentation of the summer hunting season exposed the grim realities of whaling off Iceland’s coast. For many Icelanders, it was the first time the true nature of the industry was visible - politicians responded, and public attitudes began to shift.

In 2023, Iceland’s hunting season was cut short following a temporary suspension over animal-welfare concerns. In 2024 and 2025 the harpoon cannons fell silent entirely.
Today, with markets for Icelandic whale products shrinking, awareness and opposition growing, and political leaders signaling readiness for change, we are cautiously hopeful that Iceland may soon turn the page on commercial whaling for good.

Four decades after the global moratorium helped turn the tide for whale conservation, Iceland’s ongoing reassessment of commercial whaling suggests that one of the industry’s last strongholds could embrace compassion and protection in the near future.

We are grateful to everyone who has helped bring us to this point - to those who have amplified our voices through social media and beyond, and to our colleagues whose dedication, own ideas, and collaboration continue to strengthen this cause.

Happy New Year 2026 - may it be a good year for the whales.

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Photo: Original Icelandic newspaper from 24th July 1982 .
© Arne F. - Hard To Port

11/08/2025

When the cruelty of whaling became visible

When we began our work in Iceland in 2014, our goal was clear: strip away the secrecy surrounding commercial whaling and hold it to account.

Back then, while most people knew whaling existed, we were often surprised to meet Icelanders who had no idea it was still happening - let alone how it was done. The industry had long kept most of its operations out of the public eye.

A lot changed in the 2022 hunting season. Over the course of several weeks, our team managed to document several disturbing cases that cast serious doubt on claims of “humane” killing methods. The footage was difficult to watch and impossible to ignore. Icelandic media picked it up, the story spread quickly, and pressure on policymakers grew.

Then-Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Svandís Svavarsdóttir, responded swiftly, committing to greater oversight and transparency. Exactly three years ago today, the Ministry announced new regulations requiring regular inspections by the Food and Veterinary Authority (in collaboration with the Directorate of Fisheries) to ensure compliance with Iceland’s Animal Welfare Act during whaling.

The resulting inspections produced a damning official report - one that revealed a starkly different reality than the whalers wanted the public to believe. Outrage grew. The national debate about the legitimacy of commercial whaling reached an intensity never seen before.

Today, we remember this turning point, a critical milestone in the ongoing effort to bring the commercial killing of whales in Iceland to a permanent close.

Read the Ministry’s announcement here:

https://www.stjornarradid.is/efst-a-baugi/frettir/stok-frett/2022/08/11/Matvaelastofnun-og-Fiskistofa-i-samstarf-um-eftirlit-vid-hvalveidar/

📷 Boris Niehaus | Hard To Port

30/06/2025

Iceland’s Iconic Puffins Are in Trouble

Over the past 30 years, Iceland’s beloved puffin population has seen a steep decline. In response, the government is now calling on hunters and restaurants to show restraint in hunting and selling the iconic seabird.

If you're planning a trip to Iceland, please help protect these threatened animals by choosing not to order puffin meat. Every small action counts in preserving this species.

Link in the comments.

📷 Arne F. | Hard To Port