LONDON ― More than 240,000 British tourists who visit Iceland each year are being urged by Icelandic and UK charities not to eat whale meat on holiday, but instead to appreciate whales alive and wild at sea. As most Icelanders don’t eat whale meat, the vast majority of whale is consumed by the 2.3 million foreign tourists who visit Iceland each year. The “For the Love of Iceland” campaign by Hvalavinir Whale Friends and Humane World for Animals (formerly called Humane Society International) aims to save whales by persuading visitors to enjoy whales via ethical tourism and not dead on their plate. Tourists are asked to take the #fortheloveoficeland pledge to show their support.
Brits make up the second largest percentage of foreign visitors to Iceland after the United States. Whale meat is misleadingly marketed to tourists as an Icelandic delicacy despite the fact that less than 2% of Icelanders eat it.
Hvalavinir has placed #fortheloveoficeland pledge cards at hotels and tourist information centres across Iceland, as well as creating a virtual online pledge, warning travellers that eating whale meat is not Icelandic culture and urging them to respect and protect Iceland’s wildlife by refusing to eat it or frequent restaurants that serve it.
Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at Humane World for Animals UK, said: “Six times as many foreign tourists visit Iceland as the population of the entire country, with British travellers making up the second largest percentage. So, the whale consumption choices of tourists can help to either kill whales or save them. Our message to British tourists is clear – love whales, but please leave them off your plate.
“If visiting tourists stopped eating whale meat, the market would virtually disappear. By contrast, responsible whale watching in Iceland generates millions of króna each year but is directly jeopardised by continued whale hunting. By taking the #fortheloveoficeland travel pledge, visitors can honour and sustain Iceland’s extraordinary biodiversity by refusing to consume its endangered wildlife.”
Iceland is one of only three countries in the world—together with Norway and Japan— to continue commercial killing of whales. Last year, whaling permits were issued to kill up to 2,130 whales in Iceland over five years―209 endangered fin whales and 217 minke whales each year for 2025-2029―despite clear evidence that some whales killed in Icelandic hunts had prolonged deaths, in contravention of Iceland’s Animal Welfare Act.
Valgerður Árnadóttir from Hvalavinir Whale Friends, said: “Iceland is famous for its breathtaking wild landscapes and amazing wildlife. Killing whales is not part of Icelandic culture; in fact, it wasn’t until 1948 that Iceland had its first whaling company. Our culture is truly rooted in respecting and protecting whales and the ocean. So, together with Humane World for Animals we urge foreign visitors, instead of eating whale meat, to come and have a truly authentic Icelandic experience by marvelling at the beauty of whales and watching them at sea in their natural habitat. There are plenty of ethically responsible whale watching excursions that allow you to witness the beauty of whales alive and free in the sea.”
Icelandic foreign tourism data for 2024 - 2025 shows that the top 10 countries to visit (in order) are: United States, UK, Germany, China, Poland, France, Italy, Canada, Spain and the Netherlands.
British tourists can take the #fortheloveoficeland pledge online here as well as in person when in Iceland by following these simple steps:
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Pick up a #fortheloveoficeland pledge card at hotels or tourist information centres.
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Hold the pledge card up at your favourite Icelandic view or whale-friendly experience.
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Take a photo and post on social media tagging @Hvalavinir @HumaneWorldUK #ForTheLoveOfIceland #WildlifeFriendlyIceland.
Whaling facts
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In the past, Japan was the biggest consumer of Icelandic whale meat through importation, but this trade has ceased because Japan has a whale meat stockpile due to lack of local appetite. It has also expanded its own whaling.
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Most of the fin whale meat currently sold at Iceland’s tourist restaurants comes from whales who have been killed by Norway, although Iceland has killed more than 1,500 whales itself over the past 23 years.
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In 2024, a caretaker government granted a fin whale and a minke whale licence right before Iceland’s general election. Although the government subsequently voted in is far less supportive of whaling, by law it cannot withdraw those licences.
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Recent polling in 2025 indicates that 51% of Icelanders are dissatisfied with the whale hunting permits issued by the caretaker government.
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Iceland left the International Whaling Commission in 1992 but rejoined in 2002 under a 'reservation’ or exception to the global moratorium on commercial whaling. It has continued to defy the ban ever since, undermining both the IWC and CITES, which restricts the commercial trade in whale products. Since re-joining the IWC, Iceland has killed more than 1,500 whales, including endangered fin whales. In 2018, among the 146 fin whales Iceland killed was a pregnant female and a rare fin-blue hybrid whale; six minke whales were also killed that year.
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In 2023, a damning report by the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority concluded that commercial whaling is inconsistent with the country’s animal welfare law. Its observation of whale killing footage taken onboard revealed that 41% of whales took on average 11.5 minutes before dying, while some took up to two hours to die, in contravention of the Animal Welfare Act. More than one quarter of the whales were harpooned twice before eventually dying. The report also showed that most whales killed (73%) were female, 11 of whom were pregnant and one lactating, meaning her dependent calf will have perished at sea without her.
ENDS