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Harbour porpoise. Image: Charlie Phillips/WDC

Speaking up for the little guys – WDC in action

Whales and dolphins face so many dangers. These intelligent beings are crucial for the wellbeing...
Humpback whale fluke in Alaska.

An unforgettable first encounter – observing the whales we work to protect

I have kept a dark secret since joining WDC back in June 2021. Despite my...

WDC in Japan – Part 2: Digital dolphins

Welcome to the second chapter of my incredible journey to build alliances in Japan. As...
David Capello and Duchess

A former UK dolphin trainer reflects

It's been 30 years since the last dolphin show closed its doors in the UK....

Icelandic minke whaler who blamed vet strike for delaying his hunt is forced to retract

Yet more smoke and mirrors from Iceland’s whalers – this time, the turn of minke whaler, Gunnar Bergmann Jonsson, who has recently been spending a great deal of time whining and complaining on the radio and elsewhere in the news, that he can’t start his whaling until the current strike by veterinarians ends. In fact, he landed his first minke whale on 11th May and landed at least one more whale on 1st June.  As I write, his boat is off Grindavik to the southwest.

When confronted with the truth, Gunnar was forced to issue a retraction and admit that not only had his company already started killing whales, but the meat from at least one of the whales has already been disposed of under hygiene regulations, due to the vet strike. Whilst the meat from the second whale has been reportedly stored on ice, it is quite likely that it too, will be dumped as there seems no prospect of an early end to the strike.

The first Sunday of June is Fishermen’s Day in Iceland and this coincides with the annual two-day Festival of the Sea in Reykjavik this weekend. in recent years, the minke whalers have attended this festival to serve up barbecued minke whale meat to visitors – it remains to be seen whether Gunnar Bergmann will want to show his face there this year.

About Vanessa Williams-Grey

Policy manager - Stop Whaling and Responsible Whale Watching