Norway, Iceland, and Japan continue controversial whale and dolphin hunts despite global opposition, driven largely by economic interests rather than tradition. These practices conflict with scientific evidence, ethical standards, and public sentiment, while harming marine ecosystems and damaging international reputations. Iceland is the first hunting nation to back down – in 2025 no whales were hunted.
Daniella Vanova
9 December 2025
German version
For decades, whales and dolphins have represented wonder, intelligence, and the wild beauty of our oceans. Yet in 2025, three countries – Norway, Iceland, and Japan – stand apart from global efforts to protect these animals. While Norway and Iceland continue commercial whaling despite diminishing economic value and widespread criticism, Japan persists in the notorious Taiji dolphin drive hunts, where entire dolphin families face slaughter or capture.
Together, these practices highlight an increasingly outdated relationship with marine wildlife—one that clashes with ethics, science, and public sentiment.
Taiji, Japan: Dolphin and Pilot Whales Slaughter/Live Capture
Every year from September through March, Taiji becomes the center of global outrage. Fishermen drive dolphin pods into the infamous Cove by banging metal poles underwater to create a wall of disorienting sound. Once trapped, dolphins face one of two fates: slaughter for meat or live capture for marine parks.
On October 27, two pods were driven into the Cove: about 30 bottlenose dolphins and approximately 20 pilot whales. The next day revealed the brutal purpose of the hunt. Seven young bottlenose dolphins were taken for live capture—chosen for their market value in aquariums. The remaining dolphins endured hours of panic, separation, and exhaustion. Some were killed; others were forced back out to sea traumatized and injured.
Activists on the ground documented the event, and drone footage now increasingly used in legal cases showed the chaos unfolding in the shallow water. The slaughter technique, which involves inserting a metal rod into the spinal cord to kill the dolphin while concealing blood flow, underscores the cruelty behind Taiji’s claim of humane practice.
While some hunters justify the drive as tradition, investigations by Dolphin Project and the Life Investigation Agency show the modern hunt is built on profit, not heritage. A single captured bottlenose dolphin can fetch over USD 100 000 in the international entertainment market, making live capture the economic engine of the entire hunt.
Dolphin meat from Taiji often contains dangerous levels of mercury yet remains sold locally. Efforts to conceal the brutality have long included restricted filming and limited public access, but Japanese courts have begun forcing Taiji to release hunting documents an important step toward transparency.
Still, the events of October 27 illustrate how deeply entrenched the hunt remains, driven by the global aquarium industry. As advocates often say, “Without captivity, Taiji’s drive hunt would end.”
Norway: Killing Minke, Fin and Sei Whales
In 2025, Norway raised its self-allocated minke whale quota to 1,406 whales, citing scientific models and leftover “carryover” from previous years. Yet demand for whale meat continues to plummet:
Only 415 whales were hunted in 2024.
Just 2% of Norwegians consume whale meat regularly.
Much of the catch is exported to Japan or sold to unsuspecting tourists.
The Norwegian government continues to defend the practice as sustainable fisheries management. However, marine scientists highlight that whales contribute to ocean health by recycling nutrients, stimulating fish populations – contradicting narratives that whales compete with fisheries.
Animal welfare issues remain serious. Many whales suffer prolonged deaths after being harpooned. Yet Norway maintains its objection to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium, enabling it to operate outside global consensus.
Critics argue the policy sustains symbolism rather than serving real economic or cultural needs.
Iceland: Killing Minke, Fin and Sei Whales
Iceland’s whaling program, dominated by one company Hvalur hf., has been declining for years. In 2024, the quota for fin whales dropped to 128, and hunts were sporadic. Surveys now show over 50% of Icelanders oppose whaling. Iceland’s primary fin whale hunting company, Hvalur hf., canceled its 2025 season.
Whale-watching tourism, by contrast, generates nearly twice the revenue of whaling and has become a cornerstone of Iceland’s ecotourism economy.
Yet ethical concerns remain acute. Investigations documented some fin whales suffering for up to two hours before death fuelling domestic and international condemnation.
Despite this, the government continues to grant hunting licenses, arguing legality and tradition. But for many Icelanders, the practice no longer aligns with national values or economic interests.
Justifying the Unjustifiable
Though separated by geography and species, the hunts in Norway, Iceland, and Japan share striking similarities:
Economic Interests Outweigh Heritage: While governments frequently invoke tradition, modern evidence shows the key drivers are commercial: whale exports for Norway, tourism politics in Iceland, and live dolphin sales in Japan.
Ethical Concerns Are Mounting: As whale and dolphin intelligence becomes better understood, public acceptance of their killing declines. Younger generations in all three countries are overwhelmingly against the hunts.
Science Undermines the Justifications: Contrary to longstanding claims, whales and dolphins support marine ecosystems, promoting biodiversity and nutrient cycling. Killing them harms the ocean’s resilience.
International Reputation Suffers: Continuing these hunts places each nation at odds with global conservation norms, affecting diplomacy, tourism, and public perception.
The events of 27 October 2025, in Taiji highlight the ongoing cruelty inflicted on dolphins for profit. Meanwhile, Norway and Iceland continue whaling programs that lack economic necessity and conflict with scientific understanding and public ethics.
At a time when whales and dolphins are increasingly recognized as essential to ocean health and worthy of moral consideration these practices feel outdated and out of step with global conservation progress. These mammals are very intelligent and have intricate lifelong social connections with their family pod.
A future rooted in marine stewardship is not only possible but urgently needed. Ending the dolphin drives of Taiji and the commercial whale hunts of Norway and Iceland would mark a major step toward aligning policy with science, compassion, and the values of a world that increasingly seeks to protect, not exploit, the ocean’s most iconic and intelligent beings.
