Iceland has become one of the best places in the world to watch whales in their natural habitat with thousands of guests from all over the world joining our wildlife tours every year. Whale watching is probably the best way to help the government and Icelanders understand that whales are worth more alive than dead.
Whale Watching vs. Whaling
It is evident that whaling and whale watching cannot co-exist. Whaling has no clear impact on fish stocks and has proven to be unprofitable and harmful of Iceland’s otherwise good global image. According to annual financial reports and recent studies conducted by the University of Iceland, it is evident that whale watching creates more than double the revenue of whaling.
For years, Elding has been among the strongest voices against whaling in Iceland and has actively fought against the unnecessary and cruel industry ever since it was resumed in 2003 as scientific whaling and in 2006 as commercial whaling. Our opposition is based on economical, socio-cultural and animal welfare principles. We believe that greater interests are being threatened by the current whaling scheme and we fear for the impact it may have on whale watching in the future. Icelandic authorities have just announced that whaling will resume with 209 fin whales and 217 minke whales to be slaughtered every year from 2019 until 2023. This could have devastating effects for the local whale population, and not to mention that these whales will never be seen on our whale watching tours again.
Make a Difference
Our experience is that knowledge and conversation strengthens our position and changes the mindset of locals and tourists towards whaling. Not long ago, most Icelanders where pro whaling. This has dramatically changed and recent surveys show that just over half of Icelandic population are now opposed to whaling. This attitude has also changed with most tourists who believed that whaling was Iceland's cultural heritage. It is not.
Whales are mainly killed to feed curious tourists. Help us end whaling by not eating whale meat during your stay, choose whale friendly restaurants and sign the meet us don't eat us petition. Skipping Iceland as a travel destination will do nothing. Please visit Iceland, do not consume whale meat and come whale watching to support the whales!