Skip to content
All news
  • All news
  • About whales & dolphins
  • Corporates
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Green Whale
  • Prevent bycatch
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Science
  • Scottish Dolphin Centre
  • Stop whaling
  • Stranding

Norway ups whale kill numbers and removes whale welfare protections

The whaling season in Norway has begun on the back of disturbing announcements from the...
Image taken from an unmanned hexacopter at >100ft during a research collaboration between NOAA/SWFSC, SR3 and the Coastal Ocean Research Institute. Research authorized by NMFS permit #19091.

Southern Resident orca petition to list them under Oregon Endangered Species Act advanced

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted today to advance a petition seeking to protect...
Hysazu Photography

WDC and Conservation Partners Continue to Seek Oregon Endangered Species Protection for Southern Resident Orcas

On Friday, April 21st, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will determine whether the petition...
WDC Seal Rescue April 2023 (1)

WDC conducts milestone seal rescue in Marshfield

For Immediate Release, April 10, 2023 MARSHFIELD, MA - A young grey seal was found...

WDCS Critical Of Gordon Ramsay For Eating Whale Meat

Award-winning celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, has been criticised by WDCS for eating whale meat. Ramsay ate minke whale at a restaurant whilst on a week’s break in Iceland recently.

 Ramsay, who  has been featured campaigning against eating shark fin in the past, seemed to be unaware of the cruelty involved in whaling and that his actions were helping to keep the flagging whaling industry in business. A large percentage of the whale meat slaughtered in Iceland feeds tourists as most of the local population does not eat the meat anymore.

Commercial whaling is banned yet Iceland uses loopholes to get around this, and a staggering 35 to 40% of the meat from minke whales slaughtered by Icelandic whalers is eaten by tourists visiting the country who often have no idea that their actions are propping up commercial whaling.

This is exactly what Gordon Ramsay is helping to do as WDCS anti whaling campaigner, Vanessa Williams-Grey, points out.

‘Gordon Ramsay has a huge following as a celebrity chef, both in the UK, US and elsewhere. It is really disappointing to hear that he tucked into a minke whale dish during his recent trip to Iceland. This year’s whaling season has just begun and five minke whales have already been slaughtered – much of the meat will end up on tourist plates this summer. I’m sure that Ramsay would be horrified to think that he has helped to keep this cruel industry alive.’

Find out more about whaling in Iceland and our tourist campaign.