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
WDC2023-007 NMLC Release (16)

Seal Rescued in Marshfield Released Back Into The Wild

For Immediate Release, May 31, 2023 PLYMOUTH, MA - A young male grey seal that...

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...

Icelandic whaler may have offloaded whale meat before US imposes sanctions

Just day before US President Obama’s office is due to announce what sanctions the US will impose against Iceland for its continuing hunting and trade of fin whales, WDC received news of a potential shipment of 2,000 tonnes of fin whale meat out of Iceland. 

WDC sources reported that whale meat was apparently being loaded onto the reefer Alma, moored at Hafnarfjordur, near Reykjavik and believed to be bound for Japan.  Iceland’s main whaler, Kristjan Loftsson stockpiles his company’s fin whale meat here and was reportedly in the area in recent days.  Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, Iceland’s Foreign Affairs minister claimed ignorance of the shipment when questioned in the Icelandic Parliament, the Althingi, this morning.

The US government is due to announce what action will be taken against Iceland and its continued fin whaling activities, which undermine international agreements like the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Recently, WDC also reported the transshipment of Loftsson’s whale meat across Canada by rail.

WDC is tracking the shipmment and will report further inofrmation as it becomes available.