Kristján Loftsson
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Whale-In, Whale-Out
Will the economics of Icelandic whaling be its undoing? On April 11, 2025, Kristján Loftsson, CEO of Hvalur hf., was quoted as saying his company would not be sending his whaling ships out this summer to hunt fin whales. For just over…
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Hvalur Hf. Cancels 2025 Whaling Season
Hvalur hf. has cancelled this summer’s whaling season, RÚV reported last Friday. According to RÚV’s sources, company employees were notified that the season would not go ahead. This was confirmed by Kristján Loftsson, CEO of Hvalur hf., in a conversation with mbl.is.…
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Former Minister Jón Gunnarsson Focus Of International Spy Investigation
The private intelligence firm Black Cube, run by former Mossad special operatives and intelligence agents, allegedly collected information on former judiciary minister and Independence Party MP Jón Gunnarsson regarding his ties to the Icelandic whaling industry. Black Cube’s portfolio includes the cover-up…
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Whaling Is Back On The Table
The government collapse was a gift for the pro-whaling Independence Party The last weeks of the month brought an unlikely October surprise to Icelandic voters. Thanks to the sudden collapse of the government and a breach of protocol by the Independence Party,…
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Minister Grants Permit To Allow Whaling To Resume
Minister of Food and Agriculture Bjarkey Olsen Gunnarsdóttir has granted the whaling company Hvalur ehf. a licence for hunting fin whales. The minister announced her decision following a government meeting on June 11. The permit is active for one year, allowing 128…
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Whaling Company Applies For New Licence
Kristján Loftsson, owner Iceland’s one and only whaling company Hvalur hf, has applied for a new licence to hunt fin whales beginning in the summer of 2024. He’s seeking a licence for the next five to 10 years. With their current licence…
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The Indefensible Defence Of An Obsolete Industry
Examining the past, present and still uncertain future of whaling in Iceland “It’s been a crazy day,” Valgerður Árnadóttir says, a clear tone of concern in her voice as she looks out the large picture windows of Röst café toward the long…
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No Whaling Will Happen This Summer
Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Svandís Svavarsdóttir has announced her decision to stop Iceland’s hunt for fin whales this summer, Vísir reports. The commercial whaling season was scheduled to get underway June 21, despite ongoing public protest against the practice. The decision…
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Whaling Season Begins Today
Ships from Hvalur hf., Iceland’s only fin whaling company, are set to depart from Reykjavík Harbour today, marking the start of their first whaling season in four years. [su_pullquote]Summer Sale on T-Shirts in the Grapevine shop! We only have a chance to…
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Whale Hunting Season Is Over
The whale hunting season has officially concluded, with 184 whales in all harpooned in Icelandic waters. RÚV reports that 155 fin whales were culled, exceeding the season’s quota by one. At the same time, the quota allowed for 275 minke whales, but…
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Fish And Whaling Chiefs Go Fishing With Russian Officials
Captains of Icelandic industry – including fishing giant HB Grandi and whaling company Hvalur hf. – recently took Russia’s Assistant Foreign Minister and others on a sea fishing trip, and both companies have a lot at stake where relations with Russia are…
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84 Fin Whales Culled So Far
There is still a ways to go before the season’s quota is filled, but about 50 fin whales have been culled in less than a month. RÚV reports that whaling company Hvalur hf. has landed 84 whales so far. This is 48…
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Avaaz Responds To Kristján Loftsson
Iceland’s chief whaler may consider online activist network Avaaz a “joke”, but they have their own opinions of him, too. A petition from Avaaz – World In Action is calling upon the island of St. Kitts to strip one of his whaling…
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Whaling Company Loses Money From Whaling
Iceland’s largest whaling company reported profits in the billions – but they didn’t come from whaling, which actually operated at a loss. Viðskiptablaðið reports that Hvalur hf. – Iceland’s largest whaling company – earned 3 billion ISK in the last fiscal year.…
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Whaler Considers Anti-Whaling Petition “A Joke”
Iceland’s primary whaler accused reporters of “lapping up” what he calls misinformation about his hunting of fin whales, and dismissed a widespread anti-whaling petition as “a joke”. Kristján Loftsson, – who is the director of Iceland’s largest whaling company, Hvalur hf., and…
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Chief Icelandic Whaler Believes Australia Should Start Whaling, Too
Kristján Loftsson (pictured left), Iceland’s primary whaler, believes Australia should stop opposing whaling and start hunting humpback whales. In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Kristján – who is the director of Iceland’s largest whaling company, Hvalur hf. – spoke frankly…
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So What’re These Badly Behaved Seafood Companies I Keep Hearing About?
Along with tourism, seafood is the biggest industry in Iceland. For many towns along the coast, it is the reason for their existence. The salaries paid to locals by seafood companies fuel the village economy. Therefore it is very important that seafood…
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Unions Leaders Let Corporate Head Hear It
After awarding himself a huge bonus, the chairman of a major fishing company has found himself at the receiving end of union backlash. Kristján Loftsson (yes, that Kristján Loftsson), chairman of the board for fishing company HB Grandi, told RÚV that it…
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Norway Wanted To Send Whale Meat To Iceland
Documents obtained by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) revealed that a Norwegian whaling company has sought to ship about 10 metric tonnes of minke whale meat to Iceland, and Iceland’s most prominent whaler stands to directly benefit from the deal. According to…
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Sixteen Fin Whales Hunted
The whaling company Hvalur hf. has landed sixteen fin whales, which international authorities say are an endangered species. Sixteen fin whales out of the seasonal quota of 154 have been hunted so far by Hvalur, RÚV reports, with the intent to export…