<p>Iceland, one of the only countries that still hunts whales commercially together with Norway and Japan, plans to end whaling from 2024 as demand dwindles, the fisheries minister said Friday.</p>.<p>"There are few justifications to authorise the whale hunt beyond 2024", when current quotas expire, Svandis Svavarsdottir, a member of the Left Green party, wrote in Morgunbladid newspaper.</p>.<p>"There is little proof that there is any economic advantage to this activity," she said.</p>.<p>Iceland's current annual quotas for 2019-2023 allow for the hunting of 209 fin whales -- the planet's second-largest species after the blue whale -- and 217 minke whales, one of the smallest species.</p>.<p>But for the past three years, the two main licence holders have suspended their whale hunts, and one of them hung up its harpoons for good in 2020.</p>.<p>Only one whale has been killed in the past three years, a Minke whale in 2021.</p>.<p>Demand for Icelandic whale meat has decreased dramatically since Japan -- the main market for whale meat -- returned to commercial whaling in 2019 after withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission (IWC).</p>.<p>The hunt had also become too expensive after a no-fishing coastal zone was extended, requiring whalers to go even further offshore.</p>.<p>Additionally, safety requirements for imported meat were more stringent than for local products, rendering Icelandic exports more difficult.</p>.<p>Social distancing restrictions to combat the coronavirus pandemic also meant Icelandic whale meat processing plants were unable to carry out their tasks.</p>.<p>In Iceland's last full season in 2018, 146 fin whales and six Minke whales were killed.</p>.<p>Iceland resumed commercial whaling in 2003 despite a 1986 IWC moratorium, which it had opposed.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Iceland, one of the only countries that still hunts whales commercially together with Norway and Japan, plans to end whaling from 2024 as demand dwindles, the fisheries minister said Friday.</p>.<p>"There are few justifications to authorise the whale hunt beyond 2024", when current quotas expire, Svandis Svavarsdottir, a member of the Left Green party, wrote in Morgunbladid newspaper.</p>.<p>"There is little proof that there is any economic advantage to this activity," she said.</p>.<p>Iceland's current annual quotas for 2019-2023 allow for the hunting of 209 fin whales -- the planet's second-largest species after the blue whale -- and 217 minke whales, one of the smallest species.</p>.<p>But for the past three years, the two main licence holders have suspended their whale hunts, and one of them hung up its harpoons for good in 2020.</p>.<p>Only one whale has been killed in the past three years, a Minke whale in 2021.</p>.<p>Demand for Icelandic whale meat has decreased dramatically since Japan -- the main market for whale meat -- returned to commercial whaling in 2019 after withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission (IWC).</p>.<p>The hunt had also become too expensive after a no-fishing coastal zone was extended, requiring whalers to go even further offshore.</p>.<p>Additionally, safety requirements for imported meat were more stringent than for local products, rendering Icelandic exports more difficult.</p>.<p>Social distancing restrictions to combat the coronavirus pandemic also meant Icelandic whale meat processing plants were unable to carry out their tasks.</p>.<p>In Iceland's last full season in 2018, 146 fin whales and six Minke whales were killed.</p>.<p>Iceland resumed commercial whaling in 2003 despite a 1986 IWC moratorium, which it had opposed.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>