"I have decided to suspend all whaling operations in view of the decisive opinion of the Expert Advisory Board on Animal Welfare... In my opinion, the conditions of the Act on Animal Welfare are mandatory. This activity cannot continue in the future if the authorities and the license holders can not ensure the fulfillment of the welfare requirements," Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Svandis Svavarsdottir said in a statement.
The report on whaling has been prepared for the ministry by the national Food and Veterinary Authority. The opinion of the expert council was presented to the ministry on Monday. It concluded that the methods used to hunt large whales was violating the Animal Welfare Act, the government said.
The decree suspends the whaling season in Iceland until August 31.