Norways first Minke whale killed, Loftsson and Norwegian Whaling
- Gary Stokes
- Apr 5
- 2 min read
The infamous Icelandic whaler Kristjan Loftsson, who owns and operates Hvalur hf, has ‘his fingers in many pies’ as the saying goes! Within Iceland, Loftsson has an interest in many companies that he either owns outright or has shares in—everything from Arion Bank (a leading financing institute in Iceland), Marel (a food processing company), Origo hf (an IT Tech company), to Brim hf (a huge player in Iceland’s fishing sector). It is no wonder he is the richest man in Iceland. He financially supports Iceland’s Independence Party and has ties with the Progressive Party, which gives him the ability to shape decisions that benefit his business interests. However, when it comes to whaling, his reach goes far beyond Iceland.
Loftsson's dual role as CEO of Hvalur hf. and a participant in NAMMCO’s Committee on Hunting Methods raises concerns about a conflict of interest. Critics argue that his position allows him to influence decisions on hunting practices while actively benefiting from Iceland's whaling industry.
Loftsson has been described in the past by a leading Norwegian newspaper as “an old friend of Norway with contacts in Norwegian fisheries and whaling management.” However, Kristjan Loftsson has far more involvement than just mere contacts.
The Norwegian whaling company Lofothval, established in 2006, is partially owned by Rune Frøvik, who previously led the pro-whaling NGO High North Alliance. The majority share in Lofothval is owned by Reinebuen AS (50.2%), while Kristjan Loftsson owns a 12.2% stake in the company.
Loftsson’s primary market for his Icelandic fin whale meat is Japan. However, Lofothval has been involved with imports and exports between Iceland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands, mostly in the trade of minke whales.
Lofothval operates a whaling vessel, the ‘Reinebuen’, out of Moskenes in the Lofoten Islands of Norway. The number of whaling vessels in Norway has decreased from 31 in 2005 to 9 in 2023. Despite this reduction, Norway increased their quota from 1,157 to 1,406 minke whales, even though they only reached 44% of the 2024 quota. In 2024, the ‘Reinebuen’ killed 111 minke whales, about 25% of the total whales killed in Norway.
The whaling season begins April 1st, 2025. As of April 4th, 2025, only one whaling vessel has begun hunting. The ‘Reinebuen’ claimed its first minke kill yesterday in the area near the town of Vadsø in Finnmark county. A 1,700kg minke whale was killed at six o’clock in the morning, claims skipper Bjørn Andersen.
Most of Norway’s minke whale meat is exported to Japan, though there is a push to promote domestic consumption in Norway. Whale is also used for pet food, animal feed for fur farms, and even a whale oil-based skin cream, marketed to gullible tourists as a traditional Norwegian product. Norway also exports minke whale meat and blubber to Iceland, where it is served as a ‘local delicacy’ in restaurants around Reykjavik for tourists.
Very informative