The company behind Iceland’s fin whaling industry is planning a huge export of whalemeat to Japan. This summer, Hvalur hf caught 125 fins – a huge expansion on previous years. The company’s owner says he will export as much as 1,500 tonnes to Japan. This would substantially increase the amount of whalemeat in the Japanese market. The export would be legal because these nations are exempt from the global ban on trading whalemeat, but conservation groups doubt its commercial viability. Last year, Hvalur hf exported about 65 tonnes of whalemeat to Japan, a consignment that owner Kristjan Loftsson described as a ‘loss-leader’. But following this year’s huge catch, he believes the next one can make money. ‘ This is our best year yet – we’re very happy about that  Gunnar Bergmann Jonsson Icelandic minke whaler ‘We’ll get a good price – we’re intending to make a profit, that’s for sure,’ he told BBC News. Mr Loftsson said he had now suspended fin whaling for this season, having caught 125 from a quota of 150. The remaining 25 can be carried over into next year’s hunting season. This compares with a […]