Hamburg, 13 February 2026 - On World Whale Day on 15 February, IFAW points to the dramatic increase in the dangers facing whales worldwide. Forty years after the international whaling moratorium came into force, whales continue to be hunted commercially in Iceland, Norway and Japan. At the same time, the effects of the climate crisis and the danger of deadly ship strikes or entanglement in fishing gear threaten these marine mammals. The situation is particularly critical for the North Atlantic right whale, whose population is estimated at only around 380 animals remaining.

'Whales are under massive threat worldwide from man-made dangers,' explains Andreas Dinkelmeyer, campaign manager for IFAW in Germany. 'It is alarming that new catch quotas are still being allocated while at the same time an increasing number of animals are being injured or killed by ship strikes or through entanglement in fishing gear. The sea must finally become a safe habitat for whales again.'

The adoption of the moratorium on commercial whaling by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1982 is one of the most important conservation decisions of the 20th century. Nevertheless, three countries - Norway, Iceland and Japan - continue to disregard the ban to this day. Since the moratorium came into force, they have killed a total of around 45,000 whales.

For decades, IFAW has been campaigning to end commercial whaling worldwide once and for all and to ensure compliance with the moratorium. To mark the 40th anniversary of the global whaling ban, IFAW has launched a global petition for the complete abolition of commercial whaling in an international coalition of animal and species conservation organisations - the End Commercial Whaling Coalition: https://endcommercialwhaling.org . The petition will go online on World Whale Day, 15 February 2026.

Whales are crucial to the health of marine ecosystems. Through their migrations, they distribute nutrients and promote the growth of phytoplankton - a microorganism that produces about 50 per cent of the world's oxygen and stores large amounts of carbon. Whales also bind large amounts of carbon dioxide in their own biomass. When a whale dies and sinks to the sea floor, this carbon is often stored there for very long periods of time. As a result, whales make a measurable contribution to carbon sequestration in the ocean and thus also to climate protection.

'Commercial whaling must finally come to an end - immediately,' demands Dinkelmeyer. 'At the same time, we must drastically reduce man-made hazards: slower ships, environmentally friendly shipping routes and modern fishing gear without dangerous lines. Otherwise, entire species such as the North Atlantic right whale are at immediate risk of extinction.'

Background information:

• The End Commercial Whaling Coalition's petition will go online on World Whale Day on 15 February 2026: endcommercialwhaling.org . Signatures will be collected worldwide until September 2026 and then handed over at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) conference.
• IFAW opposes commercial whaling. It is cruel and unnecessary. There is no humane way to kill a whale. As a profitable and sustainable alternative, IFAW advocates for responsible whale watching, as it is better for whales and coastal communities.
• Ship collisions and entanglement in fishing lines are among the greatest threats to whales, alongside whaling. IFAW is therefore working with local fishing companies to develop sustainable solutions that will prevent whales from becoming entangled in lines. Only stricter regulations on fishing gear and slower ship speeds can provide real protection for whales.
• The fate of the North Atlantic right whale exemplifies the enormous dangers posed to marine mammals by humans. The species, which occurs off the east coast of Canada and the United States, is on the IUCN Red List and, with only about 380 animals remaining, is one of the most endangered mammal species in the world.
• A sad, recent example of the dramatic situation is the case of the North Atlantic right whale 'Division'. The animal became entangled in fishing lines in December 2025 and, despite intensive rescue efforts, could only be partially freed. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tracked its increasingly weakened condition via satellite transmitter through Canadian and US waters. On 27 January this year, 'Division' was finally discovered dead off the coast of North Carolina (USA). Photos taken by NOAA can be found here.