Iceland's government plans to submit legislation in February 2027 that could permanently end commercial whaling in its waters, potentially leaving Norway and Japan as the only countries still permitting the practice. The move follows a 2023 government-commissioned report that found harpooned whales took up to two hours to die, triggering a temporary suspension of hunting that year, and comes after the country's minister of industries publicly called the existing whaling laws outdated. If passed, the ban would affect Hvalur, Iceland's sole remaining whaling company, though existing permits running until 2029 are expected to be honoured, meaning the hunt could continue for several more years even under new legislation.