How Aquaman and Björk Helped Save 185 Endangered Fin Whales in Iceland
The Challenge
In summer 2023, the last remaining whale hunting operation in Iceland, Hvalur, announced plans to slaughter 209 endangered fin whales, threatening not only these majestic creatures but also the global climate. Fin whales are vital to carbon sequestration; each whale stores roughly 33 tons of carbon over its lifetime, contributing an estimated $2 million in carbon sequestration and ecosystem services. The environmental and moral stakes could not have been higher.
Our Strategy
To confront this urgent threat, Grounded quickly mobilized to support the fight against commercial whaling. We provided a $25,000 grant to the Keystone Species Alliance, enabling them to secure legal assistance to challenge Hvalur under Iceland’s Animal Welfare Act. At the same time, we collaborated with filmmaker-activists Micah Green and Anahita Babaei of The Last Whaling Station to engage global influencers. With support from high-profile figures like Jason Momoa and Björk, we amplified the cause through a coordinated Twitterstorm and a celebrity-endorsed letter directed at Iceland’s Minister for Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries and the Minister of Culture.
Jason Momoa calls for Iceland to uphold the ban on fin whale hunting.
Impact
The combination of legal action and public pressure brought immediate and far-reaching results:
185 Fin Whales Saved: The temporary halt on whaling delivered a significant return on investment, estimated at $370 million in terms of carbon sequestration and ecosystem services.
Legal Victory: Keystone Species Alliance secured a temporary injunction against Hvalur, effectively stopping the whale hunt. Iceland’s Expert Advisory Board on Animal Welfare later confirmed that commercial whaling violated the Animal Welfare Act.
Policy Change: Iceland’s Minister for Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries suspended fin whale hunting for the season and introduced new regulations. As of January 2024, Hvalur’s whaling license has expired, with no new applications submitted, and Iceland’s legislature is considering a permanent ban.
Whales are not only beautiful sentient beings but are also vital for ocean health and sustenance. When we have key players advocate for their voice, the message of their cultural significance and scientific importance ripples through global communities.
Biodiversity loss is an urgent matter. We depend on the web of life to secure a livable planet for the future. If we can get more people with public platforms to speak about this in an urgent manner and then translate the science in a way that engages the audience, big changes in how we relate to nature will occur. We all have a responsibility to speak for Nature — sometimes it takes just one key player to jumpstart that ripple effect.
Vera Urtaza Reyes, Keystone Species Alliance
Key Insights
This case highlights the power of combining legal action with strategic influencer engagement to achieve conservation goals. By elevating the voices of global artists and activists, we were able to amplify the call for policy change and spotlight the critical role of fin whales in ocean health and climate stability. The campaign’s success also emphasized the importance of framing biodiversity protection not just as a moral imperative, but as an economic necessity—showing policymakers and the public that protecting keystone species is vital to maintaining ecosystem services and combating climate change.
As Vera Urtaza Reyes, Co-Founder of the Keystone Species Alliance put it, “We all have a responsibility to speak for Nature—sometimes it takes just one key player to jumpstart that ripple effect.” This case sets a powerful precedent for future campaigns, demonstrating that a coordinated, multi-pronged approach can turn the tide on urgent environmental threats and create lasting change.