Management status of marine mammal stocks in NAMMCO

Updated 07/2023

For laws and regulations look here.

Faroes

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed:

Long-finned pilot whale
White-sided dolphin
White-beaked dolphin
Bottlenose dolphin
Harbour porpoise

Protected: All other cetacean species and, also around fish farms

Seals

Hunting allowed: None

Protected: Grey seals (the only resident species is de facto protected by a combination of regulations), now also around fish farm January 2021.

Greenland

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed:

From West Greeenland:
- Bowhead whale (quota)
- Fin whale (quota)
- Humpback whale (quota)
From both West and East Greenland:
- Minke whale (quota)
- Narwhal (quota)
- Beluga (quota)
- Bottlenose whale
- Killer whale
- Pilot whale
- White-sided dolphin
- White-beaked dolphin
- Harbour porpoise

Protected: All other species

Seals

Hunting allowed:

Both from West and East Greenland
- Walrus (quota)
- Hooded seal (but with a very small quota from East Greenland)
- Harp seal
- Ringed seal
- Bearded seal

Protected: Grey seal, Harbour seal

For others seal species:

lactating females and pup pairs
pups with lanugo hair (‘white-coats’) – i.e., in practice for harp, ringed, and bearded seals that are species with laguno hair

Iceland

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed:

Fin whale (quota)
Minke whale (quota)

Protected: All other species

Seals

Hunting: banned in 2019

Protected: All species, including

Grey seal & Harbour seal, the two resident species
However, permission can be requested for personal use those two species

Norway excl. Svalbard

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed: Minke whale (quota)

Protected: All other cetaceans species

Seals

Hunting allowed:

Pack ice hunt

Harp seal (quota)
Hooded seal (quota – since 2007 quota=0)

Coastal seals

Grey seal (quota)
Harbour seal (quota)

Permission can be granted during special time periods:

Ringed seal
Harp seal

Protected: Other seal species. All seals around fish farms

Svalbard

Cetaceans

Hunting allowed: Minke whale (quota)

Protected: All other species

Seals

Hunting allowed:

Only permitted outside breeding season in the following periods:

Bearded seal: 01/02-27/04 + 05/06-30/11
Ringed seal 01/02-20/03 + 20/05 – 30/11

Protected: Walrus

All seals other than bearded and ringed seals are fully protected. During breeding season bearded and ringed seals are also protected.