Regardless, Iceland takes the view – along with the other whaling nations – that the practice can be sustainable, at least for certain populations. "Therefore, reasons not to allow it include welfare, emotional and cultural reasons," says Wilson. That might include a reluctance to cause the whales to suffer - it is not clear whether it is possible to humanely kill a large animal in open water - or distaste for the killing of such intelligent animals. Not all cultures share these concerns. "Some don't agree there are reasons they shouldn't be whaling," she says.