16.5 C
Byron Shire
July 15, 2026

Good news for whales in Iceland

Latest News

Renewables and battery storage stable amid global uncertainty

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, in partnership with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) today released the GenCost 2025–26 Final Report, finding renewable energy supported by storage is helping to protect Australia against global energy shocks and continues to provide the lowest cost pathway for Australia’s electricity system to achieve net zero emissions.

Other News

Ballina king tide alert for 13–16 July

Ballina Shire Council is encouraging motorists to drive safely over the coming days with king tides leading to minor flooding of some local roads.

Blow up the pokies

It’s pleasing to see further action on predatory poker machine reform being attempted by some intelligent politicians. It may –...

Try pickleball and support a great cause

Northern Rivers Pickleball Club are holding a marathon day of pickleball on Sunday, 19 July at the Goonellabah Tennis and Pickleball Club on Reserve Street, Goonellabah.

Great Koala National Park feedback report released

Feedback around the NSW government's Great Koala National Park (GKNP) proposal has been published – what are the main themes?

NAIDOC celebrations at Byron Apex Park

NAIDOC celebrations were held last week in Byron Bay

A place that has stayed

Byron Bay has always been a place that draws people in. Some come for a weekend, others for a season, and many end up staying for a lifetime.

Iceland’s annual quotas allow for the hunt of 209 fin whales – the planet’s second-largest species after the blue whale and considered endangered – and 217 minke whales, one of the smallest species. Minke Whales like this one will be one of the species saved by the Photo Port Douglas Reef Tours.

In an announcement that has made conservationsists very happy, Iceland‘s fisheries minister, Svandís Svavarsdóttir, has signalled plans to end commercial whaling by 2024 saying there is little economic justification to continue once current quotas expire in 2023.

Humane Society International (HSI) has campaigned for decades to bring an end to commercial whaling. With the news from Iceland, Japan and Norway will remain as the last two countries that still participate in the cruel commercial whaling industry.

HSI would be very pleased to see the Government of Iceland join countries like Australia who attend meetings of the International Whaling Commission to uphold its global moratorium on commercial whaling and invest in the conservation of whales.

Nicola Beynon, Head of Campaigns for Humane Society International, said, HSI is so pleased that Iceland is ending commercial whaling. ‘Once Iceland formally retires its harpoons we will be another step closer to making commercial whaling history, and hope that we will see similar commitments from Norway and Japan in the near future.’



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Lismore Boulevard Project announced

Design concept plans for the Lismore Boulevard – Shared User Path project are now available for community consultation, following Lismore City Council securing $2,383,030 in funding through the NSW Government’s Get NSW Active 2025–2026 program, administered by Transport for NSW (TfNSW).

Community responds to detention dams proposal

More than 110 residents gathered at Rock Valley Hall on Sunday 12 July and rejected claims that the recently released CSIRO report on flood mitigation was informed by strong community consultation.

Data shows biggest danger to wildlife is people, not cats

Human-created hazards are responsible for most wildlife rescues in New South Wales, and researchers are calling for more prevention strategies to save threatened species.

Try pickleball and support a great cause

Northern Rivers Pickleball Club are holding a marathon day of pickleball on Sunday, 19 July at the Goonellabah Tennis and Pickleball Club on Reserve Street, Goonellabah.