Norway: great potential
Tromso: Norway has given me so many incredible memories, especially of whale watching. I spent some time there during the winter, which is when herrings migrate into the fjords, attracting orcas and other whales that come to feed. I was fortunate to spend some time on a boat, witnessing this amazing spectacle.
However, Norway is still, unfortunately, a country that hunts whales. On my first day, while exploring a northern city, I was shocked to see whale products openly sold in stores—especially whale salami. What surprised me even more was that it wasn’t just a niche product tucked away on a shelf; many shops, from souvenir stores to clothing boutiques, prominently featured whale-based products. Even more unsettling was how aggressively they promoted them. Shopkeepers offered free samples of whale salami and other whale meat, proudly presenting it as a traditional national food and encouraging tourists to try it.
This experience was deeply disturbing. It wasn’t just about selling these products—it felt like an active push to normalise and incentives their consumption. But whale hunting is something we should be working to end, not promote. Seeing this firsthand made me realise just how much work still needs to be done to protect these magnificent creatures.
Then I went whale-watching, and while talking to the guides and crew members, I realised something surprising—Norway has no regulations for whale-watching. Given that the government itself supports whaling, it’s not entirely unexpected, but I had assumed that a country like Norway would at least have some guidelines in place. However, there are none. Instead, there is only a voluntary code of conduct that some companies follow out of respect for animal welfare, while many others do not.
During my excursion, I was fortunate to be with a responsible company called Brim explorer. The guides on board were naturalists who not only provided insightful lessons on marine life but also emphasised the importance of ethical whale-watching and minimising disturbance. And I could really see it in action. The way they approached the animals was thoughtful, ensuring that interactions were as non-intrusive as possible.
One of the things that impressed me most was how they handled sightings in areas with multiple boats. Many companies take the easy route—if they see whales surrounded by ten other boats, they simply join the crowd, ensuring their guests see the animals quickly and easily. But Brim actively avoided those situations. Instead of adding more pressure to an already stressed group of whales, they chose to continue searching for less crowded areas, even though it meant spending more time looking. It was a great approach, and I felt lucky to be with them. Of course, at times, we still ended up in areas with other boats, but their efforts to minimise impact were evident.
However, the most disturbing thing I witnessed was the practice of swimming with orcas.
My first encounter with the so-called “swimming with orcas” experience was shocking. As we were riding through the area, I suddenly noticed something unusual—a circle. A literal circle of boats, at least ten or more, all small speedboats, had gathered and stopped in formation.
Inside this circle was a massive pod of orcas—several smaller pods grouped together—actively feeding on herring. But then, I saw something even more disturbing: black dots scattered throughout the water. People. All of these boats had dropped swimmers into the water at the same time, right in the middle of the feeding orcas.
I felt sick. I ran inside to the guides and crew, completely horrified, asking, What the hell is going on? This was insane. They looked saddened but unsurprised, explaining that, unfortunately, this is just how it is here—there are no regulations, and companies do whatever they want. But even though they were used to seeing it, they still found it disturbing.
That scene was beyond shocking. First of all, circling animals like that is completely wrong. You never trap wildlife in a circle—they always need an open route to move freely. Blocking their passage with boats is incredibly harmful and stressful for them.
Second, these orcas weren’t just passing through; they were feeding. This was a crucial survival activity, requiring high-speed chases and coordinated hunting strategies. And yet, these boats were disrupting everything, interfering with their natural behaviour at the worst possible moment.
And then, on top of all that, they dumped maybe 10 or more people into the water—right in the middle of the chaos—just so they could check off a bucket list experience and snap their perfect photo.
It was a massive, reckless disturbance. And while some might argue about the potential dangers of being in the water with orcas during a feeding event, to me, that was the least of the concerns. The real issue was the sheer level of interference with these incredible animals and their natural behaviour.
