Elding’s Rob Hyman is researching the whales of Iceland

Whale watching is one of Iceland’s top activities for visitors to the country. Iceland is fortunate to have those majestic creatures in abundance in its waters. Iceland can be inhospitable and difficult to live in, but we are blessed with plentiful geothermal water and rich ocean resources. Those two things make this island habitable. Whales are a vital part of Iceland’s ocean marine ecosystem and in this article, I interview Rob Hyman, a marine biologist whose passion is researching whales of Iceland.

Faxaflói Bay is both a choice buffet and a highway for whales

What is even better is that whales like to hang out close to our coastal city of Reykjavik and the coastal towns around the country. Reykjavik is by the Faxaflói Bay. Think of the bay as a whale highway and a choice buffet. The same is true for Eyjafjörður in the north, where my hometown of Akureyri is. Take it from a local: Eyjafjörður is, of course, Iceland’s most beautiful fjord. Whales are plentiful in the northern Bay of Skjálfandi. That is where the lovely coastal town of Húsavík is. Whales are also particular to Skutulsfjörður and Ísafjarðardjúp in the Westfjords by the wonderful town of Ísafjörður. All of those places are excellent destinations.

I always thought Icelandic whale-watching companies existed only to monetize people’s interest in whales. I knew they had a detailed code of conduct called IceWhale on how they operate near whales to avoid stressing or disrupting the observed animals on tours. That is, of course, laudable, but I thought things ended there.

Introducing the scientists of Elding who are researching the whales of Iceland

Well, I was wrong so many times before (I am not mistaken about the beauty of Eyjafjörður, though). Since 2007, my partner Elding has employed scientists who research the behavior of whales and dolphins in Eyjafjörður and Faxaflói. Their research findings are available publicly on their website. A significant result of the research work is an extensive database containing behavioral data for hundreds of whales and dolphins in Eyjafjörður and Faxaflói Bay. This results in new knowledge of how well whales and dolphins are doing, how many there are, and how they react to climate change. Importantly, having this historical data allows scientists to observe trends over time.

Elding’s research, for example, has revealed that humpback whales spend more time in Faxaflói Bay. The upshot is that Elding sighted whales on 92%—100% of its tours in the second half of 2024.

One of the scientists working for Elding is Research Co-ordinator and Senior Naturalist Rob Hyman. He has a Master’s in Biology from the University of York in the UK. Rob started as a research intern with Elding in the summer of 2022. In November of the same year, he began working as a naturalist while continuing his research. By March 2023, he was a senior guide. Previously, Rob interned in Greece and the UK, focusing on cetacean research.

Hey Rob, thank you for agreeing to this interview. What first brought you to Iceland, and what made you decide to stay and work here?

Hey! Thank you for taking the time to do the interview as well. I first came to Iceland in the summer of 2022 as a research intern with Elding after completing my Master’s in the UK. My main goal at that stage was to gain further experience working at sea before collecting and analyzing data. This was an incredible time, and so when the opportunity arose for me to return later in the year as a guide, I couldn’t say no. I then haven’t looked back since. Beyond this, the incredible landscapes and fun this country has to offer make it so easy to stay. Being able to travel regularly to Snæfellsnes or the Westfjords is really special.

You’ve worked as a marine mammal researcher in different parts of the world. How does Iceland’s marine ecosystem compare to other places you’ve studied?

A key influence on the different ecosystems where I have worked would be their latitude. Iceland is the furthest north and so much colder in comparison to the Aegean Sea, for example. The diversity in species is probably highest around Iceland though. There are approximately 10-15 species that are seen regularly compared to 7 and 6 for the UK and Aegean Sea, respectively. Another difference is that of these species most are large whales around Iceland, but most species are a bit smaller in the other locations. From my experience, I have mostly seen humpback whales around Iceland, in the UK it was mostly bottlenose dolphins, and in the Aegean it was mostly the common dolphin. I would say the UK has the strongest measures put in place to look after and protect these marine species.

Elding isn’t just a whale-watching company—it’s actively involved in research and conservation. Can you tell us more about the research projects you and your team are working on?

This is definitely a really exciting part of Elding, when you speak to most of our guides one of the drawing factors to the company is the research we do. Over the past year, we have accomplished a lot by looking at the photo identification of humpback, minke, killer, and pilot whales. The work on humpbacks led to one of our interns producing a Master’s thesis in collaboration with the University of St. Andrews and Happywhale.

Contributing to academic research on whales with a hydrophone!

We also are contributing to papers on minke whales and killer whales. In the first part of every year, we analyze the previous years’ data in relation to what we saw and the behaviors too. This not only advances our understanding of the cetaceans here but also ensures that our guests get the most up-to-date information. We are also looking into the ways we collect the data on board and how we could improve this to streamline the process of producing results. This would involve looking at where and when we see the whales. Something that really excites me is that we can then look further into the influence of boats on the whales and how their behavior may be changing. Finally, a really exciting opportunity has come up where we are hopefully going to have our own hydrophone so we can also listen to what is happening under the water!

Humpback whales seem to be spending more time in Faxaflói Bay. What are some possible reasons for this behavior change?

The increase has been really dramatic in the last decade or so. In 2016, we saw humpbacks on just under half of our tours, whereas in 2024, we saw humpbacks on almost 80%! So this is something that is really cool for us to be seeing. A key reason behind it could be that humpback whales have been a protected species from whaling for nearly 60 years; this has allowed their numbers to recover. Summer has always been the peak time to see this species, but during winter, we are now also seeing more. This could be because if the population is increasing, the younger individuals who do not migrate will be in greater numbers. They are also staying closer to the coast in winter as that is where one of the species of fish they feed on is spawning. So there is an abundance of food for them.

Climate change is affecting oceans worldwide. What trends have you observed in whale populations around Iceland, and what might this tell us about the health of the North Atlantic ecosystem?

Climate change has the potential to have huge impacts on the marine ecosystem around Iceland. This will influence the lower levels of the food chain, resulting in changes for the whales. In recent years we have seen an increase in humpback whales with a decrease in minke whales. This could be that the humpback whales are outcompeting the minkes for prey. Rising ocean temperatures are also slowing the Gulf Stream, which brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico up towards northern Europe. If this continues to weaken, it could reduce nutrient mixing, impacting phytoplankton productivity. This then influences fish stocks and, ultimately, whale populations. Migration patterns of fish and cetaceans could be altered, too. Some may move further north, and new species from the south may appear. Of course, a lot of this is speculative; we are only beginning to understand what may happen.

While researching whales of Iceland, you spend a lot of time observing them in their natural habitat. Can you share a particularly memorable encounter while on the water?

It’s too hard to just choose one! But two moments really stand out to me. In the summer of 2023, we had an incredible tour. We headed out and got to see two different humpback whales breach within minutes of each other. Then, in the distance, we saw another breach. This third humpback turned out to be a known individual, Davy Jones II. They also happen to be the first humpback I saw out here in Iceland in 2022. Davy then ‘mugged’ us for the next hour whilst we had all the engines off.

Breathtaking moments with whales

The whale was swimming within meters of us this whole time and showing off all parts of its body. Another unforgettable day was in April 2024. We saw over 50 humpback whales, about 10 fin whales, a few minke whales, and white-beaked dolphins. They were all feeding together down near Keflavík. Just seeing this many different animals was breathtaking.

What’s something surprising about whale behavior that most people might not know?

I think the range of emotions these species have is quite surprising for many people. In the summer of 2024, one of our tours saw a pod of white-beaked dolphins. On closer inspection, the guide realized one of the individuals had a deceased calf on their head being raised above the water. This behavior could suggest mourning. On several occasions, killer whales have shown similar behavior. They have also been seen carrying deceased calves or lingering near the coastline when one washes up on the coast. These moments highlight the strong social bonds and emotional intelligence of cetaceans.

Whale-watching tourism has grown significantly in Iceland. What are some best practices that companies like Elding follow to ensure ethical and sustainable tours?

Respecting the animals is key. When we leave the harbor, we enter their habitat, so we must remember it is their home, not ours. At Elding, we follow a strict code of conduct (IceWhale). Once a whale has been sighted we slow down and then even turn off the propellers to protect the whale but also allow everyone to enjoy the sounds of nature. By following these steps, we are reducing the noise from the boat in the water and also ensuring the chances of hitting a whale are reduced. Our guides then play a very important role in this, too. They will explain this process to passengers so they understand why we have to behave in a respectful and careful way. They also talk about broader conservation efforts, such as choosing sustainable food and reducing plastic waste

For travelers coming to Iceland, what’s the best time of year for whale watching, and what species are they most likely to see?

Most people assume summer is the best time of year to see whales. But in recent years, this has been changing. In fact, 2024 was the first time in Elding’s history that winter had a higher success rate than summer (both were still over 90%, though)! In the summer, the variety of species is a bit higher. There is a very good chance to see all 4 of our most common species: the humpback and minke whale, white-beaked dolphin, and harbor porpoise. In the winter, we mostly see humpback whales, harbor porpoises, and sometimes even seals! The snow-covered mountains in winter also make for a more stunning backdrop. Basically, it doesn’t matter too much when you come anymore as there are always very good chances to see whales!

If you could dispel one myth or misunderstanding about whales or marine life, what would it be?

A fun one is the idea that whales can swallow people. Despite their massive size, their oesophaguses are surprisingly small. For example, the blue whale is the biggest animal to have ever lived. But they have an oesophagus about the size of an orange when relaxed or a grapefruit when stretched. This would, obviously, make it impossible to swallow a person. Even on the very rare occasion when a humpback whale accidentally engulfed a person whilst feeding, it spat the person out straight away. They have even been seen to do the same when catching an Atlantic puffin by accident. So, they definitely know what they like!

Killer whales are whale killers!

People also wonder about killer whales. However, their name comes from a flipped translation. Originally, they were called whale killers in Spanish as they sometimes prey on other whales. Their name was switched to killer whales when translated into English. Most importantly, they have no interest in hunting humans anyway.