A SANCTUARY AT SEA. BELUGA WHALES, PUFFINS AND CONSERVATION IN VESTMANNAEYJAR

A Sanctuary at sea. Beluga whales, puffins and conservation in Vestmannaeyjar.  Fish Focus’ latest feature follows our trip to the Icelandic archipelago, Vestmannaeyjar.

Tucked beside the harbour at Vestmannaeyjar lies one of the most ambitious marine welfare projects in the world: the SEA LIFE TRUST Beluga Whale Sanctuary.

Our visit began not with whales, but with our puffling, rescued, weighed, health-checked and prepared for release back into the wild; an experience that perfectly encapsulates the Sanctuary’s broader mission of marine care, conservation and education.

The centre is a hive of activity. Alongside the beluga facilities, it is home to Iceland’s only Puffin Rescue Centre, a native-species aquarium showcasing local marine life and a well-stocked visitor centre.

Educational displays throughout the venue guide visitors through key themes including marine conservation, Icelandic sea life and the extraordinary relocation journey of the Sanctuary’s beluga
residents.

From Captivity to Open Water The Sanctuary’s first inhabitants will be two beluga whales, Little White and Little Grey. Formerly held in an aquarium in Shanghai, the pair were transported more than 6,000 miles to Iceland through a meticulously planned relocation programme involving road, sea and air transport. Their journey marked a global first in the movement of belugas from a fully captive environment to their forthcoming new home, an open-water sanctuary.

While preparations for their full release continue, the whales are currently housed within the on-site aquarium, where they are undoubtedly the stars of the show. Swimming effortlessly through expansive tanks, they offer visitors a rare opportunity to observe belugas while learning about their biology, behaviour and the challenges facing wild populations.

Their future home lies just offshore in a sheltered bay at Klettsvík, where a specially designed “halo” habitat, 50 metres in diameter and weighing nearly 17 tonnes, was installed in 2022. This
floating structure allows the whales to explore natural seabed features while remaining protected, giving them access to tides, currents and the sensory richness of the open ocean.

A World First for Beluga Welfare

The SEA LIFE TRUST Beluga Whale Sanctuary is the world’s first open-water refuge created specifically for beluga whales previously held in captivity. Its core aim is to provide a more natural environment for animals under human care, while advancing research, education and the conservation of wild beluga populations.

Founded by the UK-based Sea Life Trust in partnership with Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), and supported by Merlin Entertainments, the Sanctuary officially opened on Heimaey in May
2019. From the outset, the project has challenged traditional approaches to cetacean care, offering a viable alternative to the conventional tank based aquarium model.

Why It Matters

The significance of the Beluga Whale Sanctuary extends well beyond Vestmannaeyjar:

The project demonstrates that large cetaceans can be supported in semi natural, open-water environments, with access to real ocean conditions rather than confined tanks. By moving away from performance based captivity, the Sanctuary promotes a shift in how marine mammals are viewed and cared for worldwide. The open-water setting provides valuable insights into beluga behaviour, welfare and adaptation, while educating visitors about marine ecosystems, seabirds and Iceland’s coastal biodiversity.

A Different Kind of Marine Experience

This is not a traditional aquarium attraction. Instead, the SEA LIFE TRUST Beluga Whale Sanctuary invites visitors to reflect on our relationship with the ocean and the animals that inhabit it. For those travelling to Iceland and willing to venture beyond the mainland, the Sanctuary offers a thoughtful, inspiring experience rooted in science, compassion and respect for marine life.

At the crossroads of animal welfare, conservation, research and sustainable tourism, the Sanctuary stands as a powerful reminder that the future of marine stewardship may lie not behind glass, but out at sea.

We will be posting an article every day, covering this amazing trip and showcasing the Icelandic Seafood industry, cutting edge aquaculture, Icelandic heritage and the hospitality of the Icelandic people. You can read the whole publication here

Image: Олег Мороз, Unsplash