ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the island nation of Iceland and considers the ways in which charismatic marine fauna such as cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) and puffins have become iconic and symbolically significant objects of exchange in tourism marketing on the island. It shows how whales and puffins have become a tourist attraction but at the same time a delicacy in the Icelandic context. The chapter also shows how their preparation as food and feasts has become a tourism experience and thus provides a reason to travel to Iceland for some people, but a reason to not go there for others. It explores the consumptive practices of whaling and puffin hunting along with whale- and puffin-watching activities. The chapter presents theories concerning cultural interpretations of animals as food and the ethical dimensions of species encounters in the Anthropocene.
