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Articles on Icelands Renewed Whaling
Campaigners
Condemn Iceland Whale Killing
The Scottish News
By Sherna Noah, PA News
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Icelandic whale hunters left port in the early hours of August
17, 2003 to pursue their first catch of the large sea mammals in 14 years,
angering environmentalists and raising fears for the country's growing
tourist industry. Photo by Reuters Graphic |
Animal welfare campaigners today
criticised the killing of Iceland’s first whale in 14 years.
Iceland stopped whaling in 1989 following an international
boycott of its fish products.
But earlier this month the country sparked international
concern by announcing a six-week operation to kill 38 minke whales for
scientific research.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) today
Iceland’s Marine Research Institute had confirmed the killing in a hunt which
took place yesterday morning, north west of the capital Reykjavik.
The group’s UK spokeswoman Gill Sanders, who is in Iceland,
said observers had been prevented from filming the hunt by whalers who refused
to continue while cameras were present.
She said: “We were really sad to hear that the first whale
had been killed. We were hoping right until the last minute that Iceland would
change its mind.
“It sends a very disturbing message that cameras were not
allowed to get anywhere near what was going on.”
She added: “Iceland’s return to this cruel and needless
slaughter flies in the face of decades of international conservation efforts.
“The Icelandic people are being badly advised and misled by
their own fisheries ministry.
“Iceland’s international credibility and economy may be
among the ultimate victims.”
While commercial whaling is banned by international
treaties, under International Whaling Commission (IWC) rules whales can be
killed for scientific purposes.
The Icelandic government says it is investigating the
depleting fish stock, but the plans have sparked formal objections from 17
countries, including the UK and US.
Local tourist groups are also concerned that the move could
keep visitors away from Iceland, which has a thriving whale watching industry.
IFAW’s president Fred O’Regan said: “Breaking the ban on
whaling makes no sense for Iceland.
“This will literally chase away the thriving whale watching
industry and ultimately hurt the Icelandic economy.
“This is bad decision for whales, for international
cooperation, for Icelandic tourists and fishermen and for Icelandic taxpayers
who have to underwrite the whole thing.”
Minke whales are the smallest of the great whales,
measuring nine to 10 metres.
U.S. Disappointed by Iceland Whaling
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Icelandic whaler captain Gudmundur Haraldsson holds up the
heart of the first minke whale to be caught off Iceland in 14 years, August
18, 2003. The Icelandic whaler Njordur was due to hunt more whales despite
environmentalists' anger and a U.S. threat of sanctions. Photo by Alfons
Finnsson/Morgunbladid/Reuters |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States expressed extreme
disappointment Monday that Iceland had begun hunting whales for scientific
research and said it likely would prompt consideration of a trade embargo.
Icelandic whalers harpooned their first minke whale in 14 years Monday,
according to the marine scientist in charge of the hunt.
"We're extremely disappointed with Iceland's decision to begin a lethal
research whaling program, which anticipates taking 38 minke whales," State
Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters.
"Although the program is technically legal under the Whaling
Convention, we've said many times that lethal research on whales is not
necessary and the needed scientific data can be obtained by well-established,
non-lethal means," he said.
Boucher said "the taking of whales by Iceland will likely trigger a
review by the Department of Commerce of Iceland's lethal scientific whaling
process program for possible certification under the Pelly Amendment."
Under the Pelly Amendment to the Fisherman's Protective Act, the Secretary
of Commerce is required to certify to the U.S. president when nationals of
another country are undermining the effectiveness of an international
conservation regime, such as the International Whaling Commission.
The Pelly certification authorizes the president to use his discretion to
ban imports of products from the country or countries cited.
The whale was killed in waters west of Iceland by whalers on board the ship
Njordur, one of three vessels taking part in the hunt.
The three whale boats left port in the early hours Sunday after receiving
their hunting permits Friday for what the authorities have described as
scientific purposes -- primarily the impact on fish stocks.
Commercial hunting of whales has been outlawed since 1986, because seven of
the 13 great whale species are endangered.
Iceland, which ceased whaling in 1989 under international pressure, says it
must control whales to protect fish stocks and protect the livelihood of its
fishermen.
An estimated 43,000 minke whales are believed to live in Icelandic waters,
eating two million tons of fish and krill every year.
Iceland Whale Hunt Goes on Despite
Protests
By Gleb Bryanski
OLAFSVIK, Iceland (Reuters) - Icelandic whalers were out hunting again on
Tuesday, one day after their first catch in 14 years drew protests from
environmentalist groups and prompted the United States to threaten sanctions.
Two vessels with whale hunting permits were still out at sea after a third,
the Njordur, returned with the first minke whale caught in Icelandic waters
since 1989, said Johan Sigurjonsson, a director at the Icelandic Marine
Research Institute.
The 16-yard-long vessel, off-limits to journalists, was due to resume the hunt
later on Tuesday after bringing its catch ashore at the west coast village of
Olafsvik.
A Reuters witness said the deck looked empty apart from half a dozen big
knives and machinery covered with bloodstains, used to cut up the whale.
The first catch was a 5.6-yard-long male, Sigurjonsson said, calling it
"rather small." Adult minke whales grow to 10 yards.
Iceland plans initially to catch 38 minke whales as part of what it says is
scientific research on the impact of a growing whale population on fish stocks
vital for the livelihood of Icelandic fishermen.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States was
"extremely disappointed" and could consider sanctions against imports
from the north Atlantic island.
Jill Sanders of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, in Reykjavik to
monitor the whale hunt, said the exercise was pointless from a scientific point
of view.
"There's absolutely no need to go out and kill whales in the
ocean," she told Reuters.
About 10 dead minke whales were washed ashore in Iceland every year, she
said. "They (scientists) can cut their stomachs if they want to find out
what they have been eating."
The British-based Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) said
Iceland's "so-called scientific hunt" was the first step toward the
culling of whales in the name of fisheries management and a front for resuming
commercial activities.
Commercial whaling has been banned since 1986 because 13 of the world's
great whale species are considered endangered.
A vast majority of Iceland's 290,000 people support whaling, opinion polls
show, and Iceland's President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson called the hunt
legitimate.
"The whale population...is a consumer of vast quantities of fish
stocks. But we don't really know what is the extent of that because we have not
been able to do the sufficient research," he told a news conference in
Anchorage, Alaska.
Japan
May Become Pirate Whaling Nation
Whaling Nations Want to restart Hunt
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Posted August 20, 2003