Iceland Resumes Whaling Despite Ban

by Kimberly Coleman and Patricia Collier

The Iceland Fisheries Ministry recently announced they will resume whaling activities despite a ban on commercial whaling handed down by the International Whaling Commission over thirteen years ago.

The commercial ban does not include restrictions for scientific research.

The Iceland Ministry said its plan to kill over 200 Minke whales in a twelve month period of time is for research purposes.

The announcement by the government was met with opposition by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and many North American and European member countries of the International Whaling Commission (ICW).

Iceland withdrew from the IWC in 1992, but had petitioned for reinstatement three times since. They were denied twice, but were allowed to rejoin the IWC in October of 2002 if they agreed not to resume whaling until after 2006.

Several animal rights groups were concerned that Iceland was allowed to withdraw and rejoin with restrictions on the whaling ban. They said the action undermined unified global efforts of the IWC and CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

"The United States is extremely disappointed with Iceland’s decision to begin a lethal research whaling program," said the United States Commissioner to the IWC.

"We have a long-standing policy of opposing lethal research whaling and do not support Iceland’s decision to resume whaling," he said.

Whale watching generates $8M a year for Iceland’s economy. The Icelandic Whale Watching Association said forty percent of overseas visitors to Iceland take part in the activity.

Over 115,000 whales were killed in the twentieth century. Their numbers have declined significantly over the years due to whaling, entanglement in commercial fishing nets, environment pollution and climate changes.

Many species are now considered endangered.

Once the research activities begin, Iceland will join Japan and Norway as the only countries in the world still killing whales.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.