From Frode with Love

Posted by Lisa at 11:48 PM, June 21, 2005

Frode talks to an Icelandic reporter about whaling © Greenpeace

Yesterday the Icelandic media raised their eyebrows when the press conference started with a focus on climate change. They came expecting the usual anti-whaling message. We made the point that there is an obvious need for more research on the impact of climate change on Icelandic glaciers and fish stocks. The whaling program is unscientific, the market is marginal and shrinking and should quite simply be shut down to free the resources. Our message was well received..........

I am glad that we are here in Iceland maintaining the pressure on the government and continuing to raise awareness about this issue. There have been many Icelandic people who have come to the ship this year to voice their support. It is like we are in a different country compared with 3 years ago.

Unfortunately we do not know the Icelandic "scientific" whaling quota for this year yet but we expect it to be announced very soon. It seems Iceland may be waiting for certain decisions to made at this year’s IWC meeting, whish is currently underway in Korea. Fortunately, plans to resume commercial whaling this year have been turned down already.

Today we held a reception on climate change with Icelandic politicians, scientists and activists. This connected Icelandic voices with the ones of Greenpeace. The chairman of the Icelandic Whale Watching Association, Asbjorn Bjorgvinsson (Abbi) also made a speech and reminded us that we have his full support for the anti-whaling campaign. He said “whale-whatching is far better than whaling for Iceland”. Abbi is also the manager of the Husavik Whale Museum.

I would personally like to thank all those who have taken the pledge and e.mailed the Icelandic government. Without your support, none of this would be possible.

Frode Pleym
--Greenpeace spokesperson for the Iceland campaigns

Abbi, Frode and Phil the bosun talk about the kinds of whales, which can be found in Iceland