Iceland Makes First Kill: Endangered Fin Whale
A living fin whale. © Greenpeace / Aguilar
The slaughter has started - with the senseless killing of a 20m-long endangered Fin whale that its hunter, Kristjan Loftsson plans to land tomorrow - in order to show it off to the world. I don't know what to say, really. Iceland, which appears to have given in into Loftsson's one-man anti-whale lobby, really has thrown the toys out of the playpen on this one. The international communitty is pissed off, Iceland seems intent on making a mockery of its membership of the IWC, and apparently even the Environment Minister acknowledges that the lack of operating license for Kristjan Loftsson’s meat processing plant in Hvalfjoerdur is causing something of a problem. What do do with all the dead whale now that you've got it??
In addition to the other 38 whales that Iceland plans to kill, there's nearly another 1,000 that Japanese whaling ships are planning to bump off in the Southern Ocean - starting from next month.
So far, 84004 people have taken the pledge:
“I would seriously consider taking a vacation in Iceland rather than somewhere else if the Government of Iceland stopped whaling. I would be willing to receive an email about the options available for Icelandic tourism, an email that would be sent to me if the Government of Iceland ends its whaling program.” Take the Iceland whales pledge »
Read on for media coverage of the killing of the endangered fin whale...
"Iceland has reportedly broken a 21-year-old international ban on commercial whaling by killing a fin whale - an endangered species. "One fin whale was caught today and will be landed tomorrow," a whalers' spokesman told Reuters news agency." BBC:Iceland 'breaks ban on whaling' »
"Australia's Environment Minister Ian Campbell says Iceland is sticking two fingers in the air to the international community by killing a whale species listed as close to extinction." The Australian: Iceland 'giving world the finger' »
"But that alone won't protect the world's whales. For that, we'll need one of two things: a real regulatory system for whaling that environmentalists and whale-hunting nations can agree on, or an outright worldwide ban on hunting whales. What this week's news shows is that the current system — an undefined temporary ban — isn't feasible anymore." LA Times: Saving the Whales, Again »
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Comments
in addition to travel boycotts, Iceland is marketing it's natural food products and bottled water through the natural food chains Whole Foods and Wild Oats. This is an attempt to develop a new export industry, touting the naturalness of Iceland's food products. Express your displeasure to these stores, and see if that might not be a source of significant economic pressure.
Posted by: Kate | October 23, 2006 10:27 PM
If you want to send a letter to the Icelandic Government expressing your displeasure, you can find one ready to go at this site below:
http://www.whales.org.au/alert/iceletter.html
Posted by: Dave | October 24, 2006 8:08 AM
Hi Kate,
We're not advocating boycotts of Icelandic products.
For a boycott to be successful, it has to hurt the target: and the whalers aren't the ones selling bottled water.
The Iceland Whales Pledge already was a factor in Iceland's decision not to name a quota of 500 whales three years ago: the tourist industry is united against whaling, despite the fierce support of the Fisheries industry. I watched the pledge pass 100 million USD in potential tourist value to Iceland yesterday -- that's a lot of income to give up for a worthless whaling industry that can't even sell the meat domestically or in Japan.
The decision to resume commercial whaling has brought the strongest criticism of whaling ever from Iceland politicians, tourism industry and media, Previously, it has been some scared little voice here and there. Not anymore.
The trick now is to apply pressure without alienating allies. And a general boycott of Iceland products would hurt more than it would help, IMHO.
--b
(Jump over to the Greenpeace Discussion forum to talk about this further, if you like, there's a thread here.
Sara Holden
Posted by: Brianfit | October 24, 2006 9:42 AM
Please stop killing whales, and other animals. Just because they carnt talk doesnt make it right to kill them. You harsh iceland people.
Posted by: Louise | October 24, 2006 5:33 PM
Don´t go after the goverment it wont work. There are may Icelandic companies working abroad, hit the where it hurts.
Posted by: Loki Fabrutison | October 24, 2006 7:16 PM
Fisheries boycotts have worked in the past and might work again... I'd like to see a discussion about this potential over in the forum.
Posted by: Lisa | October 24, 2006 10:01 PM
I don't believe Iceland has a need to kill whales. In my opinion, Iceland is pleasing Japan in order to make a "backroom deal". As an Icelandic Canadian,I am very disappointed in Iceland's decision.
Posted by: Carol Bjarnason | December 6, 2007 4:40 AM