Iceland's whale-hunting increase sparks outcry among conservationists

You knew there'd be strong reaction from Capt. Paul Watson to Iceland's announcement this week that it will substantially increase the number of whales it kills each year.

Here's what Watson, the controversial founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, had to say:

"Iceland has spat in the face of marine conservationists around the world with their extremist announcement that they wish to slaughter 150 endangered fin whales and 100 minke whales this year."

Iceland's outgoing government has set those quotas annually through 2013. Said Arni Finnsson of the Iceland Nature Conservation Assn., to the BBC: "This is basically an act of sabotage, an act of bitterness, against the incoming government."

Watson is calling the increased hunting effort illegal and implores marine mammal enthusiasts around the world to boycott "all things Icelandic."

"We're going to say to people around the world to not buy Icelandic vodka, sweaters, and fish, to not go as tourists to Iceland and to not use Iceland as a refueling station for private jets," Watson said.

Sea Shepherd's flagship vessel, Steve Irwin, is currently involved in a disruption effort against a Japanese whaling mission in the Antarctic. That annual hunt of up to 1,000 minke whales is carried out legally via a loophole in a moratorium that allows the limited killing of non-endangered whales for research.

Iceland, Japan and Norway have been pushing strongly for an easing of the moratorium, imposed by the International Whaling Commission in 1986. In fact, the IWC is considering changes.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Paul Watson courtesy of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Comments

[Michael Kaiser]

So these guys are saying that we should boycott Icelanders who are in the depths of one of the harshest economic crises of the century and already suffering from huge deficits and soaring unemployment and who were ranked just last year as number one in human development because they want to continue their traditional diet of whale meat and because a spiteful and corrupt outgoing government set an unreasonable law?

Why don't they consider boycotting Israel for slaughtering over 1300 Palestinians in a week instead?
Seriously, educate yourselves.

[Ted]

I'm not sure boycotting Icelandic goods, etc. would be a very good action to try and push back their whaling program. If Icelandic merchants don't sell their goods, it is true that they won't make any money.

But, without the money to purchase farmed (expensive) food, the Icelandic people will turn to cheaper sources to feed their families. Why pour money into feeding and maintaining cattle over the course of a year or two, when you can butcher a whale that costs only the fuel that is used by the boat?

It is better to look at the reasons they are increasing the quota; perhaps it is to try and jump-start their economy, or perhaps it is simply an attempt to feed their people (cheaply). If it is the latter, would it not be better to offer them the same humanitarian aid (food, etc) other nations receive, with the condition that they cease their whaling operations?

Iceland is now a 3rd world nation, economically speaking. Boycotts of nations that have dismal economies do not work; you simply can't hurt an economy that is already dead.

[Tula]

Iceland should promote whale watching, this would be a far more logical step than slaughtering these wonderful giants of the sea. Whales are already battling against polution and climate change and other threats it just does not make sense to eat them. Our children have the right to grow up in a world of protected wildlife!

[rockchick]

I have refused to go to Iceland for many years because of their whale slaughter, even though I really, really want to go there for the natural beauty and the volcanoes. I would, however, go there in a heartbeat and spend a ton of money if they had whale-watching tourism,and I bet lots of other people would too.

[Priscilla]

I agree that boycotting is appropriate while at the same time trying to convince them to shift to whales as a tourism draw. Whale watching is big and they could help their economy with a thriving tourism trade centered on that and the unique landscape in Iceland. Arctic tundra, volcanoes, geothermal energy, etc

[Daníel Kristjánsson]

Ok, first of all I'd like to mention that I'm from Iceland, born, raised and currently residing and working as a fisherman.

I see whales almost everyday, we have lots of them. And we have had a few companies in whale watching around the country for years making good business. Of course none of the whalers even consider shooting a whale if a whale watching boat is in sight. They don't want to ruin their business.
Whales don't stay away from a place where a another whale has been killed, it's a fact and the boats sometimes get whales on the same spots day after day for weeks.
Most whales are not endangered anymore, some are though. But the two species currently planned to hunt here in Iceland aren't anywhere near that mark.
The benefits are more than just cheap meat for the homes in the country (it's also about the best meat one can have, if properly cooked), it can also be exported to japan now for top price.
Another factor is the huge amount of fish the whales eat, yes you read right, they eat fish too not just plankton. 50-60% was the normal amount of fish in stomach content during all the research hunting done here. Whales eat allot and we here in Iceland are trying to get our fisheries back on track.
Conflicting interests? Sure, but I'm not saying that we should all go and shoot us some whales tomorrow. Everything should be done in moderation.

Anyways, read something about whales not written by Sea Shepherd or Greenpeace and you might be suprised to learn about the numbers of the whales around. It's like they don't care about humans at all, only whales/animals.

Danny the fisherman.

[Compassion]

in response to several comments:

israel is in a war against palestine, iceland is not in a war against the whales.

icelands, cruel and selfish decision to slaughter so many whales is unnecessary and certainly not the only way to feed the population.

a boycott is the best idea outside of making their actions illegal and taking them to court. boycotting icelandic goods and tourism will make a point, that the world cares about the continuing existence of these whales.

[Don't kill whales !]

Please don't kill whales, we've been in Iceland in 2008,just before the economic recession, we read a lot about Iceland and your problems. But please allow little fishers to fish, not whales. We're showing our photos to different public and we speak about kindness, courage of Icelanders, but if the killing starts again, what can we say than ?
We hope that the economic problem will find soon a solution, but a peaceful even for whales. Your people and your country can find out other ways to raise up economy.
Bless Gretl, Iclandfan (but without whalekilling) and glad that you'll be European soon too !