| | Whaling troubles | | | | |
| |
| | | |
| | Sigrun Davidsdottir | | | |
| |
| | | |
| | | | | |
1 | | Ask Icelanders about last week’s | | | |
| | announcement that their government | | | | In demand: tourists watch a minke whale in |
| | plans to kill 38 minke whales for | | | | Iceland where scientists have the go-ahead |
| | “research” purposes and they will most | | | | to kill 38 of the animals for research |
| | likely shrug their shoulders. Polls have | | | | |
| | repeatedly shown that 70%-80% of the | | | | up in the late 1940s. Whaling was a |
| | island’s 268,000 inhabitants support | | | | seasonal activity and most products |
| | full commercial whaling, which could | | | | were exported. It amounted to roughly |
| | begin in 3 years’ time. | | | | 2% of the export of fish products. |
2 | | But the decision to start limited | | 10 | | But whaling in Iceland is about |
| | “scientific whaling” was made | | | | In demand: tourists watch a minke whale in |
| | hesitantly, because there is no | | | | Iceland where scientists have the go-ahead |
| | international, and only a small | | | | to kill 38 of the animals for research |
| | domestic market for whale meat, and | | | | more than the right to whale, say |
| | because there is concern over a clash | | | | historians. The Icelandic republic was |
| | between whale watching and whale | | | | founded in 1944 - the country had |
| | catching. | | | | been under Danish rule - and in the |
3 | | The catch has been scaled down | | | | Icelandic mind, the battle for |
| | from the original programme that | | | | independence is still going on. |
| | proposed to catch 200 minke whales, | | 11 | | “This battle is continued in the |
| | 200 fin whales and 100 sei whales over | | | | right to whale,” explains Gudmundur |
| | two years. Instead, 38 minke whales | | | | Halfdanarson, professor of history at |
| | will be caught, starting this week. The | | | | the University of Iceland. “Icelanders |
| | commercial gain, it is acknowledged, | | | | don’t hesitate to fight for their cause, |
| | will be next to nothing, since the catch | | | | when they feel that their rights are |
| | will be run on scientific terms. | | | | infringed upon by foreigners. Icelandic |
4 | | Stefan Asmundsson, commissioner | | | | politics has the tendency to be very |
| | for whaling, says: “The catch can in no | | | | patriotic. I think the Icelandic attitude |
| | way be seen as any threat to the | | | | towards whaling can only be |
| | Icelandic [whale] stock, which is | | | | understood in this light, since the |
| | estimated to comprise 43,000 minke | | | | commercial and the scientific gain can |
| | whales. Opposition can hardly be | | | | be disputed.” |
| | based on environmental reasons. | | 12 | | Now, however, after decades of |
5 | | “Without the planned catch we | | | | national agreement on the right to |
| | know for certain that our knowledgebase | | | | whale, the unanimity is broken by |
| | is not as broad as it could be. Our | | | | tourist interests. Icelanders must ask |
| | approach is to look at the ecosystem as | | | | whether whale catching or whale |
| | a whole, in this case trying to | | | | watching serves the country’s wider |
| | understand the role of the minke | | | | interests. |
| | whales,” he says. | | 13 | | Husavik is a thriving fishing village |
6 | | Konrad Eggertsson, chairman of | | | | in north Iceland, with 2,500 |
| | the organisation of Icelandic minke | | | | inhabitants, two whale watching |
| | whale hunters and an active minke | | | | companies and a whale museum, run |
| | whale hunter until the 1985 | | | | by Asbjorn Bjorgvinsson, which can |
| | moratorium on small whale catching, | | | | attract up to 500 visitors daily. It is |
| | lives in Isafjordur, a struggling fishing | | | | estimated that whale watching brings |
| | village of 3,200 people. He stands to | | | | £5m a year to the economy and, during |
| | benefit from the catch but says that he | | | | the summer, the industry employs 100 |
| | does not wish to see nature turned into | | | | people. |
| | a playground for the urban population. | | 14 | | “With no markets for whale |
7 | | “Commercial catching of minke | | | | products there is no commercial basis |
| | whales is of vital importance for us, | | | | for whaling, so why should Icelanders |
| | and should never have been banned. | | | | jeopardise the booming business of |
| | The stock isn’t threatened. Minke | | | | whale watching? It is much better to |
| | whale meat is pure health food, full of | | | | ‘harvest’ whales by whale watching,” |
| | good fatty acid and the best meat for | | | | says Bjorgvinsson. |
| | barbecue,” he says. | | 15 | | The Icelandic tourist board is |
8 | | Yet whaling, at least in its last | | | | certainly unhappy at the decision, |
| | years of activity, was never a major | | | | fearing that western opinion will turn |
| | industry in Iceland. From the 15th | | | | against a country that has in the past |
| | century, foreigners were whaling in | | | | promoted ecotourism. |
| | Icelandic waters, even running whaling | | 16 | | Iceland, however, has always lived |
| | stations there. In 1916, Iceland banned | | | | off nature and is determined to |
| | whaling to protect its dwindling stocks. | | | | continue to do so. How the two |
9 | | The ban was abolished only when | | | | interests play out will be of national |
| | an Icelandic whaling company was set | | | | and international significance. |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | The Guardian |