Metropolis Reality Forums - Iceland Begins Whaling Again

Sponsored by: The Fans!

Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register.
Nov 24^th, 2024, 7:32pm

Upcoming Premiere Dates:
Survivor 23, Season premiere
Thursday, September 14 (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on CBS

Metropolis Reality Forums Ť Iceland Begins Whaling Again ť

   Metropolis Reality Forums
   Off-Topic Forums
   In the News (Moderators: lakelady, yesteach, MediaScribe, Bumper, Isle_be_back)
   Iceland Begins Whaling Again

Previous topic | New Topic | Next topic »

Pages: 1

Add Poll

Notify of replies

Send Topic

Author

Topic: Iceland Begins Whaling Again (Read 312 times)

darnchts
You Bet Your ASS Team
ForumsNet Member

Friends are God's Way of Taking Care of Us.

Gender:

Posts: 1190

Iceland Begins Whaling Again
« on: Aug 15^th, 2003, 10:12am »

Quote

Modify

Iceland Braces for Censure as Whalers Ready Harpoons
Fri Aug 15, 5:04 AM ET

By Gleb Bryanksi

REJKJAVIK, Iceland (Reuters) - As Icelandic whalers ready their explosive harpoons to resume hunting after a 14-year break, the country is grappling with the question of whether whales are worth more to them dead or alive.

Iceland ceased whaling in 1989 under international pressure, but said this year it would catch 38 minke whales in August and September for "scientific purposes" as part of a plan to take 100 minke whales, 100 fin whales and 50 sei whales annually.

At the Marine Research Institute, scientist Gisli Vikingsson said on Friday three ships would sail from undisclosed locations at undisclosed times in coming days to avoid protesters.

"Norwegians do it, Russians do it, Japanese do it, Americans do it, why can't we?" Vikingsson said, adding that the explosive harpoons used were humane and killed instantly. "It's compared to hunting mammals on land, like moose, and it is far superior."

With seven of the 13 great whale species endangered, the International Whaling Commission (news - web sites) has outlawed commercial hunting of the world's largest mammal since 1986.

Norway defies the ban and Japan uses a loophole for scientific catches. Indigenous people in Greenland, Siberia and the U.S. state of Alaska are allowed to continue traditional "subsistence" whaling.

THREAT TO FISH STOCKS

Iceland says it must control whales to protect fish stocks. An estimated 43,000 minke whales are believed to live in its waters, eating two million tons of fish and krill every year.

Minkes are much smaller than fins and seis, reaching just 10 yards in length. With black skin and white underbellies they are predators, feeding on fish as well as krill.

While the angry reaction from foreign governments and green groups has raised fears of a blacklash against Iceland's exports and growing tourist industry, polls show 75 percent of its 290,000 people support the returning to whaling.

"If the sea is full of whales, it is OK to hunt them," said Svanur Thorvaldsson, a 31-year-old salesman.

Fridrik Arngrimsson of the Federation of Icelandic Fishing Vessel Owners said whales diminish cod stocks by 10-20 percent.

"These 38 minke whales aren't going to change anything," he said. "We would like to see full-fledged commercial whaling."

Whale meat is served in restaurants in Rejkjavik, jarring with the success of the whale-watching industry which took out 62,050 tourists last year. Erna Hauksdottir, head of the travel industry lobby, fears a backlash: "History shows us discussion of whaling often lead to protests outside our offices abroad."

But Fisheries Minister Arni Matthiesen believes Iceland's "interests are better served with whaling than without it."

IP Logged

Friends are like pillars on your porch.
Sometimes they hold you up
and sometimes they lean on you.

darnchts
You Bet Your ASS Team
ForumsNet Member

Friends are God's Way of Taking Care of Us.

Gender:

Posts: 1190

Re: Iceland Begins Whaling Again
« Reply #1 on: Aug 18^th, 2003, 9:09pm »

Quote

Modify

Icelandic Whalers Harpoon First Whale
Mon Aug 18, 6:20 PM ET

By Gleb Bryanski

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (Reuters) - Icelandic whalers harpooned their first minke whale in 14 years Monday, the marine scientist in charge of the controversial hunt said.

The United States immediately threatened to consider slapping a trade embargo on the North Atlantic island.

"They have caught the first whale," Gisli Vikingsson, of the Icelandic Marine Research Institute, told Reuters.

The whale was caught in waters west of Iceland by whalers on board the ship Njordur, one of three vessels taking part.

"It all went very well. Now they are doing measurements and research," said Vikingsson, on board one of the other two boats.

The three whale boats left port in the early hours Sunday after receiving their hunting permits Friday for what the authorities have described as scientific purposes -- primarily the impact on fish stocks.

Commercial hunting of whales has been outlawed since 1986 because seven of the 13 great whale species are endangered.

Iceland, which ceased whaling in 1989 under international pressure, says it must control whales to protect fish stocks and protect the livelihood of its fishermen.

An estimated 43,000 minke whales are believed to live in Icelandic waters, eating two million tons of fish and krill every year.

'EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED'

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States was "extremely disappointed" with Iceland's decision.

He said hunting the whales would "likely trigger a review by the Department of Commerce of Iceland's lethal scientific whaling process program for possible certification under the Pelly Amendment."

The Pelly certification authorizes the president to use his discretion to ban imports of products from a country cited as undermining an international conservation regime, such as the one maintained by the International Whaling Commission (news - web sites).

Environmentalists were also outraged at the catch. "I am sickened to hear this news," Jill Sanders of the International Fund for Animal Welfare told Reuters.

"We had really hoped Iceland would rethink this decision -- until now," she said.

Sanders was among the opponents who had gone out to sea trying to track the whale boats but was back in Reykjavik when the first catch was reported.

"They obviously waited until the cameras were gone. What are they trying to hide?" she said.

Environmental campaign group Greenpeace's vessel Rainbow Warrior has set course for Iceland from the South Atlantic and is expected to arrive toward the end of August.

Greenpeace fears Iceland's resumed whale hunt, which will continue after the catch of the first minke whale, could be a first step toward the resumption of commercial whaling.

IP Logged

Friends are like pillars on your porch.
Sometimes they hold you up
and sometimes they lean on you.

darnchts
You Bet Your ASS Team
ForumsNet Member

Friends are God's Way of Taking Care of Us.

Gender:

Posts: 1190

Re: Iceland Begins Whaling Again
« Reply #2 on: Aug 18^th, 2003, 9:30pm »

Quote

Modify

http://www.seashepherd.org/

These guys are my heroes. I have met and shook the hand of Captain Paul Watson. I have not visited their website in a bit and just went to see whether they were going to try to stop this horrible thing happening in Iceland. They were there to stop the whale hunts that were taking place in Washington. I am saddened to read that they can not go:

Sea Shepherd Opposes Icelandic Whaling

Iceland violated international Conservation law as of Saturday, August 16, with the departure of the whaling vessels Halldor Sigurdsson from Isajordur Harbour of Northwest Iceland, the departure of the Njordur from Kopavogur Harbour south of Reykjavik, and the departure of the Sigurborg from Reykjavik Harbour.
Iceland’s guise of so called “scientific whaling” is fooling no one. This is a commercial enterprise and a testing of the waters to see if there can be a return to full scale commercial whaling by Iceland.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is officially requesting that the United States Department of Commerce invoke economic sanctions against Iceland as mandated by the regulations of the U.S. Department of Commerce that stipulate that sanctions be used against nations violating the regulations of the International Whaling Commission.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will not be able to intervene against this whale slaughter this summer because of the time it would take to move our flagship, Farley Mowat, from the Northern Pacific to the Northern Atlantic.

The Farley Mowat will be in Icelandic waters in the summer of 2004 to directly intervene against any escalation in illegal whaling activities by Iceland.

Iceland is very much aware of Sea Shepherd’s commitment to oppose whaling. In November 1986, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society shut down illegal Icelandic whaling operations by sinking half of the Icelandic whaling fleet and destroying the whale processing plant at Hvalfjördhur. There were no charges against Sea Shepherd crew for that action because Iceland was aware of the illegal actions of the whalers and did not wish to draw attention to illegal whaling by arresting and charging Sea Shepherd for simply upholding international conservation law.

Captain Paul Watson is ready for an encounter with Iceland. He states: "A line must be drawn in the sand and a stand must be taken for the whales. If Iceland tries to kill whales next summer, they will have to sink us to do so. The Farley Mowat will be in the North Atlantic and ready to protect and defend the whales in the summer of 2004".

IP Logged

Friends are like pillars on your porch.
Sometimes they hold you up
and sometimes they lean on you.

Pages: 1

Add Poll

Notify of replies

Send Topic


Previous topic \| New Topic \| Next topic »