The recent decision by Iceland to resume whaling, and to blatantly ignore the nearly two-decade-old moratorium established by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), is infuriating and puzzling.
Iceland’s Ministry of Fishing justified its decision by arguing that the “catches are clearly sustainable and therefore consistent with the principle of sustainable development,” but conveniently left out the fact that the fin whales now on their whaler’s list are also on the International Conservation Union’s “red list” of endangered species.
Within hours of the decision, the first harpooners were off on their mission of “sustainability,” and the first two fin whales have already been caught.
Iceland’s actions make the next IWC meeting all the more important. In the meantime, let’s tell Iceland to call the fleet back in.
