Chapter 1 : Whaling Iceland Review The Icelandic Whale Watching Association has strongly condemned the hunt for being unnecessary and damaging for the whale watching business and Iceland's image. Ignoring the Importance It is inevitable for the government to take whale watching into consideration as an important economic factor when considering the whaling issue. I believe we need to look more closely at how whales are viewed in this debate. I have been exploring whaling and whale watching to determine the viability of their divergent practices, and to explain why they coexist in some cases. At no time in the history of marine resources have whales been more accessible to people. Whale watching is often viewed as an ecotourism product. Promoters present it as an activity that is fast growing, holds potential for local regeneration and promotes conservation. It is both ecological and profitable. Whaling, on the other hand, is currently under considerable scrutiny. It relies on economic and increasingly cultural rhetoric to support its viability. Whaling has a long history in many cultures, but groups now making a living from it seem to have only a tenuous cultural connection to the practice. I have been looking at Japan and Iceland, examining the sustainability frameworks such as the environmental management standard, ISO and political rhetoric surrounding both whaling and whale watching. I wanted to know whether whale watching might offer an alternative economy for the whaling and fishing communities in an era of conflict over sustainable resource use. Whaling, on the other hand, relies heavily on state and private subsidies. In both countries, successful whale watching businesses have been launched out of former whaling and fishing ports, offering an alternative economy for those communities. There is a kinder, gentler way to interact with whales. AAP With more and more interest in whales it is possibly time we looked at their future in a much more sustainable manner. We do not want a repeat of the Free Willy story, where a whale was used to promote a series of movies about animal rights while it was kept in captivity in a very poor living environment. We need to finally acknowledge the full value of whales as animals and a part of the biosphere, not just as meat or entertainment. The debate about the global use of whales will continue. Subsidised whaling is likely to come to a halt eventually. It appears to only exist now based on national pride in a few countries in support of the rights of a nation to undertake its cultural activities without international intervention and due to a few communities still able to make a living from it this is being reduced as demand declines. Now policy makers need to fund more research so we can have definitive information on the economic benefits of whaling to the communities that engage in it, the potential value of whale watching in these communities and the potential impact on whales of a transition from whaling to whale watching. Without this information, all we will have is uninformed rhetoric. Page 1
Chapter 2 : Whale Watching Byron Bay The large increase in capital caused by the creation the whale watching industry has also led some experts to believe that countries involved in commercial whaling should stop their whaling activities and focus on tourism and whale watching to improve their country's financial capital and world image. Icelandic whaling vessels Minke whale meat kebabs, Reykjavik Iceland is one of a handful of countries that still maintain a whaling fleet. One company concentrates on hunting fin whales, largely for export to Japan, while the only other one hunts minke whales for domestic consumption, as the meat is popular with tourists. Between and around 60 animals per year were taken under a scientific permit. However, under strong pressure from anti-whaling countries, who viewed scientific whaling as a circumvention of the moratorium,[ citation needed ] Iceland ceased whaling in Iceland rejoined the IWC in with a reservation to the moratorium. Iceland presented a feasibility study to the IWC meeting for catches in and The primary aim of the study was to deepen the understanding of fish â whale interactions. Amid disagreement within the IWC Scientific Committee about the value of the research and its relevance to IWC objectives, [45] no decision on the proposal was reached. However, under the terms of the convention the Icelandic government issued permits for a scientific catch. In Iceland resumed scientific whaling which continued in and Iceland resumed commercial whaling in Its annual quota is 30 minke whales out of an estimated, animals in the central and north-eastern North Atlantic [46] and nine fin whales out of an estimated 30, animals in the central and north-eastern North Atlantic [46] [47]. For the commercial whaling season, starting in April and lasting six months, the quota was set to minke whales, [48] of which 52 were caught. The hunters obey religious taboos that ensure that they use every part of the animal. About half of the catch is kept in the village; the rest is bartered in local markets. This effort lasted three years, and was not successful. According to the FAO report, the Lamalerans "have evolved a method of whaling which suits their natural resources, cultural tenets and style. The traditional practices, made whaling a relatively dangerous hunt. In one case, a boat was pulled approximately km away towards Timor, while in another case, the hunted whale capsized the boat and forced the fishermen to swim for 12 hours back to the shore. Whaling in Japan Japanese narrative screen showing a whale hunt off Wakayama When the commercial whaling moratorium was introduced by the IWC in, Japan lodged an official objection. According to the BBC, America went back on this promise, effectively destroying the deal. The stated purpose of the research program is to establish the size and dynamics of whale populations. Anti-whaling organizations claim that the research program is a front for commercial whaling, that the sample size is needlessly large and that equivalent information can be obtained by non-lethal means, for example by studying samples of whale tissue such as skin or feces. Countries opposed to whaling have passed non-binding resolutions in the IWC urging Japan to stop the program. Japan claims that whale stocks for some species are sufficiently large to sustain commercial hunting and blame filibustering by the anti-whaling side for the continuation of scientific whaling. The reason for the moratorium [on commercial whaling] was scientific uncertainty about the number of whales. It was a moratorium for the sake of collecting data and that is why we started scientific whaling. We were asked to collect more data. Whaling in Norway Norwegian catches â in red and quotas â in blue of Minke Whale, from Norwegian official statistics Norway registered an objection to the International Whaling Commission moratorium and is thus not bound by it. Minke whales are the only legally hunted species. Catches have fluctuated between animals in to in For the year the quota is set at Minke whales. Whaling in the Philippines Whaling in the Philippines has been illegal since under Fisheries Administrative Order The provision bans the catching, selling, or transporting of dolphins. The provision was amended in to include all Cetaceans including whales. As compromise for residents of Pamilacan who were dependent on whaling and dolphin hunting, whale and dolphin watching is being promoted in the island as a source of tourism income. Following this evidence, the U. In Soviet society, whaling was perceived to be a glamorous and well-paid job. Whalers were esteemed as well-traveled adventurers, and their return to land was often celebrated elaborately such as with fanfare and parades. In regard to economics, the U. About 40 beluga whales are caught in the Sea of Okhotsk each year. He also cited Page 2
Japan as having not contributed to science for several years despite undertaking scientific whaling. This is a forum for legal debate. As a responsible member of the commission we do not accept any such categorical, absolute proposition that whales should not be killed or caught. Whaling in the United States A traditional whaling crew in Alaska In the United States, beluga whaling is widely carried out, catching about belugas per year, [30] monitored by the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee. The annual catch ranges between per year. Bowhead whaling is carried out by nine different indigenous Alaskan communities, and is managed by the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission which reports to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The hunt takes around 50 bowhead whales a year from a population of about 10, in Alaskan waters. Conservationists fear this hunt is not sustainable, though the IWC Scientific Committee, the same group that provided the above population estimate, projects a population growth of 3. The hunt also took an average of one or two gray whales each year until The quota was reduced to zero in that year due to sustainability concerns. A future review may result in the gray whale hunt being resumed. Bowhead whales weigh approximately 5â 10 times as much as minke whales. They are currently seeking to resume whaling of the gray whale, [75] a right recognized in the Treaty of Neah Bay. Page 3
Chapter 3 : Whale & Whaling News - Whales on the Net Despite hostility from the pro-whaling sector, whale watching continues to grow in the three commercial whaling countries: Iceland: Approximately 30, people went whale-watching in Iceland in By this number had swelled to an estimated,, making it one of Europe's most successful. In the 19th Century Iceland was still a Danish dependency. In the Danish naval officer O. Roys helped train the Danish prospective whalers and agreed to the sale of rockets and harpoons. Hammer set up two whaling stations, one of the south west coast and one on the east coast of Iceland, but whaling was abandoned in In and Dutch operators had tried to resume whaling in these waters, further to a centuries old Yankee whaling tradition that they had carried out previously. In the inhabitants of Haugesund a small town on the west coast of Norway had stated fishing herring off the Icelandic coast, there being no Icelandic herring fishery at the time. One of the fishermen a Mons Larsen Kro approached Svend Foyn and together they capitalized a company and the building of the whale catcher the ton Isafold. Foyn, the symbolic Norwegian nationalist of course refused. Amile moved to Iceland and ran the expedition for the next six years hunting mostly blue whales. In a second catcher vessel was purchased. Catches were better than in Finnmark with some 4, barrels of oil were produced in This encouraged more companies to look to Iceland, even though the years gave pretty poor returns. However in Icelandic whaling entered a seventeen-year boom period, and in Amile bought a third catcher boat making a record catch of whales in In four new companies, all Norwegian, established operations in Iceland, with five more following between and They created some fourteen different shore stations, eight on the west coast and six on the east coast. The major targets for the whalers were the ever-decreasing numbers of blue whales. Next targeted were the fin whales and humpbacks. Occasionally sei whales were taken and very rarely, nordcapers right whales were caught. However it was the large rorquals that could produce the most oil that were the primary targets with meat often dumped at sea once the blubber had been removed. Indeed Amile, the Norwegian founder of modern Icelandic whaling, at the age of eighty-two, was killed in a storm off the Faroes. Salvesen however, quickly transferred the operation to other parts of the Norwegian Sea. During the period the most important company operating in Iceland was that of the Norwegian Hans Ellefsen from the county of Vestfold. Ellefsen went against the practice of dumping the de-blubbered carcass at sea and set up a guano factory. As we saw in Norway, such practices acted as a counter to poor oil price years and sustained operations through to However, by it was clear that over catching was already having an impact on whale populations, and in Ellefsen sold his company and transferred to South Africa before selling to Christian Salversen. However, poor catches saw the closure of the station in Bull, now a naturalized Danish citizen continued to run the company for Salvesen. Two companies were set up in Haugesund, one in and another in to exploit whales from the west coast. In they merged and became the last company to operate from Iceland during this period. Asgeirsson, an Icelandic merchant living in Copenhagen. Despite its intentions, all its assets and staff were Norwegian but the company still failed to make a profit and closed in, being sold to Asgeirsson for seven and half percent of its original value. Asgeirsson continued whaling with limited returns until when it closed down permanently. Other foreign operators also tried to commence whaling in Iceland and in the German Hamburg based company Deutsche Seefischerei-Verein German Sea-fishing Association commenced whaling from the east coast. On the 19th February the Icelandic authorities banned catches within Icelandic territorial waters from 1st may to 31st October, and in areas where herring fishing was taking place. However, most whaling was not affected as the whalers were operating at distances greater than three nautical miles from the coast, and there was no ban on towing whales back to shore stations. In, in an almost copycat position to what was happening in Finnmark, opposition to whaling in Iceland from fishermen resulted in an attempt to ban all whaling, but this was refused by the Icelandic local Parliament, the Althing. However, in a total ban was introduced for a period of ten years to run from 1st October Icelandic authors suggest that this was an example of Icelandic whale conservation policy [2], [3] but it appears that this was not so much about protecting whales or a method to placate the local fishermen but a method to exclude foreigners from the fishery and secure a period when Icelandic companies could prepare to Page 4
exploit the whales found around Iceland. It should be noted that Iceland has become an independent state under the King of Denmark in In, the union between Denmark and Iceland formally ended with Iceland becoming a self-governing Republic. Hvalur purchased the American naval base at the head of the mile long Hval fjord, 35 miles north east of Reykjavik to operate in the Denmark Strait between Iceland and Greenland. The Hvalur whaling vessels began operating on a three day sea operations, one day traveling out to the hunting grounds and one day back towing, with one day hunting. During the then IWC mandated catching season of 15th May to 15th October, catching began in the southwest and followed the whales migration north towards the Greenland ice. Hvalur took an average of fin whales, with opportunistic hunting of sei whales, blue, humpback and sperm whales. This period shows a move away from oil to the sale of whale meat for petfood, especially to supply the UK market. The remaining meal supplied the domestic cattle feed market. There is less information on the hunt for minke whales, though the Icelandic small whale hunt seems to follow a similar pattern to that of Norwegian developments. Hunting of minke whales B. He notes that meat was initially for human consumption and some 50 animals a year were taken, but as export markets opened up increasing quotas followed until minke whaling came under IWC regulations in In the IWC voted to suspend all commercial whaling from and Iceland was faced with deciding whether to object. On the 2nd February the Icelandic Parliament voted by one vote 29 to 28 not to oppose the IWC decision, but instructions were passed to the Icelandic Marine Research Institute to draw up a research programme targeting 80 fin whales, 40 sei whales and 80 minke whales a year for a period of four years. The Hvalur whaling company was to be commissioned to carry out the research study for the Icelandic Government. In August negotiations between the US Government and Iceland resulted in the research proposal being scaled back to allow for catches of fin and sei whales but a reduced hunt of minke whales. Subsequently the US Government felt that Iceland had reneged on its bilateral agreement and under pressure the Iceland Government agreed on the 19th July to a temporary ban on all whaling. On the 25th August the Althing agreed to cut the sei whale quota from 40 to 20 and threatened to review its position as a member of NATO and therefore throwing into doubt the presence of the major US airbase at Keflavik. Further to criticism of Its Scientific Whaling Programme at the 40th annual meeting held in Auckland, New Zealand, Iceland planned to proceed with its programme of taking 80 fin whales and 20 sei whales that June. In there were two attempts to discuss bills in the Althing that would have terminated the scientific whaling programme, but neither led to a formal decision. In April two members of the Althing put forward a motion for a parliamentary motion for a parliamentary resolution urging the Minister of Fisheries to allow limited catches of minke whales, but again this did not come to a vote. During the four year research programme a total of whales had been caught; in, in, 78 in and 68 in ; against the original proposal to kill whales. Again in spring two members of the Althing again tried to promote a take of scientific minke whales, but the proposal did not receive proper discussion. Despite earlier assurances Norway refrained from following Iceland at the annual meeting in Glasgow. Iceland attended the first day of the meeting as a signatory member and then the rest of the meeting as an observer. Canada and the Russian Federation were present as observers. Iceland started its next phase of scientific whaling in killing 36 minkes in, 25 in, 39 in, 60 minkes in and 36 in Iceland killed a total of minke whales for research by the end of the season, when the Fisheries Minister announced that the scientific minke hunt had been closed. The Government announced on the 19th of May that it would set a commercial quota of 40 minke whales for, of which it killed some 37 minkes. Iceland issued quotas for of fin whales and at least minke whales a year, to run from to Iceland was hoping that exports of fin whale meat would make teh hunt economical, but they could not have forseen the effects of the Japanese tsunami and earthquake. Domestic Market Iceland historically exported much of its whale meat to Japan as its domestic market is very small: According to a research report, it is estimated that the current domestic market for minke whale meat in Iceland is in the range of only 5 to 15 tonnes a year at most. When queried by Parliament in about sales of whale meat from the hunt, the sthen Fisheries Minister Arni Mathiesen confirmedthat, of the 35 tons of minke whale meat produced,23 tons remained unsold nearly a year after the hunthad concluded. Of this, between32 and 37 tons remained unsold well into With the resumption of a commercial fin whalehunt in, further difficulties in domestic sales ofwhale meat were experienced, especially with thesignificant yield of meat from a fin whale, which isat least 10 times the size of Page 5
a minke whale. Both Iceland and Japan hold reservations to the trade ban. Trade Given the difficulties in selling whale meat domestically, Iceland has repeatedly stated its interest in re-opening trade in whale products. Both the minke and fin whalers have expressed interest in exporting meat to Japan5 although a Japanese diplomat in Oslo responded that Japan already had more than enough whale meat. Citing this reservation, Icelandic nationals imported eight tonnes of minke whale meat and blubber from the whaling company of Ole Mindor Myklebust of Norway in July and 17 more tonnes in October of The frozen Norwegian whale meat initially sold well, and went for a price of kronur per kilo. In September of, it was announced that Iceland would sell up to two tonnes of minke whale meat to the Faroe Islands. The first export of 0. In addition, a Japanese proposal that all great whales be subject to the same review as the fin whale failed as well. WDCS strongly opposed these two requests, which were intended to pave the way to a resumption of trade in whale products, at the June meeting. There are ongoing accounts in the press that there had been meetings with Japan to discuss the export of Icelandic whale meat to Japan. Given the Iceland and Japan hold reservations to the listing of whales by CITES; only the exporting country in this case Iceland needs to supply a permit. When news of the whale meat shipments went public, Japanese government officials initially indicated that they had been unaware of the whale trade. The meat was initially held in customs, but was released for sale in December of The Association called on the government to issue new quotas for the coming year. It was announced on the 23rd of October that the commercial hunt had basically come to a close, with 23 minkes not taken out of a quota of On 10 April, MP Birkir Jonsson questioned Environment Minister Thorunn Sveinbjarndottir on the issue of whales and their impact on fish stocks and quotas; the Minister responded that the situation was much more complex when it came to managing the marine ecosystem. He also noted that anthropogenic effects on marine life such as pollution and over-fishing also needed to be considered. Gudfinsson issued a whaling quota for fin whales and minke whales a year, to run from until The quota was allocated in light of the ongoing discussions within the IWC between Japan and a small group of nations headed by Dr. William Hogarth of the USA, which sought a trade-off between Japan and the rest of the world over its so-called scientific whaling. Press reports at the time suggested that Hogarth proposed to the meeting that Japan give up its own fin whaling operations in Antarctica in return for the right to whale legally in its coastal waters for the first time since commercial whaling was banned in On the 23rd of January, the Minke Whalers Association of Iceland had asked Gudfinnsson for a quota of minke whales a year. He issued a decision earlier saying that he will not revoke the whaling quotas issued by his outgoing predecessor Fisheries Minister Einar K. On February 11th, ex-minister Gudfinnsson introduced a resolution in support of his whaling quotas to the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. By September Hvalur had killed some fin whales and The owner of the industrial fin whaling fleet, Loftsson was quoted as saying he expects to export some tons of whale meat to Japan. In, Hvular had kiiled some fin whales and Icelandic fishermen had killed some 60 minke whales. Page 6
Chapter 4 : Whaling - Wikipedia In Iceland, a worldwide hotspot for whale watching, gentle giants seem to rule the sea. But all the while some species of whales are still being hunted. Whale Facts The classification order Cetacea contains all species of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Together, these two suborders comprise 13 different classification families divided into 40 genera. Within these 40 genera there are over 80 known species of whale, dolphin and porpoise. The odontocetes and the mysticetes are differentiated by two very distinct morphological characteristics. Odontocetes have teeth and a single blowhole. Mysticetes have baleen and two blowholes. Additionally, echolocation is used by odontocetes in locating prey but mysticetes do not echolocate according to the strict definition of the word. Many of the whale facts that we have today have been based on information on dead or captive animals. A greater effort is now being made to gather whale facts based on the study of live animals in their natural habitat, difficult though that is. Facts about Whales Many of the larger whale species were badly depleted in numbers before the moratorium on commercial whaling was introduced in Many have shown significant recovery since then but others like the Northern Right Whale remain critically endangered. The Japanese have continued killing whales under the loophole of "scientific" whaling in the last 20 years but have directed their attentions largely towards the more locally abundant Minke Whale. Although much of what we know about whales and dolphins has been derived from animals killed by whalers many people believe that important facts about whales should be gathered through non-lethal behavioural and environmental studies. Many of the facts about whales have been gathered from the interaction between man and captive animals. Commercial Whaling Anti-whaling nations and conservation groups are currently very concerned that the Japanese are to widen their species profile to include Humpbacks and Fin Whales in their "scientific" whaling programme. They have also stated they intend to double their minke whale kill to just under animals per annum. The International community consider this activity a yet further flagrant breach of the moratorium imposed by the International Whaling Commission and to be commercial whaling by another name. The whaling nations of the world including Norway, Iceland and Japan are working hard for a resumption of commercial whaling which, if passed, would likely deplete the number of cetacean species. It is likely there would be a free-for-all of whale killing where quotas were flouted, as happened during the previous era of commercial whaling and where so many species were reduced to perilously low levels. It is a sad reflection on the state of the human psyche that during a time of unprecedented environmental depletion nations would even consider the killing of a protected species of marine mammal in International waters - Japan, Norway and Iceland continue this practice for commercial gain. Even if the harvesting of endangered species for commercial gain were acceptable in the 21st century the morality of the methods by which whales are killed are indefensible. Some whales take up to 30 minutes to die while attempts are variously made to dispatch the animal by electric shock or high-powered rifle. This is unacceptable by any civilized nations standards. They have started killing Fin Whales as part of their self allocated commercial quota in addition to Minke Whales. This action has set back the work of marine conservationists 20 years and following a decade of unprecedented marine degradation this action sends out completely the wrong message to our children with regard the need to protect and conserve vulnerable marine species and their environment for future generations. There is absolutely no scientific or commercial justification for killing whales, especially endangered species like the Fin Whale. Page 7
Chapter 5 : Arguments Against Whaling Whale Watching Handbook Another important and collaborative whale watching initiative is the Whale Watching Handbook. This web-based and evolving tool provides comprehensive information, tailored to advise and support three distinct audiences: whale watching policy makers and regulators, industry, and the general public. Messenger After a two-year pause in the fin whale Balaenoptera physalus hunt, Icelandic whaling company Hvalur hf. Two factors help explain why Iceland and other countries are determined to hunt whales in defiance of international disapproval. Whale meat and its buyers Demand for whale meat appears to be stable in Iceland. Many reports suggest that Icelanders no longer eat whale meat in great numbers. The fin whale hunt, in contrast, is intended primarily for export to Japan. The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling has banned commercial whaling. In line with the norms of international law, only parties to the whaling convention are obliged to observe this ban. Iceland was an original member of the International Whaling Commission IWC and accepted the temporary halt on commercial whaling, which came into effect in the mids. However, Iceland left in after the IWC refused to authorise quotas, even when scientific evidence indicated that controlled commercial whaling would not threaten the survival of the targeted species. The zero quota on all whale species, irrespective of their conservation status, has been criticised by several other countries, including Norway and Japan, as non-scientific. Iceland later re-adhered to the convention, but with a reservation to the temporary ban. Under no circumstances will whaling for commercial purposes be authorised without a sound scientific basis and an effective management and enforcement scheme. Iceland argued that the ban had become a permanent one and that this was contrary to the object and purpose of the convention, which was initially about regulating whaling rather than prohibiting it. Essentially, Iceland and other pro-whaling countries reject arguments that the object and purpose of the convention has evolved into the preservation of whales rather than their conservation for sustainable use. Iceland also objects to the ongoing situation whereby a scientific procedure adopted by the IWC to assess stocks and the potential for sustainable whaling was not followed up by the promised adoption of a non-scientific political scheme that would allocate actual quotas. Because of majority voting in the IWC, this standoff has created a persistent stalemate between pro- and anti-whaling countries. If Iceland were cast out of the IWC, then it would not be bound by the convention at all. However, it would not be able to export to other IWC members, including Japan. The whaling firm Hvalur hf. Quotas have been awarded consistently since, but in and the company did not use them, citing doubts about profitability because of difficulties reaching target markets especially Japan. A couple of shipments of whale meat were made recently one in and one in, using the Northern Sea Route to avoid customs delays and, potentially, protesters at Dutch harbours. The pause merely reflected the commercial reality of the time. For, Fiskistofa the Directorate of Fisheries has set a quota of fin whales, with an additional 30 carried over from the unused quota. Although the IUCN listed the fin whale as endangered in, there are no concerns about sustainability since the Icelandic quota represents 0. The harvest is primarily destined for the Japanese market, which had been difficult to access for a number of reasons, including the effects of the tsunami, which disrupted processing facilities. In, only 17 were taken. This was well within the quota of, although numbers were higher in previous years. Whale of a problem: Iceland is making no efforts to stop whaling and never has. Unlike Japan, Iceland does not claim that its whaling is for scientific research, which is authorised under Article VIII of the whaling convention. It agreed to the temporary ban in order to gather scientific evidence that was supposed to protect the whaling industry in the medium to long term. Iceland has never had sentimental ideas that whales should not be hunted. Whaling might not be popular in some countries â and indeed some Icelanders would like to see it end â but foreign interference is viewed with suspicion and is more likely to make the traditionalists who support the whale hunt dig in their heels and harpoons still further. Page 8
Chapter 6 : Whale Facts about Whales Commercial Whaling Whale watching is far more profitable than whaling: more than 1 in 5 of all tourists to Iceland will take a whale watch trip Estimates suggest that over, people will go whale watching in (more than the entire population of Iceland!), generating around  10 million annually. Gudfinsson announced that he had decided to allow resumption of commercial whaling. Commercial whaling came to an end in according to the IWC Moratorium on whaling. Whale watching has rapidly become one of the most popular aspects of tourism in Iceland and at present, is conducted with little or non impact on whales. This rapid growth and additional revenue for little communities and the Icelandic economy gives tourism in Iceland a new dimension. See the following graph: The number of whale watching tourists in Iceland â Even soâ The Icelandic Government decided to permit scientific whaling in August Including this years whaling season a total of minke whales have been killed, their stomach contents examined and some of the meat sold on the local market. See the following attachment, showing all the locations where Minke whales have been killed in It is inevitable for the government to take whale watching into consideration as an important economic factor when considering the whaling issue. Many politicians, however, have yet to rethink their position. The economical importance of whale watching is already almost as high as the contribution of whaling during its peak In the economical report of by Mr. Geir Oddsson, an expert on Natural Resource Management, the value of the whale watching business is estimated to be For a full report go to: Whales have not been harmed for many years in the Icelandic waters and therefore not afraid of boats anymore; provide an unforgettable experience for the people. Sustainability is defined by three main points; it must take into account the Economic value, Social effects and the Resource. There is NO way whaling can be defined as sustainable industry at this point. Whale watching is conducted with little or non impact on whales. Whaling operates by killing whales! Whale Watching in the Future At the present rate of growth, it is estimated that the numbers of whale watching tourists could exceed It is crucial, to increase its recognition by authorities and the public that whale watching is no longer jeopardized by senseless whaling activities. The potential for whale watching in Iceland is excellent. Many of them, like blue, fin, humpback, minke, sei whale and orcas are frequenting Icelandic waters. The high productivity of the North Atlantic creates good feeding grounds and the structure of coastal areas provides a variety of habitats, suiting different species. If the growth of whale watching continues, longer trips may become more feasible, including species that prefer higher water depths like sperm whales. National Pride and Independence The Minister of Fisheries justifies its lethal minke whale research with the depleting cod stocks, trying to proof that the abundance of minke whales is responsible for the situation. The Icelandic Whale Watching Association will continue to counter this argument, which is used to cover up the attempt to re-establish a whale meat market in Iceland. The head of the Whale research unit of the Marine Research Institute, admitted that whalers have sought out the curious whales as their prime target in the past, since they are easy to approach. Naturally, these animals are at the same time the most important ones for the whale watching companies. We have marked the whale watching areas in blue to show the interaction we are facing. See the following attachment The Whale Watching Association has officially condemned the Marine research Institute in public for allowing the whaling boats to hunt Minke whales near and even with in whale watching areas as you can see. We are worried that this kind of vandalism will continue this summer even though the Icelandic Fisheries minister at the time Mr. Einar Gudfinnsson to additionally allow commercial hunt of minke whales will, with out a doubt have negative influences, with great impacts on the number of friendly minke whales, which are the most important and most common whales seen on whale watching trips. Attempts in other countries have proven that whaling and whale watching cannot co-exist. It is necessary to provoke official discussions and to inform the public that the reduction by minke whales yearly will neither safe Icelandic fish stocks nor re-balance the marine ecosystems in Iceland. Hope to see you in Iceland. The Husavik Whale Museum, the only one in Iceland adds to the experience and gives people a chance to learn about whales, their lifespan and history. The biology of whales also plays a major role in the museum along many other related aspects of whales and whale watching. The Page 9
Golden Ark Award from H. Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands in Page 10
Chapter 7 : Commercial Whaling v/s Whale Watching Gesellschaft zum Schutz der Meeressà uger e.v. The commercial whaling season, which began last spring, has come to an end with the catch totaling whales. Quotas were issued for two species of whale: fin whales, the meat of which is intended for export, and minke whales, which are consumed domestically. Sperm whales Besides being hunted for food, certain species of whales, like the beluga, have become endangered due to loss of habitat as man has encroached upon their territory. River dolphins, considered part of the whale family, are endangered due to territory encroachment, drowning in fishing nets and being killed by fisherman. If allowed to continue to go unchecked, the unregulated hunting of whales would have greatly increased the likelihood of extinction. The IWC, created in the s, was created in order to manage whale populations by establishing reasonable regulations regarding the taking of whales. The IWC also maintains statistics on whale populations. Current State of the Whaling Industry Under the International Whaling Commission, a moratorium was issued disallowing the commercial hunting of whales. This zero catch policy was instituted in There are countries that decline to adhere to the regulations. These countries continue to hunt whales commercially. In addition, the IWC allows whales to be killed for scientific research. Japan continues to kill whales under the guise of scientific reasons, although Japan is trying to increase the number of people consuming whale meat by actually serving it to school students. Norway, Iceland and Russia are three additional countries that kill large numbers of whales each year. These native people are allowed to kill a limited number of whales, as whale hunting comprises a major part of their culture. Although the list of whales on the endangered species list is overwhelming, there is good news. Many whale populations are on the rise since the issuing of the moratorium against commercial whaling in, proving that management efforts are successful. Modern Day Whaling Efforts Today whalers participate in commercial whaling mostly as a way to capture and sell the whales meat to local buyers. In these countries whale eat may be considered a delicacy and depending on where the whale meat is sold some industries are willing to pay a premium for this meat. In fact a number of counties and industries may buy whale meat and sell them at local grocery stores, meat markets and restaurants among other food venues. In the past during the whaling era whales were hunted largely for their blubber and other parts which were used to make oil, transmission fluid, candles, cleaning products, corsets, tools, food and even cooking ingredients. Due to the large-scale whaling efforts of the past many species saw huge declines in their populations and some species have even become highly endangered with little hope of recovering. In order to prevent further whaling efforts various countries placed laws and restrictions to prohibit the practice of whaling in order to allow various species time to recover and hopefully rebound from the impact of previous whaling activities, however countries that do not have such legal rules in place and countries that use whale research as an excuse to hunt these animals still practice the act of whale hunting today. Those caught whaling in countries where whale hunting is prohibited may face steep fines or imprisonment plus other fees. As stated earlier some countries are believed to use whale research as an excuse to continue hunted whales for their meat. These countries claim that they are performing necessary research to monitor the overall health and well-being of particular species by observing their corpse and then sell the meat because it is the best way to dispose of the whales corps. One positive event that has occurred out of the ending of the whaling era is the creation of the whale watching industry, which has now become a billion dollar industry employing thousands of workers and serving millions of customers each year. The negative impact caused by the whaling industry combined with whale watching also brought significant awareness to the world about the need to protect these amazing animals and organizations have been developed to ensure that whales remain protected with the hopes of these marine mammals being able to reproduce and replenish their stocks. As stated earlier other than hunting whales for commercial purposes whales are also occasionally and legitimately hunted for research purposes. The purpose of killing whales for research is to obtain information on whale health, migration patterns and other factors that can be used to observe the overall health of certain whale species and to use that information to improve the lives of the whale species that are being research. Issues however continually rise regarding killing whales for research as some countries are believed Page 11
to use this legal loophole as a way to continue the practice of whaling. Anti whaling organizations hope to eventually phase out all forms of whale killing in order ensure that these marine mammals have the best opportunity to survive and thrive. Some populations continue small whaling efforts as a way to maintain their cultural ties with their ancestors that practiced whaling and may consume the whales meat for its perceived health benefits or because of its significance in their cultural heritage. Page 12
Chapter 8 : A short history of Icelandic Commercial Whaling - WDC Attempts by Japan to resume commercial whaling are likely to raise controversy at the International Whaling Commission meeting, as opponents decry the country's suggested reforms as a covert way. Activists, industry fight over hunting the gentle sea giants 0 Shares Email In Iceland, a worldwide hotspot for whale watching, gentle giants seem to rule the sea. But all the while some species of whales are still being hunted. On one side, Iceland has cultivated a centuries-old whaling industry that makes no apologies for itself. For this most recent hunting season from June through September, the Sea Shepherd team staked out the whaling station around the clock, day and night. When a catch came in, Sea Shepherd was ready to livestream it. They use social media to share images of slaughtered whales, which ignites international outrage. But Sea Shephard, which was founded in Washington state in, has a controversial history. Some have called them eco-terrorists. Today, their tactics are more watered down, but their target in Iceland is the same: He believes whales are a renewable resource. However, the local population of fin whales is considered stable. The whales were so massive, the company could only slowly bring in two at a time. As Hvalur workers dismantled a whale, the Sea Shepherd crew filmed every moment. Stefan Ulfarsson, the chef at the restaurant Thrir Frakkar in Reykjavik, serves a whale roast. He said both locals and tourists will order whale off his menu. An Icelandic poll found that Icelanders were evenly split on whaling resuming this season, with 34 percent opposed, 34 percent in support of and 31 percent neutral. And throughout Iceland, there is a growing economy that depends on whales being kept alive. Whale watching tours have multiplied across Iceland over the last few decades. Now people travel from around the world just to try to get a glimpse of the mammals. The whale population in Iceland is also a draw for scientists from around the world and domestically. From collecting DNA samples to using drones to collect samples from waterspouts, her team has made it their mission to find out more about these mysterious mammals. Because at the end of the day, especially in this area where whale watching is so lucrative, whales are worth far more alive than they are dead. As another whaling season comes to a close, and the decades-old debate between industry and activist continues, Loftsson still insists that his company is pro-whale conservation business. And so we are happy with that. Page 13
Chapter 9 : Watching whales makes more economic sense than hunting them In both countries, successful whale watching businesses have been launched out of former whaling and fishing ports, offering an alternative economy for those communities. There is a kinder. Whales-for-sale WDC Icelandic whalers have slaughtered more than 35, whales since the late nineteenth century. Iceland refuses to recognise the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling and currently allocates its whalers a quota to kill endangered fin whales mostly for export, as well as minke whales to service domestic demand mostly from tourists. Talking points In February Hvalur hf announced that they would not be fin whaling in summer, saving the lives of up to fin whales Almost all of the fin whale catch is exported to Japan, including a shipment of 1, tonnes which arrived in September Contrary to popular belief, eating whale meat is neither traditional nor widespread amongst Icelanders. Few locals eat whale meat and most is consumed by tourists Whale watching is far more profitable than whaling: This was welcome news: However, in July, Hvalur hf exported 1, tonnes of fin whale meat and products to Japan. The shipment arrived in Osaka on 9th September and it remains to be seen whether it will be allowed to enter the Japanese market. The minke whalers have been operating this year and to date have killed at least 46 minke whales exceeding numbers killed in recent years. You can read more about this campaign here. Escalating hunts despite declining demand In Icelandic whalers killed fin whales and 29 minke whales. In Icelandic whalers killed endangered fin whales and 24 minkes. In, after two years of no fin whaling, Icelandic whalers killed fin whales and 38 minke whales. Iceland rejoined in with a legally disputed reservation against the moratorium. Without even waiting for its supposed research study to be completed, Iceland resumed commercial whaling under its reservation to the moratorium in, killing 7 fin whales and 1 minke whale in a self-allocated commercial quota. In addition, HAFRO suggested that if Iceland decided to expand its minke whales hunt further afield, a take of up minke whales would be allowed in what is known as the CM area, around the Jan Mayen islands, an area for which Norway also issues quotas. With the resumption of a commercial fin whale hunt in, additional difficulties in domestic sales of whale meat were experienced, especially with the significant yield of meat from a fin whale, which is at least 10 times the size of a minke whale. However, more recently, the vast majority of the fin whale catch is exported to Japan see International Trade below. Domestic consumption amongst Icelanders Consumption of minke whale meat in Iceland has fluctuated in recent years. A research report estimated that the domestic market for minke whale meat in Iceland would be in the range of only 5-15 tonnes a year. Tourism Much of the minke whale meat is consumed by tourists under the mistaken belief that this is a traditional dish. Investigations by WDC and others around revealed that more than restaurants, shops and supermarkets around Iceland were selling whale meat products, up from only 50 in The outreach campaign is yielding results: The frozen Norwegian whale meat initially sold well, as it was going for a low price of kronur per kilo, below the cost of beef. In September of, it was announced that Iceland would sell up to two tonnes of minke whale meat to the Faroe Islands. The first export of 0. Two shipments of whale meat were sent to the Faroe Islands in However, massive protests forced a shipment to be returned to Iceland and since then, the company has been obliged to cast around for alternative routes. The palletized container vessel Winter Bay carried 1, tonnes of fin whale meat through the Northeast Passage, reaching Japan on 1st September that year. The Winter Bay carried 1, tonnes via the same route, arriving at Osaka on 9th September. Iceland has also been working on new applications for whale products. This escalated to a total of In an effort to rebut the bogus claims that culling whales could enhance fisheries output, WDC commissioned renowned marine mammal ecology expert Dr. Peter Corkeron to examine the whales vs. In a review that focuses on the Icelandic approach to managing whales, Dr. Corkeron has debunked the myth often cited by pro-whalers that whales consume such large numbers of commercially significant fish that they need to be culled. There are many additional flaws in the Icelandic economic report, not least that it did not try to measure the potential economic backlash that could arise from consumers unwilling to support a country engaged in commercial whaling and trade in whale products. Similar polls in the U. The value of whale watching and impact of whaling upon the Icelandic whale watch industry In contrast to the economic and political liability represented Page 14
by whaling in Iceland, whale watching is immensely valuable to the Icelandic economy. In, around, people took a whale watch trip in Icelandic waters. By, passenger numbers had increased to, and 1 in 5 visitors was taking a whale watch trip. Whale watching now represents the second largest leisure sector in Icelandic tourism: As might be expected, whaling activities pose both a direct and an indirect threat to the whale watch industry. In a letter to the Minister of Fisheries, the Icelandic Whale Watch Association IceWhale and the Icelandic Travel Industry Association SAF, stated that the minke whales are more elusive and consequently, the whale watching boats have to travel farther in order to find the whales. The vessel was escorted back to harbour by the Icelandic Coast Guard, but resumed whaling in early May. Iceland and the European Union In, following the collapse of its economy, Iceland applied to join the European Union. The new Government announced that it would end all negotiations with the EU on accession and immediately abolished the Ministery of the Environment, by making it a department within the Fisheries Ministry. In My, Iceland put its accession negotiations on hold. Page 15