Whaling in Iceland

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Icelandic whaling vessels in Reykjavík harbour

Minke whale meat kebabs, Reykjavik

Iceland has a long tradition of subsistence whaling; spear-drift whaling was practised from the 12th century or earlier and continued in a relic form until the late 19th century. The early reliance on whales is reflected in the Icelandic language: hvalreki is the word for both "beached whale" and "jackpot".^[1]

Whaling history

Icelanders flenching a whale from a 14th century manuscript.

Icelanders flenching a whale from a 16th century manuscript.

Modern whaling in Iceland began in 1883, although spear-drift whaling had been practiced from the 12th century or earlier. By 1915, 17,000 whales had been taken from Icelandic waters, mostly due to excessive whaling by Norwegian fishermen. The Icelandic Government banned whaling in its waters to allow time for population recovery, but the law was repealed in 1928.

By 1935, an Icelandic company renewed whaling operations. They hunted mostly Sei, Fin, and Minke Whales. In the early years of this operation, Blue, Sperm, and Humpback Whales were also hunted, but this was soon prohibited due to decimated numbers. Between 1935 and 1985, Icelandic whalers killed around 20,000 animals in total. Because of this history Icelanders have been able to successfully portray their hunting of whales as selfsustaining and responsible, just as their fishing policy is today^{[citation needed]}. At the same time it is often pointed out by Icelanders^[who?] that the nations that are mostly responsible for decimating the whale stocks in the oceans and are now ardent opposers of any hunting, sustainable or not, are often in bad shape with their current fishing policies, which is often unsustainable and with fish stocks in dire situations^{[citation needed]}.

International Whaling Commission

Beginning in 1990, Iceland abided by the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling.

Unlike Norway, Iceland did not take a reservation against the IWC moratorium, which came into force in 1986. Between 1986 and 1989 around 60-80 Fin Whales and a smaller number of Sei Whales (both listed as Endangered) were taken each year under a scientific permit. However, under strong pressure from anti-whaling countries, viewing scientific whaling as a circumvention of the moratorium^{[citation needed]}, Iceland ceased whaling altogether in 1989. Following the 1991 refusal of the IWC to accept its Scientific Committee's recommendation to allow sustainable commercial whaling, Iceland left the IWC in 1992.

Iceland rejoined the IWC in 2002 with a reservation to the moratorium. This reservation is not recognized by a number of anti-whaling countries^{[citation needed]}. The issue is a fine point of international law^{[citation needed]}. Countries are allowed to take reservations to international treaties or agreements, in which they simply state that they disagree with a particular point and refuse to abide by it. Under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the reservation can be expressed at the time a state signs the treaty. Norway, a fellow member of the IWC, promptly stated its reservation, and its continued whaling is considered proper under international law. In contrast, from 1986 to 1991 Iceland did not state a reservation to the moratorium. After leaving the IWC, it then rejoined with a reservation, taking the position that the departure and re-entry had "reset" its international obligations under the IWC and that it could take a reservation, as if it were the first time it was affected by the moratorium. Opponents of whaling argue that legal reservations do not work this way and that Iceland cannot take a reservation once it has accepted it.^{[citation needed]}

As a requisite for readmission to the IWC, Iceland had also pledged to wait until 2006 before resuming commercial whaling.

In 2003, Iceland resumed scientific whaling. Iceland presented a feasibility study to the 2003 IWC meeting to take 100 Minke, 100 Fin, and 50 Sei in each of 2003 and 2004. The primary aim of the study was to deepen the understanding of fish-whale interactions^{[citation needed]}; the strongest advocates for a resumed hunt are fishermen concerned that whales are taking too many fish^{[citation needed]}. The hunt was supported by three-quarters of the Icelandic population^{[citation needed]}. Amid concern from the IWC Scientific Committee about the value of the research and its relevance to IWC objectives, no decision on the proposal was reached. However under the terms of the convention the Icelandic government issued permits for a scientific catch. In 2003, Iceland took 36 minke whales from a quota of 38. In 2004, it took 25 whales (the full quota). In 2005, the government issued a permit for a third successive year, allowing whalers to take up to 39 whales.

Resumed commercial whaling in 2006

In October 2006, the Icelandic government issued licenses for a commercial whale hunt in addition to the continuing scientific program.^[2] Iceland had pledged not to resume commercial whaling until 2006 when presumably talks about sustainable whaling would be completed. The talks had not come to a resolution thereafter, and are instead stalling due to the differences between those who want to resume whaling and those who do not.

Over the twelve-month period ending in August 2007, Icelandic whalers have been authorized by the Icelandic government to hunt and sell 30 Minke Whales and 9 Fin Whales.^[3] Iceland resumed commercial whaling on 21 October 2006 after Icelandic whalers caught a Fin Whale.^[4] Iceland has an exemption to the moratorium through the reservation made in 2002.

25 nations delivered a formal diplomatic protest (called a "demarche") to the Icelandic government on 1 November 2006 concerning resumed commercial whaling. The protest was led by the UK and signed by nations including the US, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Finland and Sweden^[5].

Kristján Loftsson, owner of the whaling company Hvalur (Icelandic for Whale) which had to diversify from its main industry for the past 20 years, has stated that there is no reason they can't continue hunting whales for eternity by sustainable management of the hunting. The company's whaling ship, Hvalur 9, has caught seven Fin Whales since the government authorization, but has ceased hunting for the year due to bad weather and little daylight. Loftsson also indicated that he planned to export the meat to Japan as neither Iceland or Japan are subject to a trade ban, although Claire Sterling, of the International fund for Animal Welfare, said that Japan has officially stated that it would not be buying Icelandic whale meat.^[6] As Japan does not have any laws against such import it will not hinder such an import.

Commercial whaling in 2008

After a brief suspension of whaling activities, commercial hunting resumed in May 2008, when a new license was granted. The minke catch in 2006 and 2007 was all sold. The head of the Icelandic minke whaling association was hoping for a quota of around 100 minkes in 2008.^[7] Whaling was authorized to continue in 2009, but the new Fisheries Minister and leader of the Left-Green Movement Steingrímur J. Sigfússon said that there was no guarantee that whaling would continue in the long-term under the new government.^[8]

Commercial whaling in 2009

In 2009 Hvalur hf caught 125 fin whales and plans to export up to 1,500 tonnes of whalemeat to Japan. The fin whale is globally listed as an endangered species.^[9]

Icelandic whaling since the suspension of commercial whaling

^[10]

Notes and references

See also

Cetaceans portal

External links

• Scientific Permit Whaling at the IWC homepage
• Comments from IWC regarding the Commercial whaling of Iceland
• International Whaling Commission Catches table
• The Icelandic Marine Research Institute's web site