Icelandic sources report that they have reliable evidence that Iceland will resume hunting fin whales this summer, despite an international law prohibiting the cull of the species.
Skessuhorn, the news website of west Iceland, broke the story, saying that sources close to them have revealed that the hunt will resume this summer. Kristján Loftsson, the director of Iceland’s sole whaling company, Hvalur hf., was reportedly recently in Japan talking with buyers there. The whale hunt in Japan has been poor this year, with only one-fourth of their quota filled.
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) are all less than pleased with the news. Last September, US president Barack Obama also urged Iceland to abandon the hunting of endangered species.
“Iceland has exported almost 2,000 tonnes of whale meat to Japan in recent years,” said EIA senior campaigner Clare Perry. “The Icelandic whaling company Hvalur is deliberately growing an export market for an endangered species which is protected by two international agreements to which Iceland is signatory. We are calling on the EU and US to take urgent steps to end this rogue whaling.”
AWI, EIA, and WDCS have shared the Skessuhorn article and their concerns with relevant US and EU authorities and have requested that they take immediate steps to caution Iceland about resuming fin whaling.
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