It's Time for the U.S. to Take Action Against Iceland's Whaling
- by: Alicia Graef
- recipient: President Barack Obama
Since Iceland resumed commercial whaling in 2006, in defiance of an international ban, whalers have killed hundreds of minke whales and endangered fin whales.
Worse yet is that in December, Iceland's Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture announced that it would allow commercial whaling to continue for at least the next five years, which could result in the slaughter of as as 154 fin whales and 229 minke whales each year.
Despite a dwindling market for whale meat, public opposition and political sanctions, it appears that Iceland's small, yet greedy, industry will not be swayed and will continue to senselessly and violently slaughter whales in an unsustainable manner, undermining global efforts to protect these magnificent creatures.
In February, the U.S. government issued a formal declaration that Iceland is undermining the effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and its ban on the international commercial trade of whale products.
Animal advocacy and conservation groups are now urging President Obama to act swiftly and impose economic measures, including trade sanctions, against Iceland under the Pelly Amendment of the of the Fishermen’s Protective Act.
Please sign the petition urging President Obama to send a message to Iceland that the continued slaughter of whales will not be tolerated by the U.S.
Photo: Ari Friedlaender
As someone who is concerned with animal welfare and the fate of marine mammals I was pleased to learn that Interior Secretary Sally Jewell issued a formal declaration that Iceland is undermining the effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and its ban on the international commercial trade in whale products earlier this year.
Since Iceland resumed commercial whaling in defiance of a global ban in 2006, whalers have have killed hundreds of minke whales and endangered fin whales.
In December, Iceland's of Fisheries and Agriculture announced that it would allow commercial whaling to continue for at least the next five years, which could result in the slaughter of as as 154 fin whales and 229 minke whales each year.
Despite a dwindling market for whale meat, public opposition and political sanctions, it appears that Iceland's small, yet greedy, industry will not be swayed and will continue to senselessly and violently slaughter whales in an unsustainable manner, all the while undermining global efforts to protect these magnificent creatures.
It's clear that it's time to take economic measures and impose trade sanctions against Iceland under the Pelly Amendment of the of the Fishermen’s Protective Act until it stops commercial whaling.
I sincerely hope that you will act swiftly to send a message to Iceland that its continued slaughter of whales will not be tolerated by the U.S.
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