Animals The Icelandic government give its whalers permission to take more than two thousand whales and minke whales to catch over a period of five years. That is remarkable, because the support for whaling among the Icelanders is reduced and the meat is hardly eaten.
The new quotas were announced by the Icelandic minister for Fisheries and Agriculture, Kristjan Thor Juliusson. He gives the fishermen permission to 2023 annually 209 whales and 217 minke whales to gigging. the
The decision according to Juliusson take into account scientific advice, but she falls in poor ground with environmental organizations and the tourist industry. Walvistochten are a major tourist attraction in Iceland.
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According to animal rights organisation Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) shows the decision especially how strong the influence of the walvislobby, and specifically of walvisjager Kristjan Loftsson, one of the richest men in Iceland. the
“At a time when school children to the streets to protest against the climate change and the degradation of the environment decided by the Icelandic government to allow more whales to be killed,” says Vanessa Williams-Grey of WDC. “That is not only morally reprehensible but also economically nonsensical.”
Japan
The Icelandic quota will follow shortly on the announcement from Japan that the International whaling commission (IWC) will exit and restart commercial whaling, will organize from July. Japan is also the main target market for the Icelandic whalers.
READ ALSO. Why Japanese decision to commercial whaling to resume can be an advantage for whales
