Defra statement - Iceland's intention to resume whaling
The UK Government expressed serious concern today over the announcement that Iceland will resume scientific whaling later this year.Speaking in London today, Fisheries Minister said:
"We strongly support the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling. The UK Government is opposed to all whaling except limited subsistence whaling undertaken by indigenous people.
"Iceland's claim that data is needed on the amount of fish that whales eat is wholly unjustified and the IWC has been highly critical of the scientific value of similar programmes by Japan.
"The UK strongly supports the view of the majority of IWC members
that such lethal research is unnecessary - a great deal of information
is already available on whale diets and further data, especially on stocks
or populations, can be obtained by non-lethal means."
Page published: 8 August 2003