ICELAND’S ATTEMPT TO RESUME COMMERCIAL WHALING FAILS

23 July 2001

London - Iceland’s attempt to resume commercial whaling immediately was rejected by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in London today.

Iceland, which quit the IWC in 1992, wanted to rejoin the Commission with a reservation to the current international moratorium on commercial whaling and announced that it wanted the moratorium overturned as quickly as possible so whaling could resume.

Today, after a series of votes, the IWC concluded that Iceland will only have observer status during this week’s meeting and will not be allowed to vote on key issues, such as the possible resumption of commercial whaling or whether to establish a new whale sanctuary in the South Pacific.

Before the votes, the world’s other two pro-whaling countries, Norway and Japan, tried to support Iceland through a series of legal manoeuvres. The whaling nations were backed up by at least nine countries that Japan has bought with foreign aid packages to vote with it at the IWC.(1) This resulted in the votes being very close.

Greenpeace Whale Campaigner Richard Page said: “Greenpeace is relieved that Iceland’s brazen attempt to undermine the IWC has been defeated. But the fact that the votes were so close is the direct result of Japan’s vote rigging of the commission and is of grave concern.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Matilda Bradshaw, Greenpeace International on + 31 6 535 04701
Louise Edge, Greenpeace UK on + 44 7801 212 993