Action Alert

[Guest guest]

" Animals Australia " URGENT: Protest Against Iceland's

Resumption of Whaling Mon, 18 Aug 2003 11:41:58 +1000

 

Action Alert

 

 

 

Given the news that Iceland is monitoring the response to protests against

their planning whaling program, WDCS asks if everyone can send protest mail

to the Icelandic Embassy icemb.beijing

 

Please distribute this call as widely as possible though your own networks.

The following letter can be used verbatim or as a model to make the task

easier.

 

With thanks

 

Margi Prideaux, WDCS (Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society)

 

 

****************

 

 

 

Dear Prime Minister

 

I am appalled to learn that Iceland has decided to resume commercial whaling

under the guise of scientific research, and plans to kill 38 minke whales

this summer. I am deeply disappointed that Iceland has taken this decision

in spite of the declaration of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) at

its recent 55th meeting, that commercially motivated research whaling

represents " an act contrary to the spirit of the moratorium on commercial

whaling and to the will of the Commission " . At this meeting, the IWC

specifically urged Iceland not to start so-called " research " whaling.

 

As you will recall, during the IWC's debate about Iceland's proposal to

resume Scientific Whaling, thirty nine national delegates of the IWC's

Scientific Committee's from many nations concluded that, not only was

Iceland's research proposal poorly contrived and unlikely to yield relevant

results, but that it was " deficient in almost every respect " .

 

I find it hard to believe that, despite this degree of criticism, Iceland

intends to proceed with its hunt. The fact that Iceland has reduced the

number of species, and whales, to be hunted, for the moment makes the

proposal no more credible, or acceptable. In fact, it simply suggests that

Iceland fears an adverse reaction from the international community and

wishes to test the waters on a more moderate scale.

 

I can assure you that the world community will react very decisively to

Iceland's decision, no matter how many whales are taken.

 

In addition to the impact that Iceland's decision will have on its

international reputation and economy, I believe that it will also, sadly,

have severe repercussions for its valuable whale watching industry. Iceland

has had one of the highest growth rates for whale watching in the world,

with thousands of tourists contributing millions of dollars to the Icelandic

economy. Adverse consumer reaction to whaling will be devastating for

Iceland's tourism-reliant economy.

 

I strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to resume scientific

whaling.

 

Yours sincerely

 

___________________