Press release - August 14, 2003
Library photo of the SV Rainbow Warrior in the North Sea 1999
The Greenpeace flagship, Rainbow Warrior is en route to Iceland
to campaign against the hunting of minke whales, which the
government is attempting to justify on "scientific" grounds.
Gerd Leipold, Executive Director of Greenpeace International
said:
"No science justifies the killing of whales. This is simply an
underhand attempt by the Icelandic government to resume commercial
whaling."
The Rainbow Warrior has been diverted from the Mediterranean and
is scheduled to arrive in just over 2 weeks. The first voyage of
the Rainbow Warrior in 1978 was to Iceland to confront commercial
whalers. Greenpeace is now returning to support local groups who
also fear the government announcement is a first step towards a
resumption of full-scale whaling.
Many local groups in Iceland have already expressed serious
concerns about the government plans. One whale watching station
flew the national flag at half-mast the day the resumption was
announced. The whale watching industry in Iceland generates
significant income, which would be seriously threatened by
commercial hunting. (1)
Gerd Leipold campaigned in Iceland 25 years ago to stop the
practice, and will be returning with the Rainbow Warrior to meet
local people and discuss with them the way forward. He said:
"Whaling is part of Iceland's past, and must remain so. Some
people of Iceland may regret this because whaling was so much a
part of their life. Whilst we don't expect to change everyone's
minds, Greenpeace hopes that we are able to give many Icelanders
the confidence to say no to whaling - forever. A clear message must
go to the Icelandic government - globally, as well as directly from
the people of Iceland - that this will not be tolerated. Iceland
can make more money from whale watching than whale killing and
should be doing all it can to protect those whales in its
seas."
VVPR info: Archive images available from Greenpeace International Photo Desk, Tel: +31205249580
Notes: It is estimated that about a dozen whale watching companies have been started in Iceland in the last ten years, generating US$8.5million in 2001. Commercial whaling generated US$3-4 million between 1986-1989 when commercial hunts where stopped. 5.6.2003 by AP