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Stop Icelandic whaling

Minke whale steaks barbecued in peaceful protest against Greenpeace in Iceland Enlarge Image

Greenpeace talks with Icelanders about whaling

Our flagship, The Rainbow Warrior, has begun to break the ice, so to speak, with the people of Iceland, in creating a dialogue about the government's plan to resume commercial whaling.

Minke caught by the whaling ship from Isafjordur in NW Iceland. Whalers cut the whale on board and place it in containers before bringing their boat in to the harbour. Enlarge Image

Icelanding whaling support declines

Our presence in Iceland is starting to turn the tide of opinion on this North Atlantic Island. The Icelandic Government is now reviewing the so-called "scientific whaling" programme and the Prime Minister recently indicated that if no export markets can be secured in future, this will mean an end to Icelandic whaling.

Greenpeace action against Japanese whaling in Southern Ocean. Enlarge Image

Japanese whale fleet ready

Greenpeace has learned that five vessels will set forth shortly from Shimonoseki in Japan, perhaps as early as Friday, to hunt whales once again. They continue to do so despite a worldwide moratorium on commercial whaling, under the false pretence that their purpose is "research."

Iceland has announced it will recommence whaling in 2003. Enlarge Image

Changing minds in Iceland

According to a new Gallup poll, 48 percent of the Icelandic public thinks the existence of groups like Greenpeace is "rather important to very important" -- a marked shift from past antagonism against Greenpeace for its anti-whaling policies.

A harpooned whale can take hours to die Enlarge Image

Stop whaling

The harpoons are ready, and the whaling season has begun. The Norwegian government plans to take 670 minke whales in the only openly-declared commercial whale hunt in the world, while the Japanese government aim to kill 210 minke, Bryde's, sei and sperm whales in the north-western Pacific in a so called "Scientific" whaling programme. Iceland, the world's third whaling nation, has not yet made a decision on this year's take or if their "scientific" research programme will continue.

Esperanza in Isafjordur, Iceland Enlarge Image

Esperanza in Iceland

One day, our ship is docked in Iceland's number one whaling station. The next, the country's number one whale-watching spot. The contrast is striking. Isafjordur, in the stunning west fjords on the northwestern coast, is a sleepy ring of houses, an aging port, and an airstrip clinging to a fjord. Husavik, on the far northern coast of Iceland just on the edge of the arctic circle, is a bustling whale-watching success story.

Greenpeace volunteers sail to mark the launch of the IWC (International Whaling Commission) opening this week. Enlarge Image

Whales for sale

Pity poor whaling nations like Japan. They are so alone on this issue, and their arguments for whaling are so thin, that they need to buy friends and supporters in their desperate attempt to resume the commercial slaughter of the world's most impressive mammals.

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You can help Iceland do the right thing. Tell Iceland's ambassadors to the US, Germany, and Britain that they need to put their Fisheries bureaucrats in check and stop whaling now.
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