There’s a freezer in Iceland storing 2,000 tonnes of whale meat that no one wants. And every year they keep packing more into it by killing more whales. It’s completely senseless.
Iceland is one of the few countries in the world that doesn’t abide by the international moratorium on commercial whaling. They continue to kill whales even though no one is eating them and the companies hunting them aren’t making any money.
Even Iceland’s whalers see the writing on the wall. They have just announced that they are delaying the start of whaling because of the poor market for their catch—they will decide in August whether to go whaling or not. This is our chance to end Icelandic whaling once and for all.
The US government has been considering using economic sanctions—under what is called the Pelly Amendment—on fish imports from Iceland if it continues to violate the international moratorium on commercial whaling. Now is the time for them to do it!
Thanks to a poll Greenpeace conducted last year, we know 83% of Americans want President Obama and his administration to strengthen the international ban on commercial whaling. Imposing sanctions would send the message to Iceland that the administration means business—and makes the whaler’s decision in August an easy one.
Together we can make sure that no more Fin whales senselessly end up in the freezer, ending whaling in Iceland for good.
