As a British Marine Biologist living in Iceland on and off now for
over 4 years and working for one of the leading whale watching companies in
Europe, Elding Whale Watching Reykjavik, I have seen and experienced the
tiresome arguments between pro whaling and anti whaling countryman and
foreigners. I have always been a firm believer that you support organisations
in such countries where species need protection. Thus, I would like my part to
be about informing visiting tourists of the issues before arriving so that they
don’t fall into the trap that many do which is, it’s ok to eat whale meat when in
Iceland because it’s not!
We had a stall at the Whalefest in Brighton 2011 in which whale
enthusiasts frequently asked us about whaling in Iceland and even some, before
talking to us, had said that they refused to come to Iceland because of the Whaling.
This is something we want to change and so here I am telling you that by coming
to Iceland and going whale watching you would be doing more to stop whaling
that not coming at all.
Unfortunately, to increase the market, whalers are targeting
tourists and pushing whale meat as a traditional dish that should be tried. 100
restaurants around Iceland now serve Minke Whale meat. What is worse is that
many passengers that come whale watching have also tasted them either before or
after the tour. The answer frequently given to why they ate the meat is that
“it’s dead anyway so if I don’t eat it, someone else will” not really
understanding that its fuelling the industry to catch more. Many passengers
just say, “I ate one of those earlier” when pointing to the whales, not knowing
that they did wrong and of course “it’s a traditional dish and I just wanted to
try it”. It is mainly the tourism industry that keeps
the market afloat as a poll conducted by IFAW in 2010 indicated that only 5% of Icelandic households eat whale
meat weekly.
There
are two main debates here in Iceland. The inhumane killing debate one example
being in 2005 when 5 out of 39 Minke Whales were hit by a harpoon and lost or that only a small part of the whale is utilised the rest thrown back in the bay and second the socio-economic debate, which is the main driving force on the anti
whaling side.
Whale watching in Iceland has grown exponentially over the last two decades
from about 100 tourists going whale watching in 1991 to 125,000 in 2010 and
2011. We have observed that Minke Whales
are becoming more elusive even though we are seeing the same whales returning year
after year. Their lives are threatened in the same bay where they are watched
with awe. The increase in whale watching in Faxaflói Bay has
allowed for a safe area, which is currently being considered for expansion, but
as soon as whales cross this line they have to fend for themselves.
So
in summary, don’t miss out on the breathtaking scenery, wildlife, culture and
northern lights of Iceland. Go whale watching and state to the restaurants that
you’re not eating there because they serve whale. Help us to stop whaling and
as IFAW campaign states “Meet us don’t eat us”.
How would you like to see a whale?
Top two pictures photographed by Andri Þór Steingrímsson
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