David Martin's EU Tribune

Campaign to end commercial whaling

This summer the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s (IFAW’s) 21 metre sailing research vessel Song of the Whale will be in Iceland, conducting research into the impact of whale watching on whales. Recent statements have suggested that whale watching has a detrimental impact on whales. These suggestions are based on limited evidence and the research to be undertaken is expected to refute these suggestions.

I have accepted an invitation from IFAW in the first week of September to join the crew of the Song of the Whale for a day to see for myself. The visit will allow me the opportunity to gain an insight into marine science and the functioning of a research vessel; it will also allow me to see whales at close hand.

The trip will allow me to discuss some of the key issues surrounding whaling in Iceland and around the world with stakeholders engaged in this issue. Given my involvement on the EU-Japan Trade negotiations, the experience should provide me with arguments to highlight the fact that whale watching has been proven to be far more economically sustainable than whaling.

IFAW is working with local MPs, whale watching companies and the Reykjavik Tourist Board to create a whale sanctuary in Faxafloi, the large bay surrounding the capital where whale watching but also whaling takes place. This would not prevent whaling vessels from going further out to sea to hunt whales but the extra fuel costs should mean whales are protected in practice. Support from the European Parliament would be very welcomed by the locals, given the importance of tourism to the country.

Unfortunately, 40% of all whale meat consumed in Iceland is eaten by tourists who mistakenly believe that all Icelanders eat whale and so wrongly consider their impact to be negligible. IFAW volunteers ask tourists in the airport and other popular destinations to pledge to not eat whale meat.

I expect IFAW will be hoping for a publicised pledge from me on this issue and to spread the word throughout the European Parliament and beyond.