The SV Rainbow Warrior arrives in Iceland, September 2003
Greenpeace has begun to break the ice with the people of Iceland on the issue of whaling since our ship, the Rainbow Warrior, arrived in Reykjavik last week. We want to open up a dialogue with the Icelandic people, to discuss the crisis in the world's oceans, and show them that whales are worth more alive than dead.
Polls have shown up to 80% of the Icelandic population are in favour of whaling so we have our work cut out for us. But Greenpeace is in Iceland to extend the hand of friendship, offering to help the government promote nature tourism as an alternative to whaling.
Over the weekend, Icelandic State Radio and Television held a poll, asking people if the government should accept Greenpeace's offer. The result showed a shift in Icelandic public opinion, with 42% of those polled saying Iceland should concentrate on developing its whale-watching industry rather than return to whaling.
Iceland is an increasingly popular tourist destination, and since Iceland gave up whaling 15 years ago its whale watching industry has thrived.
A dozen firms launched in Iceland over the past decade, generating around US$8.5 million in revenue in 2001. Commercial whaling brought in US$3 million to US$4 million annually between 1986 and 1989, when commercial hunts were stopped.
The Rainbow Warrior will make a call in the old whaling port of Isafjordur on the North side of the island shortly, continuing in its efforts to listen to the people of Iceland, and to explain why we believe the government should reverse its decision.
Frode Pleym, a Norwegian Greenpeace campaigner aboard the ship, said it is important the team speaks to people one-to-one, to stress the fact that Greenpeace is not anti-Iceland, or culturally insensitive. "We ourselves are from many cultures, and have learned to work out our differences with respect."
"Iceland is actually a model nation environmentally in many respects, and a strong ally to Greenpeace internationally on several issues - from ocean pollution to fisheries management to climate change - that whaling needs to be seen as the anomaly it is."
"We think Iceland will benefit more from positioning themselves as the "Land of the Whale" and bringing tourists over to watch living whales, rather than hunting them."
More than 13,000 activists have so far also written to Iceland's ambassadors to the UK, Germany and the US, asking them to reconsider the decision to hunt 38 Minkes this season. The Iceland government is playing down the international reaction to its whaling programme, by claiming it has not received many complaints.
If you haven't done so already, please tell Iceland you'd support whale watching over whale hunting any day!
