Canadian-American actress Pamela Anderson, of Baywatch fame, has sent Russian President Vladimir Putin a personal request, asking for his assistance in halting Icelandic whaling.
Specifically, the actress has asked the Russian president not to allow the freighter Winter Bay passage through Russian territory on its way through the Arctic Ocean, carrying 1,700 tons of fin whale meat destined for Japanese markets.
Winter Bay is registered in the Caribbean island of St Kitts & Nevis, but the whale meat belongs to Icelandic company Hvalur Hf.
Due to extensive international bans on the transportation of whale meat, Winter Bay has been prohibited from passing through either the Suez or Panama canals, and thus the crew intends to reroute and cross in the North, through the Arctic Ocean and Russian territory.
Winter Bay is currently docked in Tromsø, Norway awaiting the clearance of the Arctic passage. Sea ice is generally at a low during the months of August and September, and the ship cannot depart until adequately low levels have been reached.
Last week the activist network Avaaz started a petition asking Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis, to deflag the freighter, which would prevent it from leaving Norway.
The petition has so far gained close to a million signatures.
Anderson’s full letter to President Putin can be found here.
