Retiring Minister of Transport and Local Government Jón Gunnarsson is against retiring Minister of Fisheries Þorgerður K. Gunnarsdóttir’s decision to enlarge the whale sanctuary in Faxaflói Bay. Visir reports. Jón seized the opportunity during their last state council meeting yesterday to let his opinion be heard, scolding Þorgerður in the process.
Faxaflói bay is located in West Iceland, between the Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes peninsulas and is a popular spot for whale watching. According to Þorgerður, she made the decision in order to consider the interests of the tourism industry.
Her decision returns the borders of the sanctuary to their 2013 location when then-minister Steingrímur J. Sigfússon decided to enlarge them. They were later reduced by Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, who currently serves as Minister of Transport and Local Government.
Jón claims that Þorgerður’s method of work was unacceptable. “I asked her why she couldn’t just do things properly, as is expected of a proper administration.”
Þorgerður claims she made her decision by taking every point of view into consideration. “This is my decision and I stand by it. It is a symbolic step and I believe our next step to simply evaluate and revise Iceland’s whaling policy as a whole.”
