American authorities condemned on Friday the decision of Icelandic authorities to increase the commercial whaling quota, expressing concern that the minke and fin whale stocks in Icelandic waters might not be able to sustain whaling of this caliber.
Whale watching in Iceland. Copyright: Icelandic Photo Agency.
The US Ministry for Foreign Affairs encouraged Icelandic authorities to revoke the whaling decision and focus on preserving its whale stocks in the long term instead of thinking of the short-term interests of commercial whaling, Morgunbladid reports.
Furthermore, the US Ministry for Foreign Affairs expressed concern that Iceland’s decision on continued commercial whaling and a higher whaling quota might jeopardize discussions on the future of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
Iceland’s new Fisheries Minister Steingrímur J. Sigfússon recently confirmed the decision of his predecessor to increase the quota on minkes and fin whales in Icelandic waters.
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