Article from CNN...
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/eu....ap/index.html
IŽll take the most important part of it and post it here...
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) -- One of three vessels commissioned by the Icelandic government to hunt minke whales sailed out of harbor early Sunday, Icelandic news media reported.
The hunters are to take 38 minke whales for research during August and September. The government says the cull is needed to study the stomach contents of the minke whales and see if they feed too much on fish stocks such as cod, which are vital to the national economy.
Several nations and animal rights groups have criticized Iceland's decision.
Nations opposed to whaling, including the United States, say there is no scientific basis for the tests. Welfare groups fear Iceland is using the scientific whaling to gauge international reaction before it resumes commercial whaling, as it has said it may do after 2006.
Ok fine its easy to say "safe the whales" when you live in a country like the US... but its not that simple here...
We all know that whales eat fish = less fish in the oceon.
Fish is very important here.. why ? Its a HUGE part of our economy that makes this nation rich and modern...
Its not 4% of our economy.. or 12% or 20%... ITS 70% of our economy!
So more whales = bad economy in the future.
Its not like we are gonna make it instinct.. We have over 100.000 minke whales just here around the coast of Iceland. And we are talking about killing like a 100 a year in special areas... how will that make them instinct ?
Sure if you live in a area where you don't have many of them.. and it doesn't affect your economy... Sure do that "safe the whales" thing and watch Free Willy on TV... but hey its not that simple over here...
I mean there were boats from some foreign news channel trying to get it on tape when the first whale was killed,
I think people should find something better to do with their time than run around with "safe the whales" sign. But hey thats just my opinion. IŽm glad our government just ignored the international community and allowed this because its very important for us.
And they don't even say on the news in other countries how important this is... they only talk about the negative part since people are more interested in that.
So whats your opinion ? Should it be banned worldwide or should it be allowed in some areas ?