ICELAND: OUTGOING MINISTER ALLOWS FOR LARGE FIN WHALE HUNT

C O N F I D E N T I A L REYKJAVIK 000025

SIPDIS

State for EUR/NB and OES/OA
Tokyo for Bart Cobbs
Commerce for NMFS WHogarth

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2019
TAGS: SENV EFIS PGOV IWC IC
SUBJECT: ICELAND: OUTGOING MINISTER ALLOWS FOR LARGE FIN WHALE HUNT
QUOTA

REF: Reykjavik 20

Classified By: Ambassador Carol van Voorst for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (U) Action request: paragraph 7.


2. (C) Summary: On January 27, outgoing Fisheries and Agriculture
Minister Einar K. Gudfinsson quietly issued an order potentially
allowing a massive increase in Iceland's hunting of fin and minke
whales. The order allowed commercial quotas of fin and minke whales
to be issued according to recommendations of the Icelandic Marine
Research Institute (MRI) for the next five years. Although no
numbers were specified, a ministry official told us that based on
last year's MRI advice, the quota would likely be 150 fins and 100
minkes. A new interim government should be in place by the weekend
and there is media speculation that the new minister would withdraw
the order before the first animal is killed. However, pro-whaling
forces are claiming that whaling could provide 300 new jobs. With
the current economic crisis, the anti-whaling NGO believes the jobs
argument will carry weight and urged the Embassy to make a loud and
vocal protest. Both the British and Swedish Ambassadors have
expressed to us their interest in a joint response. We believe a
strong message must be delivered to the new Prime Minister as soon as
possible. End Summary.


3. (SBU) The resignation of the Cabinet on January 26 meant longtime
whaling supporter and Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Einar K.
Gudfinsson had little time left in office (reftel). Gudfinsson
quietly issued a regulation on January 27 that allowed for fin and
minke whale hunting quotas for 2009 through 2013. No numbers were
provided for the total allowable takes, but the numbers will be
determined by the recommendation of the Marine Research Institute
(MRI). Twenty percent of each year's quota can be carried over into
the next year. Stefan Asmundsson, Director of International Affairs
at the Ministry of Fisheries, told Emboff that no decision has been
made, but based on last year's MRI advice, the quota would likely be
150 fins and 100 minkes for 2009.


4. (SBU) The authority to determine whaling quotas unilaterally was
bestowed on the fisheries minister by the Cabinet in 2006. Gudfinsson
has several possible motivations for issuing such a quota on his way
out the door. His voting district is a traditional fishing and
whaling area; his constituents will remember this bold move when
elections occur this spring. His political party has been
anti-accession to the European Union because of the loss of
sovereignty and control over fishing resources; whaling is something
Iceland would have to give up to join the EU and this quota turns the
whaling question into an issue of sovereignty and self-determination.
Gudfinsson's decision also forces the interim government to take a
stand on a sensitive international and domestic issue immediately.
Although the two parties in the minority coalition are typically
anti-whaling, they will require the parliamentary support of one of
the traditionally pro-whaling parties. Finally, the anti-whaling NGO
Iceland Nature Conservancy Association (INCA) theorized to us that
the quota was Gudfinnsson's parting shot at the International Whaling
Commission for excluding Iceland in the recent discussions with Japan
on small coastal whaling.


5. (SBU) While the tourism industry and the whale watching society
have denounced the decision, the sole fin whale captain and the Minke
Whaling Society immediately praised the decision and claimed it would
provide up to 300 jobs. INCA believes that with the sudden rise in
unemployment (from less than 2 percent to 7.6 percent in just a few
months) the possible job creation aspect could make it harder to
argue that whaling will hurt Iceland's interests. However, since the
Icelandic domestic market uses only minke whale meat, the fin whale
meat would have to be exported to Japan or an entirely new market.
The ministry's announcement on the regulation says "uncertainty (over
the marketability of fin whale products) has been abolished." After
two years of effort and rumors that the fin whale captain was funding
the export out of his own pocket, the Icelanders were able to export
to Japan some fin whale meat from the seven whales caught in 2006.
However, whether the market can profitably absorb the tons of meat
the hunt will generate remains to be seen.


6. (C) INCA Director Arni Finsson told Econoff that urgent
international action was needed. Finsson was concerned that with the
sudden rise in unemployment, the 300 temporary jobs created will
entice the public to accept the decision. Ambassador contacted her
colleagues and heard from her British and Swedish counterparts that

they agree to deliver a joint letter and demarche to the new interim
Prime Minister as early as possible.


7. (C) Comment and Action Request: We need to deliver a swift and
forceful message to the interim government that whaling outside of
the International Whaling Commission guidelines is unacceptable and
the scale suggested, especially of endangered species, is
unwarranted. Our central argument should be that at a time when
Iceland is struggling to repair its tattered image and international
credibility, a massive expansion of whaling activity is hardly a
helpful move. Post would like instructions from Washington to see
incoming Prime Minister soonest, with the text of a joint letter from
the anti-whaling community.

van Voorst