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### Viewing cable 09REYKJAVIK25, ICELAND: OUTGOING MINISTER ALLOWS FOR LARGE FIN WHALE HUNT

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09REYKJAVIK25 | 2009-01-30 17:05 | 2011-01-13 05:05 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Reykjavik

`

    VZCZCXYZ0001
    OO RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHRK #0025/01 0301710
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    O 301710Z JAN 09
    FM AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3968
    INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0035
    RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0331
    RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0150
    RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0016
    RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0176
    RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 0378
    RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

` `

    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

`