In a message issued to the Congress of the United States on April 1 Barack Obama had strong words for the Icelandic government regarding Iceland's ongoing hunt of fin whales and trade in their products.
Iceland's actions jeopardize the survival of the fin whale, which is listed in among the species most threatened with extinction, and they undermine multilateral efforts to ensure greater worldwide protection for whales.
The president has directed the Department of State to re-examine bilateral cooperation projects, and where appropriate, to base U.S. cooperation with Iceland on the Icelandic government changing its whaling policy, abiding by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling.
His cabinet secretaries and other senior administration officials are directed to evaluate the appropriateness of visits to Iceland in light of Iceland's resumption of fin whaling and ongoing trade.
The government of Iceland will receive an immediate notification of this position.
Wants Iceland to follow the footsteps of the U.S.
In his message to the Congress Obama says he wants the Department of State and other relevant agencies to encourage Iceland to develop and expand measures that increase economic opportunities for the nonlethal uses of whales in Iceland, such as responsible whale watching activities and educational and scientific research activities that contribute to the conservation of whales.
Just as the United States made the transition from a commercial whaling nation to a whale watching nation, we must enhance our engagement to facilitate this change by Iceland.
To ensure that this issue continues to receive the highest level of attention, the president has directed relevant U.S. agencies to raise concerns with Iceland's trade in whale parts and products and, in consultation with other international actors, to seek additional measures to reduce such trade.
He has also ordered relevant senior administration officials and U.S. delegations to meet with Icelandic officials to raise U.S. objections to commercial whaling and Iceland's ongoing trade in fin whale parts and products and to urge a halt to such action.
In addition to this the president has directed relevant departments and agencies to examine other options for responding to continued whaling by Iceland.
At the time being he does not recommend trade measures against Icelandic products.
I concur with the recommendation, as presented by the Secretary of the Interior, to pursue the use of non-trade measures and that the actions outlined above are the appropriate course of action to address this issue.
Wants report within 6 months
According to the president's message all relevant departments and agencies are to report on their actions, within 6 months of certification, and any updates as needed beyond, through the Departments of State and the Interior.
I have directed relevant departments and agencies to report to me through the Departments of State, Commerce, and the Interior on their actions. I believe that continuing focus on Icelandic whaling activities is needed to encourage Iceland to halt commercial whaling and support international conservation efforts.
The third certification
The U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell certified on January 31, under section 8 of the Fisherman's Protective Act of 1967 (the Pelly Amendment)(22 U.S.C. 1978), that nationals of Iceland are conducting trade in whale meat and products that diminishes the effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
This was the third certification by United States Government agencies of Iceland for their continued whaling activities.
In 2004, Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans made a certification regarding Iceland under the Pelly Amendment because its scientific whaling program diminished the effectiveness of the IWC. When Iceland resumed commercial whaling in 2006, Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez continued Iceland's certification. In 2011, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke increased actions to be taken by members of the Cabinet, Federal departments and agencies, and U.S. delegations by again certifying Iceland for diminishing the effectiveness of the IWC.
Only one Icelandic company, Hvalur hf, conducts fin whaling.
The president of the United States wants Iceland to make the transition from a commercial whaling nation to a whale watching nation as US did, and wants his government to enhance its engagement to facilitate this change. Bilateral cooperation projects will be re-examined and appropriateness of visits to Iceland evaluated in light of Iceland's resumption of fin whaling.
In a message issued to the Congress of the United States on April 1 Barack Obama had strong words for the Icelandic government regarding Iceland's ongoing hunt of fin whales and trade in their products.
Iceland's actions jeopardize the survival of the fin whale, which is listed in among the species most threatened with extinction, and they undermine multilateral efforts to ensure greater worldwide protection for whales.
The president has directed the Department of State to re-examine bilateral cooperation projects, and where appropriate, to base U.S. cooperation with Iceland on the Icelandic government changing its whaling policy, abiding by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling.
His cabinet secretaries and other senior administration officials are directed to evaluate the appropriateness of visits to Iceland in light of Iceland's resumption of fin whaling and ongoing trade.
The government of Iceland will receive an immediate notification of this position.
Wants Iceland to follow the footsteps of the U.S.
In his message to the Congress Obama says he wants the Department of State and other relevant agencies to encourage Iceland to develop and expand measures that increase economic opportunities for the nonlethal uses of whales in Iceland, such as responsible whale watching activities and educational and scientific research activities that contribute to the conservation of whales.
Just as the United States made the transition from a commercial whaling nation to a whale watching nation, we must enhance our engagement to facilitate this change by Iceland.
To ensure that this issue continues to receive the highest level of attention, the president has directed relevant U.S. agencies to raise concerns with Iceland's trade in whale parts and products and, in consultation with other international actors, to seek additional measures to reduce such trade.
He has also ordered relevant senior administration officials and U.S. delegations to meet with Icelandic officials to raise U.S. objections to commercial whaling and Iceland's ongoing trade in fin whale parts and products and to urge a halt to such action.
In addition to this the president has directed relevant departments and agencies to examine other options for responding to continued whaling by Iceland.
At the time being he does not recommend trade measures against Icelandic products.
I concur with the recommendation, as presented by the Secretary of the Interior, to pursue the use of non-trade measures and that the actions outlined above are the appropriate course of action to address this issue.
Wants report within 6 months
According to the president's message all relevant departments and agencies are to report on their actions, within 6 months of certification, and any updates as needed beyond, through the Departments of State and the Interior.
I have directed relevant departments and agencies to report to me through the Departments of State, Commerce, and the Interior on their actions. I believe that continuing focus on Icelandic whaling activities is needed to encourage Iceland to halt commercial whaling and support international conservation efforts.
The third certification
The U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell certified on January 31, under section 8 of the Fisherman's Protective Act of 1967 (the Pelly Amendment)(22 U.S.C. 1978), that nationals of Iceland are conducting trade in whale meat and products that diminishes the effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
This was the third certification by United States Government agencies of Iceland for their continued whaling activities.
In 2004, Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans made a certification regarding Iceland under the Pelly Amendment because its scientific whaling program diminished the effectiveness of the IWC. When Iceland resumed commercial whaling in 2006, Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez continued Iceland's certification. In 2011, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke increased actions to be taken by members of the Cabinet, Federal departments and agencies, and U.S. delegations by again certifying Iceland for diminishing the effectiveness of the IWC.
Only one Icelandic company, Hvalur hf, conducts fin whaling.
