An important step was taken yesterday toward the conservation of whales in Icelandic waters yesterday when the outgoing minister of fisheries declared two of the main habitats of many whale species in Icelandic waters to be off-limits to whaling. The two whale sanctuaries which were announced yesterday cover the main hunting grounds of minke whales in Icelandic waters as well as the waters where most whale watching takes place. (See map below)
According to the new executive decree all whaling will be banned in the eastern part of Faxaflói Bay, the bay between Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes peninsulas in West Iceland, as well as Eyjafjörður fjord and Skjálfandi bay in North Iceland. Most whale watching companies in Iceland operate in these waters.
The incoming Left Green led coalition government could overturn the regulation. However, as the Left Greens have supported the expansion of whale sanctuaries around Iceland it is unlikely that the minister of agriculture and fisheries, Sigurður Ingi Jóhannesson, the chairman of the centrist and predominantly rural Progress Party, will pick a fight with the Prime Minister over the issue.
An important step was taken yesterday toward the conservation of whales in Icelandic waters yesterday when the outgoing minister of fisheries declared two of the main habitats of many whale species in Icelandic waters to be off-limits to whaling. The two whale sanctuaries which were announced yesterday cover the main hunting grounds of minke whales in Icelandic waters as well as the waters where most whale watching takes place. (See map below)
According to the new executive decree all whaling will be banned in the eastern part of Faxaflói Bay, the bay between Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes peninsulas in West Iceland, as well as Eyjafjörður fjord and Skjálfandi bay in North Iceland. Most whale watching companies in Iceland operate in these waters.
The incoming Left Green led coalition government could overturn the regulation. However, as the Left Greens have supported the expansion of whale sanctuaries around Iceland it is unlikely that the minister of agriculture and fisheries, Sigurður Ingi Jóhannesson, the chairman of the centrist and predominantly rural Progress Party, will pick a fight with the Prime Minister over the issue.
