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The Icelandic government says it is just a matter
of time before Iceland resumes commercial whaling.
The meat on sale at Noatun, is part of an initial eight
ton shipment of minke whale imported under a
special agreement from Norway.
Iceland's supplies of whale meat all but ran out in
1989, three years after an international call on
commercial whaling.
Since then, consumers have only occasionally been able to buy the rich, red meat in small stores, when whales are accidentally caught in fishing nets.
The Icelandic government, which wants to resume whaling, said the sale of the imported meat was a step in the right direction.
The International Whaling Commission banned all commercial whaling in 1986 to protect some types of whales that were threatened by over-hunting.
Iceland, which is a traditional whaling nation, quit the IWC in a dispute over the hunting ban 10 years ago. When it tried to rejoin last year, saying it could best influence the whaling debate from within the organization, it was only granted observer status.
It argues the stocks of minke and fin whales in Iceland's coastal waters are robust enough to permit the resumption of whaling.
A recent poll revealed that a majority of Icelanders are in favour of resuming commercial whaling, despite international protests and possible effects on its eco-tourism industry.
Story filed: 02:10
Tuesday 23rd July 2002
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