ICELANDIC COMMERCIAL WHALING

That this House is concerned about reports in the Icelandic media that whaling may be resumed in the country; notes that commercial whaling in Iceland was halted in 2007 after a decision by the Icelandic government that there was not enough demand for whale meat; further notes that in a recent Gallup poll 66 per cent. of Icelanders agreed that if the market was poor, whaling should not be resumed; recognises that Iceland now has a profitable whale-watching industry worth £10 million a year in 2007; is further concerned that a resumption of whaling will damage Iceland's international reputation and could affect tourism and whale-watching in Iceland; and calls on the Prime Minister to encourage Icelandic Prime Minister Geir Haarde and the Icelandic government not to issue new whaling quotas.