*EPF108 08/18/2003
Excerpt: State Dept. on Resumption of Icelandic Whaling Program
(Boucher comments at Aug. 18 press briefing) (450)

State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters August 18 that the decision by Iceland to renew its whaling program "will likely trigger a review by the [U.S.] Department of Commerce of Iceland's lethal scientific whaling process program for possible certification under the Pelly Amendment," adding that "we'll obviously keep the situation under review."

Under the Pelly Amendment of the Fishermen's Protection Act of 1967, the secretary of commerce may impose sanctions on imports from any country that conducts fishing practices that diminish the effectiveness of international fisheries conservation regimes.

In 1994 certain imports from Taiwan were banned because the island was trading in rhinoceros horn and tiger bones in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The sanctions were lifted in 1995 in light of improvements in Taiwan's laws and enforcement. Pelly Amendment sanctions have also been threatened against countries that engage in whaling.

Following is an excerpt from the State Department briefing:

(begin excerpt)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Daily Press Briefing
Tuesday, August 18, 2003
1:05 p.m. EDT
BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

[....]

QUESTION: ...[The acting State Department spokesman] twice in two days came out very strongly in opposition to the renewal of Iceland's whaling program. That program actually began over the weekend again. I'm wondering if you have any update on that, whether or not the hunt has triggered a review under the Pelly Amendment, even though it's my understanding that the first ships came back without any whales -- if an unsuccessful hunt also triggers a review?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, first, let me make clear that we're extremely disappointed with Iceland's decisions to begin a lethal research whaling program, which anticipates taking 38 minke whales.

Although the program is technically legal under the Whaling Convention, we've said many times that lethal research on whales is not necessary and the needed scientific data can be established -- can be obtained by well-established, non-lethal means.

The taking of whales by Iceland will likely trigger a review by the Department of Commerce of Iceland's lethal scientific whaling process program for possible certification under the Pelly Amendment. So I can't say it's started at this point. We'll obviously keep the situation under review.

QUESTION: Do you know that if them just going out and searching for whales to kill is enough to trigger the review or would they have to be successful?

MR. BOUCHER: I would have to look at the law carefully to see if it's written in those terms, "taking of whales," or whether it's the attempt to do so.

[....]

(end excerpt)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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