Whaling to Prosperity

Tough times call for tough measures, or so the saying goes. And few would dispute that in pure economic terms, we are just beginning what promises to be the toughest of times since the governmentally-caused Great Depression. Hard hit as the United States may be, our financial position is down right desirable to certain European nations who are suffering far more severely. Chief among these is the Nordic nation of Iceland, which has seen a 35% decline in currency value against the Euro since September, and whose economy is forecasted to shrink 9.6% in 2009. Fixing its economy is no simple task, and will take years of prudent fiscal policy under the best of circumstances. As part of their plan to stimulate the economy, Iceland’s outgoing government has decided to raise the the whaling quota cap.

In 2006 Iceland became the third nation, after Norway and Japan, to legalize commercial whaling. But the cap was set quite low, allowing only 30 minke and 9 fin whales per year to be hunted and sold. With the economy hurting as it is, the quotes were altered to allow 100 minke and 150 fin whales to be hunted and sold every year for the next five years. Unsurprisingly, those who object to whaling are up in arms about this recent news, decrying what they consider to be an indecent move given that fin whales are endangered and minke whales are classified as “lower risk.” So this begs two questions. First, is whaling a defensible and potentially legitimate practice? Second, if so, do the conditions of Iceland’s economy justify this pro-whaling change in law?

Excluding the lunatic fringe such as PETA leadership or members of the ALF terrorist organization that they have have financial links to, most humans recognize a supremacy of species. That is, it is understood that humans are of greater consequence than other animals. It is for this reason that medical testing which might cause large scale animal death is performed. Similarly, it is why we remove dangerous animals from society by putting them to sleep. And of course, like so many other animals, we eat those lower down on the food chain. Or, as the conditions may warrant, we use them in fur and leather products. Why then should whales be in a protected class of animals who cannot be treated as their position on the food chain would dictate? Rarity is hardly a sufficient cause, for indeed if there is a market demand for whale products, there is every reason to believe that those companies profiting from it will ensure population stability through innovative means. One example of that being the whale farming proposal that has created quite a buzz in Japan in recent years. The only other argument then is their supposed majesty. But the prospect of legislating to protect only those animals we regard as special in some intangible way is absurd, and not something that any rational person would dare propose. Accordingly then, one must conclude that whaling is a reasonable and defensible practice that can have a place in society if market forces so require it, which whale meat sales in Iceland and Japan suggest they do.

Realizing that whaling is valid economic activity, the question of how appropriate the decision of Iceland’s government to raise the caps becomes much simpler to address. The practice itself not an issue, the chief consideration here is the impact it will have. An additional 300 seasonal jobs will need to be created in light of the new quotas, which is of great value considering the tiny population (319,000) and the relatively low unemployment rate (4.8%). Moreover, because it is an industry restricted to just three nations, this change in policy allows for Iceland to become an even more important force in commercial whaling, which will have a tangible impact on the nation’s GDP. As one of the countries hardest hit by this global economic slump, the importance of taking actions with real and immediate financial benefit cannot be overlooked. And though this alone cannot save Iceland’s floundering economy, this small step signals a serious effort to fix the problem, and will ultimately aid in the nation’s recovery.

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