    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [June 22, 2004]
    [Pages 1110-1111]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Reporting on Iceland's Lethal Research Whaling
    Program
    June 22, 2004

    To the Congress of the United States:
        On June 16, 2004, Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans certified under section 8 of the Fisherman's Protective
    Act of 1967, as amended (the ``Pelly Amendment'') (22 U.S.C. 1978), that
    Iceland has conducted whaling activities that diminish the effectiveness
    of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) conservation program. This
    message constitutes my report to the Congress consistent with subsection
    (b) of the Pelly Amendment.
        The certification of the Secretary of Commerce is the first against
    Iceland for its lethal research whaling program. In 2003, Iceland
    announced that it would begin a lethal research whaling program and
    planned to take 250 minke, fin, and sei whales for research purposes.
    The United States expressed strong opposition to Iceland's decision, in
    keeping with our longstanding policy against lethal research whaling.
    Iceland's proposal was criticized at the June 2003 IWC Annual Meeting by
    a majority of members of the IWC Scientific Committee, and the IWC
    passed a resolution that urged Iceland not to commence this program. In
    addition, the United States, along with 22 other nations, issued a joint
    protest asking Iceland to halt the program immediately. The United
    States believes the Icelandic research whaling program is of
    questionable scientific validity. Scientific data relevant to the
    management of whale stocks can be collected by non-lethal techniques.
    Since Iceland's 2003 announcement, Iceland reduced its proposed take to
    38 minke whales and in implementing its lethal research program, killed
    36 whales last year. For this year, Iceland has proposed taking 25 minke
    whales. The United States welcomes this decision to reduce the take and
    to limit it to minke whales, and we appreciate Iceland's constructive
    work with the United States at the IWC on a variety of whaling issues.
    These adjustments, however, do not change our assessment that Iceland's
    lethal research whaling program is of questionable scientific validity
    and diminishes the effectiveness of the IWC's conservation program.
        In his letter of June 16, 2004, Secretary Evans expressed his concern for these actions, and I share these
    concerns. I also concur in his recommendation that the use of trade
    sanctions is not the course of action needed to resolve our current
    differences with Iceland over research whaling activities. Accordingly,
    I am not directing the Secretary of the Treasury to impose trade
    sanctions on Icelandic products for the whaling activities that led to
    certification by the Secretary of Commerce. However, to ensure that this
    issue continues to receive the highest level of attention, I am
    directing U.S. delegations attending future bilateral meetings with
    Iceland regarding whaling issues to raise our concerns and seek ways to
    halt these whaling actions. I am also directing the Secretaries of State
    and Commerce to keep this situation under close review and to continue
    to work with Iceland to encourage it to cease its lethal scientific
    research whaling activities. I believe these diplomatic efforts

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    hold the most promise of effecting change in Iceland's research whaling
    program, and do not believe that imposing import prohibitions would
    further our objectives.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     June 22, 2004.