[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.