I just arrived back from Hvalfjörður filming the whaling boat bringing two fin whales to the whaling station. I went with a cameraman and a photographer from Morgunblaðið and a journalist.

The helicopter came and met us near the mouth of the fjord at 3am. The helecopter we were supposed to get was not available but that was Ok. The whaling boat was already in the fjord so we quickly got the photographer on board. We spent more time having the cameraman on board.
 

The weather was quite rough with strong wind so we could not follow the boat in the helecopter all the way to the station. There was no time or chance to do a proper stand up either but we drove to the whaling station and I drove through the open gate after another car. 

Sigursteinn

Fin whaling has just started again in Iceland after a pause since 2006. The first of the endangered fins to be killed this summer are expected to be brought to Hvalfjordur whaling station tomorrow (Friday June 19). As a human being I feel very sorry that this brutal killing is happening. As an Icelander I feel ashamed for my governement. A few days ago I did a whale watching tour with the Elding company just outside Reykjavík. For half an hour we watched a calm minke whale swimming peacefully near us. On board were guests from different countries, many from Finland, the UK and the US. As we were all enjoying the company of the minke whale the captain came to me and pointed north at a small dot in the distance. "There´s a minke whaling boat," he said angrily. A few moments later we all watched the minke disappear gracefully, swimming north in the direction of the whalers some four miles away. This is our grim reality in Iceland.

 Please help put an end to the bloody business of whaling by supporting whale watching!

Sigursteinn

This note about a recent victory for whales was sent by Beth Algood, the International Fund for Animal Welfare's Program Manager in our Washington D.C. office.

The Natural Resources Defense Counsel (NRDC), IFAW and other plaintiffs settled a Mid-Frequency Active sonar lawsuit on Friday, concluding IFAW’s participation in litigation against the Navy.  Among the terms of the settlement, the Navy has agreed to publicly disclose previously classified information, provide funding of almost $15 million in new marine mammal research, and has made assurances that the Navy will abide by federal environmental protection laws.  Earlier this year NRDC and IFAW successfully settled a Low-Frequency Active Sonar case and litigated the Southern California Mid-Frequency Active Sonar lawsuit decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. 

The news was also posted to the Environmental Magazines web site.