WASHINGTON— The HSUS is applauding the Bush Administration for filing a formal objection to a maneuver by Iceland that undermines the international treaty that governs commercial whaling.

The State Department released a statement last week officially objecting to Iceland’s re-admittance to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) since Iceland rejoined with a reservation to the treaty’s most basic tenet – a ban on commercial whaling.

“It’s unbelievable that a country such as Iceland, with their long history of commercial whaling and their objections to international efforts to conserve the great whale species should be accepted as a voting member of the IWC with a reservation to the moratorium,” said Kitty Block, special counsel to The HSUS’ United Nations and Treaties section. Block will be attending this month’s IWC meeting in Berlin, Germany. “The United States should be commended for stepping forward to voice their disappointment by filing their official objection. The process that allowed Iceland into the IWC was controversial at best, and was full of confusing procedural issues. Iceland was even allowed to vote for itself.”

The IWC was established in 1946 as a way to control the whaling industry and conserve whale stocks. It is currently made up of 49 countries. Over the years, the IWC has evolved into an organization more concerned with whale conservation then maintaining the whaling industry. Since 1986 it has banned all commercial whaling.

Iceland was a member of the IWC until 1992 when it decided to discontinue its membership. At a specially called meeting in October 2002, and after two previously failed attempts, Iceland was able to rejoin the IWC with a reservation (objection) to the commercial whaling moratorium. The meeting in Berlin will be the first meeting where Iceland will participate as a member in over 11 years. Even before the start of the meeting, Iceland has already angered many IWC members by submitting a proposal to the 2003 meeting to immediately start to whale under the guise of “scientific research” which is not prohibited by the moratorium. Their scientific research plans mention that they plan to hunt 250 whales, including northern minke, and the endangered fin and sei whales. Iceland has also stated that it will resume commercial whaling in 2006, so these numbers could double.

“The United States government did the correct thing by filing the objection, but more can be done,” said Patricia Forkan, executive vice president of The HSUS. “The United States can work with other IWC members to pass a resolution admitting Iceland as a member, but rejecting its reservation to the moratorium.”

Iceland’s readmission with a reservation also breaks with legal precedent at the IWC. Reservations submitted in the past, which did not include those against one of the core obligations to the IWC, were approved by the full voting membership, not by partial membership at a special meeting.

The HSUS has more than seven million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture. For nearly 50 years, The HSUS has protected all animals through legislation, litigation, investigation, education, advocacy and field work. The non-profit organization is based in Washington, DC and has 10 regional offices across the country. For more information, visit The HSUS’ Web site – www.hsus.org.