Last updated at 08:50, Tuesday, 20 April 2010

ICELAND has been at the top of the news agenda all weekend due to one of its active volcanoes grounding the UK’s air traffic.

Of course this act of nature is entirely out of its control.

However another important story was revealed at the weekend, in which the land of ice and fire is, coincidentally, central.

After 25 years, the moratorium on whaling is about to be lifted.

What are people thinking about?

How can commercial whaling be justified?

It isn’t a difficult question to answer – it can’t, under any circumstances.

Of course the Japanese haven’t been bothered too much by the supposed ban and have exploited a loophole that allows then to slaughter the mammals for “scientific purposes”.

Meanwhile, Iceland and Norway have simply ignored it and carried on killing.

In total it’s estimated 35,000 whales have been killed during the “ban”.

For years the “whaling nations”, which includes Denmark, have campaigned for a lifting of the ban and it would appear they have been successful with a resumption of commercial whaling being allowed later in 2010 for a 10-year period.

The anti-whaling bloc is now led informally by Australia, New Zealand and Britain, with the US a major ally.

With the Danes supporting the Icelanders and Norwegians and the Japanese whipping up support from around the world it’s likely pro-whalers will get their wish.

This is wrong.

First published at 13:15, Monday, 19 April 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk