Cooperation on the fight against whaling in Iceland
Réttur is alarmed by the triple planetary crisis facing humankind. As a means to the end of raising awareness and challenging deeply rooted practice in governmental lines, Réttur works to promote and advance cases touching upon topics within environmental law, on environmental rights of individuals and for the protecting and enforcement of such human rights as they are impacted by, in particular, the climate crisis. Réttur has worked in cooperation with The Icelandic Nature Conservation Association (INCA) to stop whaling in Iceland, where currently one operator holds a State-issued license to conduct whaling, contrasting an international ban.
Our attorneys, Védís Eva Guðmundsdóttir, partner, and Katrín Oddsdóttir, attorney, have appeared in Icelandic media recently, discussing Réttur´s representation on behalf of INCA, criticizing the inaction of Icelandic authorities following the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority‘s recent black report on whaling in Iceland, confirming that the method of hunting is contrary to legal framework on animal welfare. Our attorney have fought for the revocation of the operating license of the only operator holding such an authorization, urging the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries to act without delay and revoke the license in light of the report’s findings. Further documentation has also been made public showing alarming information about the whaling operator´s premises and method of processing food and contamination to the environment connected to its operations.
Furthermore, Réttur and INCA have filed a complaint with the EFTA Surveillance Authority in Brussels, based on violations of EEA/EFTA obligations bythe Icelandic State concerning animal welfare, food safety and climate obligations.
Currently, Réttur and INCA arenow assessing whether there is a basis for a lawsuit against the Icelandic state due to inaction in monitoring and sanctioning the whaling operator, based on vast documentation that confirm breaches of Icelandic and EEA law.
Interviews with Réttur´s team members on the subject are available here, here and here.
Photo credit: Vísir.