Whaling / Whale watching?

In the Reykjavik Harbour you can see a sign that I'm not sure everyone is aware of, Right next to the whale watching tours you can find 4 of Iceland's old whaling ships. These ships haven't been used much in the last few years, only for catching whales in the name of science, but the irony is not lost.

The Icelandic whaling has a source of controversy for some time, leaders of the international community have been very explicit in their belief that whales should not be caught. In particular the warlords of Iraq, so the irony still is not lost.

The head of a militant environmental group identified a 22-year-old Californian as one of two people responsible for sinking two Icelandic whaling ships and sabotaging a whale-meat processing factory in Iceland over the weekend. He said the other person, whom he would not fully identify, was a British citizen. Paul Watson, founder and director of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, said in an interview here today that Rodney Coronado of Morgan Hill, Calif., was directly involved in the multi-million-dollar sabotage. Mr. Watson, 35, refused to identify the British man, other than to say that his first name is David. In news reports over the weekend, the name of the second suspect in the case was given as David Howard. Today, Mr. Watson said specifically that this was incorrect, adding that if the Icelandic authorities announced the proper name, he would confirm it.

The New York Times November 13, 1986

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