"The Húsavík Whale Museum and North Sailing regret and criticize the decision of Iceland's Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture to permit large scale whaling during the next five years, killing a total of 1.000 minke whales and 750 fin whales.

The decision of Mr. Einar K. Guðfinnsson can have dire consequences and damage the already hurt image of Iceland. Large scale killing of minke whales will also seriously harm the opportunity to watch minke whales in the wild, since the least shy animals will be hunted first.

The undersigned fear that this decision, which shows desperation and disrespect, will harm the tourism industry and especially nature based tourism in Húsavík and throughout the country.

North Sailing and the Húsavík Whale Museum will nonetheless continue  to operate high quality eco tourism and environmental education and continue to fight the senseless culling of whales based on false intentions and motivations."