UK pressures Estonia to join whaling commission

Though no whales ever caught in Estonia

The UK embassy in Tallinn has been lobbying for Estonia to join the International Whaling Commission, though no whales have ever been caught in Estonia (a swordfish was caught in a net several years ago). A treaty alliance with Estonia would help the commission in its struggle against countries favoring no-limit whaling.

Ambassador Nigel Haywood, a fine fly fisherman himself, remarked that catching whales for commercial purposes might be allowed again if the country consensus shifts. According to Estonia’s Ministry of Environment, Estonia is principally against catching of whales for commercial purposes, but supports controlled and limited whaling, the objective of which is to retain traditional whaling in certain areas such as Greenland, Iceland and Norway.