アイスランドでは捕鯨シーズンが始まる

　しかし逆風の中のようですね。

BBC Whale hunting resumes in Iceland under strict rules 1 Sep 2023 By Paul Kirby

「Iceland's government has lifted a summer suspension on whaling, allowing hunting to resume under a series of tight new regulations.

Only one company, Hvalur, still hunts whales off Iceland and the whaling season has only weeks to run.」

　もう従事する会社はひとつくらい。もうこれが最後のシーズンかなあ…といっちゃうほど。
　許可省庁としても、いやあ法に従えば許可を出すべきであるし、というか前任者がだしたもんだし。いやしかしもううちの国民のマインドは数十年前とは違うしねえ…と、ほとんど苦々し気。

「Fisheries and Foods Minister Svandis Svavarsdottir said she understood the views of most Icelanders who wanted an end to whaling.

But she said she had to follow a legal framework based on the licence granted earlier this year by her predecessor.」

「The values of Icelanders were now different from those of decades ago, she said, but added that it was up to parliament and society to discuss the next step.」

　レギュレーションも厳しく定め、鯨保護への意識は高い。

「Sigursteinn Masson of the International Fund for Animal Welfare in Iceland says the foods minister had taken a significant step.

"I truly believe this year will be the final year of whaling in Iceland," he told the BBC. "There is solidarity in the government and that is important for the next steps to be taken to end whaling permanently."」

　しかしまあどうでしょうね。海洋資源の動向によっては、あるいは世界的な食糧難の波のなかでは、さてどこまで維持できるか―という気は多少せんでもない。