The bitter taste of fish and chips – how a national treasure is propping up whale slaughter in Iceland

WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, is calling on UK citizens to ask some serious questions about the source of the fish that is battered and fried in over 10,000 fish and chip shop across the country, following the conservation charity’s discovery that much of this fish comes from Icelandic fleets with close links to large scale whaling. WDCS is campaigning to shut down Iceland’s struggling whaling industry by throwing the spotlight on those wholesalers, shops and restaurants in the UK that buy fish from Icelandic fishing companies with clear links to the country’s whaling fleets; the profits from these fish sales also helping to prop up the cruel whaling operations. “We would never suggest people stop enjoying one of the UK’s favourite dishes, but we do think that people and businesses need to consider the source of the fish they are buying and eating, and ask whether their purchase helps prop up whaling in Iceland. We think the UK wholesalers and retailers who buy Icelandic fish from whalers should be encouraged by the public to look elsewhere”, says WDCS whaling campaign lead, Sue Fisher. Follow the whale trail The Hvalur hf whaling company is Iceland’s biggest whaler, responsible for more than 90% of the country’s whale products. Its managing director, Kristjan Loftsson, also sits on the board of HB Grandi, one of Iceland’s largest fishing companies, as do other individuals linked to the whaling company, including HB Grandi’s Chairman, Arni Vilhjlamsson. The relationship between Iceland’s fishermen and whalers could not be cosier. Since it resumed commercial whaling in 2006, Hvalur has used HB Grandi facilities in Akranes, Iceland to process endangered fin whale products for export, and provided Grandi fishing vessels with information on the location of schools of fish. 11% of HB Grandi fish exports go directly to the UK. It is the primary supplier of Warners Fish Merchants, one of the UK’s biggest fish wholesalers who supply 8% of the UK fish and chip market. Whaling is failing “There are clear and direct links between Iceland’s whaling and fishing industries”, Fisher continues. “Iceland’s whalers are struggling to make a profit. That makes revenue from fish sales to the UK and Europe important in keeping their whaling vessels in business. “If we can make people aware of this situation and get them asking questions the next time they pop into their chip shop, UK fish distributors like Warners will think twice about where it sources its fish. British consumers will help make it hard for Hvalur to continue its cruel business.” WDCS has secured support for this campaign from leading UK retailers. Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and others have already confirmed they do not buy from HB Grandi and have warned the Icelandic Government of the UK public’s opposition to whaling. Recently, after discussion with WDCS, the Findus Group, parent company of well-known brands Young’s, Findus and The Seafood Company, agreed to take Grandi off its list of preferred suppliers. “We warmly welcome this commitment, and urge other suppliers to follow suit. Consumers really don’t want to eat fish that pays for whaling, and big brands won’t want to be seen as the bad guys on this issue.” Rubbing salt (and vinegar) into the whalers’ wounds Fish and Chips is big business which means it has a big part to play in the future of whaling. -There are currently around 10,500 fish and chip shops in the UK -20% of the meals bought outside of the home in the UK on a Friday night are bought from the local chip shop -250 million fish and chip meals are sold in the UK each year -Half of the adult population in the UK visit a fish and chip shop at least once a month “We might not see the Warners or HB Grandi brand names on the high street but we could well be eating their fish. We want people to contact Warners directly via our website to register concern about the source of its fish. Our goal is for Warners and other companies still doing business with Iceland’s whalers to reconsider where they source their fish” concludes Sue Fisher. For more information go to www.whales.org -Ends-