The International fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has called for economic sanctions against Iceland, which last week began hunting whales after a 14-year moratorium. If Iceland does not halt the hunt, economic sanctions could be imposed that would hurt its fishing, tourism and even airline industries, Christopher Tuite, director of the habitat and wildlife program at the U.S.-based IFAW, told Tierramérica.

It would be a painful measure, he acknowledged, because it would affect Iceland's whale-watching industry, an area that IFAW itself has been an active contributor.

Despite the global outcry, Icelandic ships captured two minke whales, of the 38 they plan to hunt, ostensibly for scientific research purposes.

The United States has threatened to impose sanctions if Iceland persists in whale hunting. U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher stressed that hunting whales is not necessary for scientific research because information can be obtained without killing the giant mammals.

The International Whaling Commission imposed a moratorium in 1986 on the commercial hunting of whales.