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Article: The hunt is on: Iceland returns to whaling amid sea of controversy.(Current Events)(minke whales consume volumes of fish needed for exports)(instructional notes included)
- Article from:
- Current Events, a Weekly Reader publication
- Article date:
- October 24, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Weekly Reader Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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REYKJAVIK, Iceland-Its engine humming, the boat slid quietly through the freezing water as the cold North Atlantic wind whipped up foamy waves. On board, the crew grimly studied the horizon. Suddenly, they spotted their prey: a large minke whale swimming in the distance. As the boat neared the whale, the hunters readied their weapons. Tense with anticipation, they fired explosive harpoons at the giant mammal.
For many Icelanders, file whale's death in late August was reason to celebrate. It marked the beginning of whaling for the island nation after a 14-year hiatus. The national newspaper plastered its front page with a graphic picture: the ship's captain holding ...