Swedish and other Nordic and Baltic government leaders have been meeting in Sweden for top-level discussions of continuing Nordic co-operation work in the European Union.

Open criticism is rare in these Nordic-Baltic get-togethers but visible irritation sparked between Nordic leaders speaking to Swedish Television News about Norway’s and Iceland’s announced intention to continue whaling in defiance of the international ban. Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt openly criticised the two Nordic neighbours, insisting that all nations have to respect the desire to keep a balance of nature and refrain from hunting whales. Both Iceland and Norway have refused to sign the global ban on whaling, insisting that there are enough whales in the world’s oceans. Norway has set a limit this year at 1,000.

Back at home in Iceland and Norway, some critics claim that no matter how many whales are or aren’t in the ocean, whaling costs both countries and that both income and nature would benefit by more whale watching with cameras instead of harpoons in the icy waters of the north.

Iceland’s whale watching has increased considerably over the last decade. In 1997 20,540 tourists went whale watching but last year the figure had reached 104,300, it has become the most popular type of tour among foreign tourists in Iceland and the whale-watching ship Elding will soon become the first in the world to have a hydrogen-powered engine.