Under the Pelly Amendment of 1967, countries that hunt whales may face US trade sanctions if they are certified to be diminishing an international conservation program.

Commerce Secretary Donald Evans announced Tuesday he had certified to Bush that Iceland's whale hunt diminished the International Whaling Commission (IWC) conservation program.

Evans also kept Japan certified for the same reason over its annual whale harvest.

"The lethal research whaling conducted by both Iceland and Japan is unnecessary for the management of whales, and we urge them to use non-lethal research methods," Evans said in a statement.

"We will use all diplomatic channels to request both countries to end their respective lethal research whaling activities."

Diplomatic action would include ordering US delegations at whaling-related meetings with Iceland to raise US concerns, seeking ways to halt the hunts and working to urge Iceland to halt the lethal scientific research.

"President Bush has notified Congress of his decision to implement the non-trade actions recommended by Secretary Evans," the Commerce Department said in a statement.

"The president, however, also noted the United States' appreciation for Iceland's constructive work with the United States at the IWC on a variety of whaling issues."

Iceland said this month it would cull only 25 minke whales in 2004 in a further compromise in its whale hunting policy welcomed by environmental watchdog Greenpeace as a "positive sign".

Iceland resumed whaling in mid-August last year, ending a 14-year moratorium in defiance of world opinion.

Iceland's fisheries ministry at the time authorised a two-year cull of 200 minke whales, 200 fin whales, and 100 sei whales. In 2003, only 36 minke whales had been culled.

Japan was last "certified" under the Pelly ammendment in 2000 for expanding its lethal "research."

"While that Pelly certification remains active, the United States has remained concerned about changes in the scale and nature of Japan's North Pacific whaling activities," the Commerce Department said.

"Japan added Bryde's and sperm whales to its research harvest in 2000, and sei whales in 2002."

Sei, Bryde's, minke, and sperm whales are protected under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act. Sei and sperm whales are on the US endangered species list.

TERRA.WIRE