Whale hunters were disappointed that high winds and a choppy sea prevented them from availing themselves of the resumption of the minke-whaling season after a gap of several years.

Iceland announced on August 6 that it would lift a 14-year moratorium on the activity to allow a controlled catch of 38 minke whales for scientific purposes this year.

The move went ahead despite the stern disapproval of the European Union's executive Commission, which held talks with officials in Reykjavik, but failed to dissuade them.

Brussels has no jurisdiction over Iceland, which does not belong to the European Union.

The announcement also sparked an angry response from the US government, which declined to rule out the threat of trade sanctions.

The country's whalers are perturbed that Greenpeace has dispatched its ship to protest against the whaling.

The SV Rainbow Warrior will arrive in Iceland in two weeks, the environmental action group announced in a statement.

"They can make things difficult for us," said Gunnar Johannsson, who captains one of three boats allowed whaling. But he added that he was not sure the ship was really on its way or whether this was a "publicity stunt".

Demonstrating against the whaling in London's busy Trafalgar Square, members of the World Society for the Protection of Animals called the practise "useless slaughter".

"They want to see how whales are affecting the sea's eco-system," said Leah Garces, who heads the group's campaign. "They say whales are responsible for for fish depletion, but in fact humans are," she added.

But Johannsson cannot see what the fuss is all about.

He says the whalers have had to attend lectures at the Icelandic Marine Institute (IMI) this week to learn among other things about the use of a new type of harpoon. This will kill the mammals more humanely, he insists.

Johannsson does not expect the first catch to be economical in this phase. Under the new IMI plan, the 38 whales have to be caught one at a time, in a widely spread area all around Iceland.

"We used to be able to shoot two or even three on the same spot, but now we can't, so this is going to be a lot of sailing," Johannsson said. "But I hope this plan will lead to something more rewarding."

According to a 2001 estimate, ratified by the International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee, the minke-whale stock in the Mid-Atlantic included 67.000 animals, of which 43.000 were in Icelandic waters.

Around 200 minke whales were caught by Iceland each year between 1977 and 1985, without having a significant impact on the stock's size, according to the IMI.

TERRA.WIRE