Celebrity killer whale doesn't impress Icelandic fishermen

Icelandic fishermen compete with whales for small fish

March 2, 2000
Web posted at: 3:09 p.m. EST (2009 GMT)

From Correspondent Jerrold Kessel

WESTMAN ISLANDS, Iceland (CNN) -- Fishing is central to Iceland's past, present and future. Small wonder that many in the country voice concern about a potential rival into their midst, the world's most famous killer whale.

Star of the "Free Willy" movies, Keiko is being coached gradually to return from captivity into what are also his native waters. But fisherman has little use for one more whale that competes for the same catch.

"The whales are so many. They eat all the smaller fish and we fish all the smaller fish," said Oscar Robertson. "The smaller fish will go eventually" if fishermen must compete with the whales, he said.

Since Keiko returned from an extended stay in marine parks in North America, he has lived in a pen within Klettsvik Bay in the Westman Islands.

The five-ton whale is to be released from his pen soon into the bay, which will serve as a halfway house before he returns to the ocean.

His final release to freedom is planned for next summer. The project is the first attempt to return a killer whale to the wild after years in captivity.

Keiko splashes around in his tank

Keiko returned to the undisguised delight of Icelandic children, who chant his name as he frolics in his pen, the size of the soccer field. Many still view him as a kind of pet and hope he will go free.

But Iceland was once a major whale-hunting nation and many still hope that they will be able to resume hunting the largest of sea mammals, except for Keiko.

"It's like one of my horses. I gave that horse a name. I loved the horse. I didn't eat that horse. But of course, I eat meat of other horses," said Paster Kristjan.

Fewer than 5000 people live on Heimayey, a treeless island just 8 square miles (20 square km) in size. Some locals discern an ulterior purpose in the Free Keiko project.

	ALSO
'Free Willy' star release delayed until Friday
	KEIKO'S ADVENTURE
Take a closer look at Keiko's 1998 journey from Oregon to Iceland
	VIDEO
Watch Keiko the killer whale swim in his pen in Iceland. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

"They are trying to change our view about how we use the sea, about how we use the fish and all the valuable things we depend on as a small nation," said Dr. Tomas Zoega.

Many Icelanders see the focus on one whale as ill conceived or even silly. Much of the suspicion derives from how this small nation relates to the often harsh realities of nature.

Despite the widespread skepticism, some hope the project will provide benefits to science. Marine biologists working with Keiko are exploring the behavioral differences between captive and wild killer whales.

Others believe the project will help the economy. A booming facet of the Icelandic economy is whale watching. And what happens to Keiko, many realize, could drastically affect that new industry.

"We are bringing back to nature something that was taken away. And that means that we care about nature and that we respect nature," said Hallur Hallsson of the Free Keiko Project.

Keiko's destiny may yet shape the way Icelanders interact with his world.

"Once they see Keiko swim out into the sunshine then they will appreciate it because they don't believe it is possible," Hallsson added.

Storms delay release of Keiko the killer whale
February 26, 2000
Film documents Keiko's journey home
November 3, 1999
'Free Willy' star swims closer to freedom
March 10, 1999
'Willy' takes first step toward freedom
January 7, 1996

Ocean Futures Online
Oregon Coast Aquarium
Keiko News Central
Earth Island Institute

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.