Reykjavik, Iceland ? A ship commissioned by Iceland’s government left port Sunday to begin the hunt for 38 minke whales in the next six weeks, taking a secret route that makes it more difficult for conservationists to monitor the effort.

The ship, the Sigurbjorg, is one of three vessels taking part in the hunt, which Iceland says is intended for scientific research, but which Britain, the United States and several other governments have labeled unnecessary.

The International Whaling Commission has not objected to the whaling program.

All three ships had been scheduled to set out Friday but were delayed by bad weather. Iceland state radio reported that the Sigurbjorg left just before 1 a.m.

Gisli Vikingsson, lead scientist aboard the Sigurbjorg, told state radio that the crew spotted several whales but had not yet killed any. “Our plan calls for the whales to be taken in specific areas,” she said.

One of the two remaining vessels, the Njordur, was expected to sail from the port of Kopavogur later Sunday. “We are ready to go but the final time of departure has not been decided upon,” captain Gudmundur Haraldsson said on Bylgjan radio. “It’s not my call, but the scientists’, when we will depart.”

Representatives of the International Fund for Animal Welfare are in Iceland’s capital, and the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior is on its way.

The hunters plan to kill 38 minke whales during August and September. The government says the cull is needed to study the stomach contents of the mammals to measure their effect on fish stocks such as cod, which are vital to the national economy.

Several nations and animal rights groups have criticized Iceland’s decision.

A whaling boat fitted with a harpoon goes in search of minke whales off the coast of Reykjavik, Iceland. The Icelandic government has confirmed that whale hunting has begun for scientific purposes.

Nations opposed to whaling, including the United States, say there is no scientific basis for the tests. Welfare groups fear Iceland is using the scientific whaling to gauge international reaction before it resumes commercial whaling, as it has said it may do after 2006.

Whale meat not used by scientists in the research program will be sold in Iceland, likely ending up on the tables of fancy restaurants.

Japan also hunts whales for research.

The country’s Marine Research Institute estimates there are 43,000 minke whales in Icelandic waters and says the hunts will not affect the population.

Icelandic authorities have gone to great lengths to prevent photos of the hunt, rejecting media requests to monitor the killing of the whales. The ships are under orders not to fire their harpoons if other vessels are nearby.

Iceland had initially proposed to kill more animals — 100 minkes, 100 fin whales and 50 sei whales for each of the next two years — but scaled back the plan following opposition from members of the International Whaling Commission.