Fishery or abomination?

[Paul Ward]

Like KK said, my initial post was not to take sides, but to create a discussion. In particular I hoped for someone who was undecided or at least not gung-ho for save-the-whales to put forward an argument.

For instance, the Japanese have always used whales in the most efficient manner of any whaling nation. When the British, Norwegians and Russians were boiling them up for pet food, cattle food and even fertiliser, the Japenese were using whale meat as people food and really did and presumeably still do get the most out of each carcass. For much of the time of old whaling days up to the early 1970's as far as I'm aware, whaling was a pretty important basic requirement to feed the population.

Now however things have changed considerably, but I'm unclear about why the Japanese want to resume whaling. The idea of tradition seems so much stronger an argument, but it seems odd in that the skills of the whalers must be so much rarer after many years when whaling ceased or continued at a much reduced rate.

When I first put up some whaling pages on CoolAntarctica.com a few years ago, I emailed the Japanese Whaling Association

http://www.whaling.jp/english/index.html

asking to be pointed in the direction of their published research, despite asking a couple of times I recieved no reply.

To lay my cards on the table, of course whaling should not continue, but I do have a curiosity as to exactly why it does and why some countries want it to resume.

well....even with all the sea sheppards crafty tools they still get whales.


http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_060108_1.html

[Pirates Armada]

hats off....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060119...s_060119134759

[ladyjanuary]

It is now 2006 and whaling has had its time, as you know, over a period of time some things change on their own and some things need to be revisited and revised to accomendate current situations, i.e. supply and demand, taxes, political and environmental issues, ETC... I am under the impression the whales are less and less over the years. Perhaps it is time for the Japanese to change their diet, why wait till there are few whales left they may as well be ahead of the game. Of course, the importance of not eating whale would have to made very clear to them. Maybe a plan could be set in place where only on even years whaling was allowed. I would place hefty fines and licenses revoked for a period of two years on those caught whaling on an odd year. Whales could then swim about for one odd year worry-free and maybe we would have more of them.
I believe India has quite many cattle and how nice they are special there able to live. I don't believe cattle are on the way-out list maybe that is why we kill them to eat. If they were to become extinct I'm sure we would go without hamburgers but poor-rich McDonald's would surely go out of business.
Anyone or thing that is killed suffers the same result is death.

[Pirates Armada]

point taken but it's 2006 not 1830 they don't need em. the only time i would ever allow the death of a "large whale" was if there were to many of them. i think keeping them at some magical number is illogical. never kill a small whale it's wastefull.

[ladyjanuary]

Actually, I am not at all for killing the whales period. Though, if it was totally out of question I would in fairness comprimise a 50% reduction with limitations and enforced regulations as to who, when, where, how and why for the killing of whales/for what purposes. Also, The Rights of Whales would be put in place. Just some different ideas.

[Pirates Armada]

good idea, they do have some rights currently but they are not being followed. so i guess their rights are not good enough. i am not for the killing of whales. the whalers say they need whales for science. but come on over 1000????? i think they are just trying to piss everyone off. they also do not care what size the whale is. which to me adds to the stupidity of their objective. completely irresponsible of a country to allow this. just like everything else it's big buisiness and the whalers who chase their money. atleast they could get a clue and whale in there own waters.

[Paul Ward]

Originally Posted by Pirates Armada

i think they are just trying to piss everyone off.

I think it's commerce that drives this. Here's a link from 4 years ago:

http://www.eurocbc.org/page531.html

Whalemeat was the current day equivalent of $24.20 a kilo (2.2 pounds) then.

A whale can be worth 100's of thousands of $$$ when presented on a plate in Tokyo.

This is nothing to do with tradition or research - that's the excuse. This is a commercial fishery.

[DeepMarket]

Originally Posted by Pirates Armada

point taken but it's 2006 not 1830 they don't need em. the only time i would ever allow the death of a "large whale" was if there were to many of them. i think keeping them at some magical number is illogical. never kill a small whale it's wastefull.

Killing any whale is wasteful and barbaric.
They are beautiful, wonderful creatures. No matter what the size or breed, they should always be protected.

[Pirates Armada]

http://www.seashepherd.org/sscs_news...CS_article.pdf