Japan wins key vote to reintroduce commercial whaling

[Banquo's Ghost]

Through bribing small countries with no history of whaling, the Japanese have managed to win a vote at the IWC to begin the process of returning to commercial whaling.

Linky.

Many whales are still significantly threatened with extinction. The whaling process is one fo the cruellest hunting methods with animals often taking over thirty minutes to die - usually of asphyxiation. These are animals with a high level of intelligence.

Japan's consumption of whale meat during the so-called 'scientific whaling' period of the last twenty years has diminished greatly. Stubbornly, they continue to kill whales even though the meat lies rotting and unconsumed by their markets.

The countries that have been found out in taking bribes are now producing the age old whine that the US, UK and Australia are being imperialist by threatening tourism boycotts. (Of course, Japan has never been an imperialist country like Australia )

There's long way to go before commercial whaling returns, but now is the time to make your feelings known (assuming you abhor such hunting) to your political representative and to the consulates of the countries supporting whaling. We thought we had won this battle many years ago, one of the few great conservation successes.

Back, I'm afraid, to the fight.

[Papewaio]

Well its for science, it must be good!

I think the Japanese must be using the Creationist Guide to Science.

[discovery1]

Meh, if they want to hunt whales they should do it like they did in the 19th century: sail boats and dingies. Well, maybe no sailboats with no refrigeration, but they should have to go after them in those little boats and those harpoons they have to plunge into the whales, none of these warhead harps. It would be sustainable, which the Japanese say they want.

If most of the meat rots, then why are the Japanese in favor of it? Must be subsidizing the whaling industry......

[doc_bean]

The Norwegians kill far,far more whales each year than the japanese. I'm not sure about how threatened the popualtion is, I assume the limits are there for a reason, besides saying 'it's cruel !'.

BTW have you seen how they hunt and slaughter dolphins ? That's pretty sickening, after all, they are reasonably intelligent animals...

you need to sign up for or have a youtube account (easy), best viewed while not eating

[_Martyr_]

Its strange, two of the countries and cultures that I would normally consider EXTREMELY civilised, Japan and Norway, are engaged in this barbaric custom.

I think a bit of Greenpeace activism is in needed.

[AntiochusIII]

Well, both have traditions as seafaring and sea-reliant nations; it's not surprising that they ate whales, or used whales, or hunted whales a lot.

But now? Com'on! Japan isn't going to suffer an economic depression if the whale industry falls apart! Who cares? We have far better advancements to replace the stinking whale oil nowadays. For the Japanese, it must be the old government-industrial complex; the technocracy of Japan. I'm not sure about Norway though. Why?

And that "race, colonial, omg!" by the Caribbean groups. That's lame. Really lame.

From what I see it's going to be hard for the next step back to Moby Dick, though. It's unlikely that any more nations will be bribed into agreeing so easily.

[Beirut]

Only an ignorant, inhuman, blistering idiot would kill this magnificient creature for food.

[Sigurd]

There's long way to go before commercial whaling returns ...

A long way? We have had commercial whaling since 1993.
We conduct controlled whaling on the large stock of mink whales in our waters. We have conducted whaling since the beginning of times and have as much right to take from the seas its larger fruits as has the aborigines in the lands to the west (say no more).

[Papewaio]

A long way? We have had commercial whaling since 1993.
We conduct controlled whaling on the large stock of mink whales in our waters. We have conducted whaling since the beginning of times and have as much right to take from the seas its larger fruits as has the aborigines in the lands to the west (say no more).

Actually as part of the world and it is a world resource then you have as much right as the rest of the world. If the world says no to using shared resources then play ball.

If you want to actually pay your way then by all means farm the animals.

Also if this is going to be based on being a tradition, use traditional methods.

Norway has no legs to stand on when it complains about others ignoring international conventions. Japan on the other hand is actively using bribing and threats to try and achieve its ends.

[Sigurd]

Actually as part of the world and it is a world resource then you have as much right as the rest of the world. If the world says no to using shared resources then play ball.

If you want to actually pay your way then by all means farm the animals.

Also if this is going to be based on being a tradition, use traditional methods.

Norway has no legs to stand on when it complains about others ignoring international conventions. Japan on the other hand is actively using bribing and threats to try and achieve its ends.

We did not recognize the move certain lobbyists did to make the minke whale appendix 1(no hunting) from appendix 2 (limited hunting) as is our right according to the convention's article V no 3.
A formal protest was made and we are therefore not bound to this restriction according to the same convention.
IWC has not been true to the convention and has therefore not attended their management duties.
The United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and its articles 61, 62 and 65 gives us economic rights to the sea mammals in our waters according to certain conditions.
The conditions we meet.
IWC does not listen to their scientific board as is written in hard capitals in the same convention you say we break, they are swayed by emotionally loaded drivel.
That is why no international court can make us stop.
The only card the world has left is the emotionally loaded one.
You should all attack America that lets their aborigines extinguish the Bowhead whales.
You now the ones that can become over 200 years old.