Whaling?

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The International Whaling Committee took a vote yesterday as to whether or not to allow a resumption of commercial whaling. Luckily the Japanese lead pro-whaling faction did not get the 75% majority they required.

But I am amazed that such a motion was even raised, let alone given any serious support (I think the voting went 23 for, 29 against, 5 abstaining).

Are any of you from pro-whaling countries (like Japan or Norway) and can explain to me why you are so keen to see a resumption in this industry?

 

I would assume the members of the committee would vote to resume whaling in order to try to make their jobs somewhat less pointless - if there is no whaling then their jobs are pretty much along the lines of sitting on the International Buggy Whip Standards Committee or something like that.

 

JSBB - there must be more to it than that. Actually, I heard that Japan had been buying votes from poorer countries. If that is true, it makes the whole thing even more abhorrent to me.

Apparently, New Zealand and Australia were the strongest opponents of the resumption. Environmental issues like this are a big deal down here.

 

I don't know, it seems that given the rather small whale population that we have left that whaling would be a rather poor financial proposition.

Either way, Canada is not even on the Committee - I checked their website. You would think that we would be on the commitee given our large coast line and the whale populations that live there. If Pulau is on the Commitee you would think that we could get someone in.

Oh well, maybe the Government of Canada decided that the commitee is about as relevant as I figure it is.

 

Who's in favour of sinking Japanese whalers ? Might be fun for a change.

 

We can send out the Canadian Navy after them, they have not had much to do since they chased off those Spanish turbot boats that were fishing off our coast about a decade ago.

 

If I don't remember all incorrectly there are whale species that are not that rare and it's those these people would like to hunt. The problem is that it's very difficult to see the differences of some of the whales when hunting. I don't know very much about these issues though since we don't have any whales in the baltic sea so I could be entirely wrong but this is what I thought I read somewhere sometime ago.

 

Could it be managed as a sustainable resource? If so, then there is no problem.

 

There were two main issues with the whaling proposals:
1) Arguments over whether it would be 'sustainable' and how on earth they would ever monitor it properly
2) The horrific conditions on whaling boats and the pain and cruelty to the whales themselves in the process

The big joke is the so-called 'scientific' whaling that Japan is allowed to. Somehow they are currently taking 1500 whales a year for 'scientific' purposes. If they're doing that now, imagine how many they'd take if there was no ban.

JSBB - I'm surprised Canada is not in the IWC. There do seem to be a lot of tiny countries there who have no hope of standing against Japan if they really start piling on the pressure.

 

Its very traditional in such countries, and I have the opinion that traditions should not die out because we have 'moved on'. As long as the industry is sustainable and new technologies can make the hunt more humane then I see no problem in it.

 

I would rather see this tradition die out than whales...

 

I believe Japans response to the bribary alegations was that the anti-whaling countries (namely UK, Oz and NZ) have brought in countries with no history of whaling - Austria, Czech Republic for example - in order to keep votes for the ban. All they have done is to bring in countries with a history of whaling (Who are more likely to vote for whaling).

As they have lost the vote, there is a serious chance of them pulling out of the IWC and starting to Whale anyway.

I'm with you Pac-man, just let me get my rubber dingy out of the loft...

 

Well the UK has no right to complain, considering the destruction of English forests and grasslands.

 

Keeping a tradition purely for tradition's sake makes no sense to me. What products does whaling contribute to modern society, and are there no substitutes that are more environmentally friendly?

Beyond that, I'm with Aik on this one.

 

Whaling does not mean that whales will die out, as as strict regulations are in place.

Are people against the cruelty involved in Whale hunting? Because unless they are vegetarian, they should rethink things:

Chicken - Unless you eat free range eggs and chicken, the hens are kept in perma-darkness to increase egg production, claws are mangled to 'protect' the hen, and the beaks are cut for the same reasons. I imagine disease is rife in such crowded conditions.

Beef - Modern US cows are fed grains which rip and tear at their stomaches (cattle are not supposed to feed on rough grains). Antibotics are fed to make the cows fatter at a younger age to cut down on fat, and increase muscle.

Pork - death by electrocution, and not always the fastest method. Also kept in dark dirty indoor factories.

Imported foods - unless its 'Fair Trade' - your cheap exotic fruits, vegtables, coffee etc involve cruelty to your fellow humans. Long working hours, hardly enough pay to live on, dangerous working conditions. Not to mention child labour also, but as long as you don't have to pay much, then who cares?

 

Thats all too true. Still, I dont see a sound reason to add another crime against life to that shameful list, Cesard. If there is a chance to spare even one spezies the cruelty we are capable of, I am absolutely for it.
One less disgusting act will make this world that much more likeable. It would also stop people feeling overwhelmed and disheartened by what is going on everywhere.

Oh, and I want to see those whalers sunk, like, now! Lets beef up Greenpeace.

 

I am not trying to justify whaling, but I don't see how most people can complain, when they are more than happy to eat cheap fruits and wear designer clothes at the expense of humanity!

Form your own militant greenpeace splintergroup


Just joking

 

Whaling doesn't seem like it can be a sustainable industry - seeing how long it takes for a whale to mature.

Also, there are certain species of whales which are in danger of extinction, which are apparently hard to distinguish from what they propose to hunt.

 

@ Cesard
I did not assume you are lobbying for whaling. However thats the problem. There is so much suffering - everywhere, and of all sorts - that one more victim doesnt stand out. People just dont have the proverbal ground to stand on to oppose animal's abuse and thus just avert their faces, become indifferent, leaving creation out in the cold. Leaving it to the tender mercy of certain groups.

Imagine there was a humane treatement of animals in general - and one nation would want to start whaling. All our focus would be on stopping it.
As it is, we have become blind to suffering because there is too much of it. That allows for things to get out of hand. Not only nature is harmed, but to all things alive.
We must not de-humanized.

You may call concerns for the fate of the whales a double standard. I call it a start for the cause of life. One has to start somewhere.

Just you wait. I am building up my power.

 

I still want to know what modern industrial purpose whaling has. Not the few whales that are taken by native peoples for food and to preserve their cultural heritage, but how do the whales taken by the Japanese fleet contribute to the overall well-being of the typical schoolgirl and her family?

It sure sounds to me like someone is trying to preserve the wagon-wheel industry instead of taking a job at Goodyear.