Whaling discussed today or tomorrow re japanese whaling

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   saltposted 13 years ago

   For all those who have an interest in stopping commercial whaling, especially by the japanese, please put your thoughts out over the next couple of days as the negotiations with japan over their whaling is taking place.
   
   please send your thoughts.
   
   also, for anyone interested,.. an australian location, where major petroleum companies want to put a gas plant in a pristine coastal area which is also a humpback whale nursery.
   
   http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/ … onsibility

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      saltposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      noone interested in the stop whaling campaign???

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      ahorsebackposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      On public radio today , they said that the use of whale meat by Japanese
      has dwindled , does anyone know this to be true,  they also explained the historical importance of whaling culture t the japanese.

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         saltposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         If you have an amount of salmon that if you fish it you wont ever have any salmon again, you stop fishing for salmon until the population is replenished.
         
         
         The blue whale, the fin whale and many other species or whale are in this category or close to it. It doesnt matter about the japanese culture, if these whales disappear, they wont be here again in 10 or 20 years..

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         Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Consumption of whale meat has gone down because it has become so expensive.

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   torimariposted 13 years ago

   I'll definitely look into this campaign. Interesting. Definitely don't support commercial whaling.

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      saltposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      thanks, the commercial whaling is the japanese and the discussion on stopping the japanese whaling ..
      
      and the link is for an australian based campaign where big companies want to put a gas plant where there is a humpback whale nursery.

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   Sab Ohposted 13 years ago

   Nothing wrong with commercial whaling if it is done in a sustainable way.

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      kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That's the point. It's not being done in a sustainable way.

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         Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         It is now. The anti-whaling crowd doesn't want to have a discussion on how to do it sustainably, they just want to worship the whale and take a categorical position.

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      saltposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      many people disagree and today is a day to think less culling as if the whales are the oldest animals on the planet and some say that the killing of them is somehow effecting the planet... ie global warming,... you might think differently in a few years when you fazzle ..

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         Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Say wha~?

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            kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Not quite as nonsensical as it first appears
            
            http://news.discovery.com/animals/whale … gases.html

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   luvpassionposted 13 years ago

   I love that show WHALE WARS

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      Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I keep hoping to see those self-serving eco-idiots sink to the bottom of the ocean.

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   thisisoliposted 13 years ago

   Whaling in it's current form is in my opinion too much, however I think sustainable whaling should remain a business. There are a wide range of creaturs that are on the brink of them, and all of them need protecting. However it seems unlikely that a major economic prop such as this would be removed completely.

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   Polly Cposted 13 years ago

   I am completely against whaling, whether by the Japanese, Norweigans or anyone else. Whales are beautiful creatures that need protecting, not killing in cold blood.

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      Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      They're animals. We eat animals. Resources should be sustained but not off limits.

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         Polly Cposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I don't eat meat, or fish either. But hey, we all make different choices Aside from that, I believe they lead an agonising death.

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            Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            "I don't eat meat, or fish either."
            
            
            But most people do.

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   thisisoliposted 13 years ago

   To be honest there is so much false and modified information from both sides that it is hard to dissect the truth in just how sustainable the current rate of whaling actually is.
   
   While I feel it is important to keep one of the regions economic bases stable, The whales are amazing creatures which should be kept alive.
   
   However I think it is also just as important that America should reduce the amount of non-sustainable wood which is imported from the South American rain forests.
   
   There is a wide range of problems in the world, and very few countries are exempt from the blame that is attributed.
   
   Just to note that nearly all Japan's whaling reductions have been self motivated towards sustainability of their own economy. There has been no real change an Japanese whaling due to external pressures.
   
   I think that it is important to campaign against the measures in your own country, especially global harvesting countries such as America, before trying to change other countries.  it seems a little hypocritical.

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      saltposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I think the point on america is very important. That the international community draws attention to one countries bad practise is good. It helps each of us look at our own behavior.
      
      The whaling done by the japanese can be reduced a great deal. They really are taking too many whales that are already suffering great population losses. Even if a modatorium is struck until population numbers increase for say the fin and humpback whales and no touching blue whales at all.
      
      Then it is making room for changes to occur. The japanese are saying they only whale for research, which is a lie. They could do as other countries do for research and use the carcasses of whales that have already died naturally.

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         Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         The numbers of Blue Whales, Humpback Whales, and Fin Whales are increasing, and there may be more Minke Whales today than prior to 20th century industrial whaling.

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            saltposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I would hope you are right, there are estimates that there may be as few as 400 blue whales left on the planet. They need to be increasing. There are other species of whale that are on the endangered lists.
            
            I didnt suggest people stop eating all seafood, what I was saying was that if one food source is depleted, you have to let it be and build again. I personally do not see whales as a food source at all. I am shifting my personal views to make room for others that have a different opinion than I. I do believe that whales are amazingly beautiful animals.
            
            I eat meat still, yet have been vegetarian - I did think of becoming fruitarian, yet decided that if I thought vegetables have feelings I should not exclude meat from my diet. I also try to minimise my meat intake to assist this. Something I have to get back to again.

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               Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Whale populations are rebouding. We should manage them well but not idolize them and keep them off limits.

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                  saltposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  they are not as yet out of endangered for some species especially, the fin and blue whales should not be touched. Nor humpbacks.. as other countries use carcasses which have been beached etc for research why shouldnt the japanese. The japanese have the greatest environmental climate change at the moment.. its time for them to start acting on important matters like this one. The amount of whales they catch can easily be transfered to jobs in other fishing or food industry jobs. This will not create a downturn in their economy. Maybe the next step is economic sanctions agains japanese products if they dont take steps to listen to the rest of the world.

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                     Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     Blue and Humpback Whales are two of the most rapidly rebounding.
                     
                     No one country has (or could have) "the greatest environmental climate change." That just makes no sense.
                     
                     All emoting over the beauty of whales aside, countries are not going to jeopardize their economies over this issue, sorry.

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            kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Minke whales were traditionally hunted by some societies, but the 19th century commercial whalers considered them too small to chase and so did the 20th century industrial whalers. Minke whales were not routinely hunted by industrial whalers until the 1970's, when populations of more desirable whales like blues and fins had already been decimated. The moratorium came into effect in 1986, so minkes were only subjected to 10 or 15 years of serious harvesting.
            
            IF their population is indeed higher than pre-industrial whaling levels (which is disputed), then it probably has more to do with the fact that they were never hunted as heavily as other species, not because they've made any kind of amazing recovery since the moratorium. Most other whale species are still hanging at numbers anywhere from one half to one twentieth (the unfortunate blues) of their estimated pre-industrial whaling levels.

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               Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               And the more enthusiastic hunting of larger whales seems to have given them a leg up on accessing food sources as well.

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                  kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  True.
                  
                  Therefore, arguing that minkes are at normal levels so it's fine to start whaling again is kind of like claiming that because whitetail deer are double their historical levels in many regions, the environment is perfectly healthy and we can keep cutting down forests whenever we feel like it. The health of one species cannot be assumed to represent the health of other species, or the ecosystem as a whole.

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                     Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     As I've said, the larger species are recovering as well.

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                        kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        So far. I think most people are capable of recognizing that existing at 5% of historical population levels is a pretty big hole to climb out of, and perhaps loosening restrictions on whaling is not the most effective way to help them do it.

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                           Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                           Responsible management of resources is the way to go

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   alternate poetposted 13 years ago

   The worlds oceans are severely depleted of every kind of shoaling fish and the bigger fish and mammals that naturally prey on them. The general health of the oceans are essential to maintaining climate in many ways and the extinction of some species can lead to collapse of the whole fragile chain.  What is really needed is a total ban on all fishing of all kinds for twenty years or more to allow the ocean to regenerate itself naturally - where we have not turned it into a disgusting cess pit around our coasts with our sewage and chemicals that we discharge into the sea and rivers every few kilometres 24/7.  The whales are the visible representatives of the ocean and if we can't keep the few remaining species of whale from extinction we have no chance of all the rest.

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      saltposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thankyou alternate poet, I didnt have the background knowledge to write so authoritively. You do. I thankyou for your comment.

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      Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      "What is really needed is a total ban on all fishing of all kinds for twenty years or more"
      
      LOL! Yeah, that's real likely. Very practical.

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         alternate poetposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Your amazingly inadequate understanding of everything is laughable. You could just carry on in blissful ignorance rather than constantly posting your shallow views, or at least put them into one post that we can ignore rather than scrolling all the way down the page.

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            Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Instead of falling back on personal insults AGAIN, maybe you could tell us how your wonderful idea would work for the millions and millions (and millions!) who are employed in fishing and fishing related industries world wide, how the global economic disaster you would create would be addressed, and how such a hairbrained idea could possibly be implemented if the world were insane enough to try?

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               alternate poetposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               not eating sea food for a couple of decades would bring about the end of the world ??  I don't think armies of sushi eaters would rise up and overthrow their governments, or the tiny percentage of the population who are fishermen would starve to death.  Opposing any view with apocalyptic BS is just a worn out religious way of NOT dealing with life issues.
               
               You clearly do not have any idea what is happening to our oceans and how they affect every country and the climate.   Maybe you should continue that interrupted education to get some basic geography, biology and mathematics before commenting on things you clearly know nothing about - again.

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                  Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  "not eating sea food for a couple of decades would bring about the end of the world ?? "
                  
                  For a great many people it certainly would. You really didn't think through your comments before posting them, did you?
                  
                  Tens and tens of millions put out of work, economic devastation, literal starvation for many, and utterly impossible impracticability and YOU talk about having no idea? Yeah, ok.

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                     alternate poetposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     You got any facts to back up your nonsense? millions and millions starving - you are going way too far even by your narrow standards.

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                        Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        Didn't you suggest you were better educated? If so you would know that over 35 million people are employed in the fishing industry (and you might have slightly better reading comprehension). You specifically mentioned geography but don't seem to know that many, many people live in places where seafood is a vital aspect of their available diet. Maybe you've studied economics? If so, how could you not know what such a ridiculous idea would do to economies world wide?

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                           alternate poetposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                           Do you have any idea how few people 35 million is in the world?  you should get out more !   And there are no big populations who rely on ocean fishing either.  The Chinese eat more fish than most but they grow it all in ponds and eat relatively little 'sea' food.
                           
                           and you response to Habee is insensitive in the extreme, she has already said this upsets her - maybe this is why you are universally unpopular ?

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                              Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                              I'm sure every one of those 35 million + would be just thrilled to know how expendable you know they are...
                              
                              And the nearly one billion human beings who rely on seafood as their primary source of protein probably wouldn't mind taking it on the chin for the sake of your 'brilliant' plan...
                              
                              And you keep trying to play the "Oh-ho-ho you are so ignorant!" bit but you don't even know that the Chinese have been aggressively plying the waters all around their coasts for century after century?
                              
                              "Get out more" indeed

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                  Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  " just a worn out religious way "
                  
                  Huh?! How on earth did religion get into this discussion?
                  
                  " Maybe you should continue that interrupted education"
                  
                  ??? What do you mean by this? I assume it's another attempt at a personal insult.

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   habeeposted 13 years ago

   I hate it when they kill a female whale with a calf. That should be illegal. Perhaps it is - I don't know, but I do know that it's done. I used to be a hunter (not a whale hunter), but I observed the legal seasons, when the females weren't nursing offspring.

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      Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      "I  hate it when they kill a female whale with a calf. "
      
      
      What do they do, hit the whale with the calf until it dies?

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    saltposted 13 years ago

    some minke whales are listed as endangered.
    
    an extract from greenpeace on japanese whaling..,
    
    The Nisshin Maru arrived in Tokyo Bay today. Its time in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary was cut short by a tragic fire, which claimed the life of one crewmember and threatened the Antarctic environment. Over the course of this past season 505 minke and three endangered  fin whales were killed. Recently an International Whaling Commission (IWC) review of Japan's so-called whaling programme showed that their "research" has learned virtually nothing about whale populations in the Southern Oceans despite 18 years of hunting...

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    Sab Ohposted 13 years ago

    http://www.worldwhalers.com/publications/recipes.htm

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