Posted on 11/17/2007 8:34:33 AM PST by BGHater
apan's whaling fleet was set to leave port Sunday for its biggest-ever scientific whale hunt in the South Pacific, the government fisheries agency said.
The whalers have orders to kill up to 50 humpback whales — the first known large-scale hunt for the species since a 1963 moratorium put humpbacks under international protection.
The new hunt is certain to renew Japan's angry standoff with anti-whaling forces. Greenpeace and the animal rights activist group Sea Shepherd have said they will track the South Pacific hunt.
Four ships including the lead craft, the 8,044-ton Nisshin Maru, were set to leave Sunday morning from the southern port of Shimonoseki, said a news release from Japan's Fisheries Agency.
Two observation boats left northern Japan on Wednesday, the agency said.
Along with the humpbacks, the 239-member mission that runs through April will also take up to 935 Antarctic minke whales and up to 50 fin whales in their largest scientific whale hunt ever held in the South Pacific, according to a report Japan submitted to the International Whaling Commission earlier this year.
But it is the plan to hunt the humpback — a favorite among whale-watchers for its distinctive knobby head, intelligence and out-of-the-water acrobatics — that has triggered environmentalists' condemnation.
"These whales don't have to die," said a Greenpeace spokesman, Junichi Sato. "Humpbacks are very sensitive and live in close-knit pods. So even one death can be extremely damaging."
Humpback whales were hunted to near-extinction four decades ago. They have been off-limits since 1963, except for a few caught under a subsistence program by Greenland and the Caribbean nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Each caught one humpback last year, according to the International Whaling Commission.
The former Soviet Union defied the ban and hunted humpbacks until 1973. It is disputed how many were killed.
Scientists say humpback whales are complex creatures that communicate through lengthy "songs."
Although they grow up to 48 feet long and weigh as much as 40 tons, they are extremely acrobatic, often throwing themselves out of the water, swimming on their backs with both flippers in the air, or slapping the water with their tails.
The American Cetacean Society estimates the global humpback population at 30,000-40,000 — about a third of the number before modern whaling. The species is listed as "vulnerable" by the World Conservation Union.
Japanese fisheries officials insist, however, that the animals' population has returned to a sustainable level.
"Humpback whales in our research area are rapidly recovering," said the Fisheries Agency's whaling chief, Hideki Moronuki. "Taking 50 humpbacks from a population of tens of thousands will have no significant impact whatsoever."
He said killing whales lets marine biologists study their internal organs. Ovaries provide vital clues to reproductive systems, earwax indicates age, and stomach contents reveal eating habits, he said.
Meat from Japan's scientific catch is sold commercially, as permitted by the IWC, but Japanese officials deny that profit is a goal.
Japan also argues that whaling is a tradition in its country that dates back to the early 1600s, and Tokyo has pushed unsuccessfully at the IWC to reverse the 1986 commercial whaling moratorium.
Environmentalists claim that Japan's research program is a pretext for keeping the whaling industry alive.
Japan accuses activists of "environmental terrorism." After its last Antarctic hunt, the government released video of protesters launching smoke canisters from a Sea Shepherd ship and dropping ropes and nets to entangle the Japanese ships' propellers.
"We call them terrorists because they engage in blatant terrorism," Moronuki said. "We don't want violence. ... All Japan wants is to find a sustainable way to hunt a very precious marine resource."
Environmentalists have long campaigned for an end to the winter catch in the Southern Ocean and a North Pacific mission that kills about 100 minke whales a year.
Scientists note that humpbacks migrate to the southern seas from breeding grounds around the world.
"Some breeding grounds are not recovering to the same extent as others," said whale biologists Ken Findlay at the University of Cape Town. "While the catch may be small, we're not sure where they come from. That's a real concern."
Environmentalists also are critical of the harpooning methods Japan's fleet uses. Ships sometimes chase wounded whales for hours, Findlay said.
“I don’t get these Japanese and their insistence on killing things not necessary for their survival.”
Well, one thing is that they are worse than rebellious adolescents when it comes to being told what to do by the untermenschen.
Another thing is that they regard eating whale as a particularly Japanese thing to do. While they don’t want it every day, they do want it to be available when they’re out drinking and suffer an attack of “everyone in the Edo Era was a macho samurai.” Of course, there’s no historical accuracy in any of that, but there you are.
There has to be a third thing, of course, and that is that it was a staple of school lunches for some years after the war.
At least they are not using the old “Whale Research” B.S. story any longer
Are you sure? Sounds like they are.
‘leave port Sunday for its biggest-ever scientific whale hunt in the South Pacific, the government fisheries agency said.’
‘Along with the humpbacks, the 239-member mission that runs through April will also take up to 935 Antarctic minke whales and up to 50 fin whales in their largest scientific whale hunt ever held in the South Pacific’
Can’t whales be reared for food?
“Can’t whales be reared for food?”
It’s not like a catfish pond
Sea Shepherd is the problem. Google Paul Watson, and see for yourself.
Not only does he have a history of piracy (from an "environmentalist" motivational standpoint, as opposed to just simple greed), but he continues in his piracy and harassment each year.
As he loudly goes about doing what he does, he claims to be enforcing UN laws...
The trouble is, he has no standing to attempt to "enforce" UN law, since he has no commission, in the first place. In his self appointed enforcement role, his acts of piracy violate UN laws, even the very chapters and codes he demands that others adhere to!
The man (AND HIS FOLLOWERS AND ACOLYTES) tell LIES. Damned-able lies...to further their agenda. If one listens to them alone, only a stilted picture of the truth of the matter(s), will one get.
Which is all a crying shame, since as far as other Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean goes (ie., Minke Whale), it's difficult to see why anyone (including the Japanese) would need to yearly kill hundreds of whales for "scientific" purposes, when perhaps a few, or even a few dozen, would do.
Watson makes his living by (getting mushy-headed-but-well-intentioned folks, to give him money for the purposes of) attempting to protect whales, by grandstanding, committing acts of violence, putting the lives of Jap whalers at risk, seriously endangering his own crew, even [in the past] attaching mines to, and sinking ships that he didn't like, etc.
He's not helping to protect whales, as much as he's contributing to giving environmentalism, a really bad name.
The man, is an ass...
Stubborn donkeys, when all else fails, can earn to be thoroughly beaten about the head and shoulders, with a suitable stick...Watson is long overdue for his next beating.
I do so hope he gets it soon.
His flagship is in bad shape. I don't know if the patch made 18 months or so ago (welded from the inside?) will continue to hold. The ship may possibly have been hauled out since, but I doubt it.
When one has a steel ship, and it begins to "make water", then one has a problem. It's seriously expensive to haul out [dry-dock] a ship, even a relatively small "ship", such as the Farley Mowat.
If Watson neglects this, then his boat will undoubtedly founder. I think Watson should put his own money where his mouth is, and sell (some of?) the Southern California property he had acquired in years past. Whether he obtained the funds by skimming from the donation baskets, or had the property given to him, I don't know...but I have gotten wind that he holds title to some land of decent value.
If he doesn't sell, and use the money to repair his ship --- then not only is he himself in danger of never being able to enjoy his own property [the dead can have no worldly enjoyment], but he is continuing to endanger his volunteer crew, also.
Like I said, the man is an ass!
Meat from Japan's scientific catch is sold commercially, as permitted by the IWC, but Japanese officials deny that profit is a goal.
Uh, hello..........
The Japanese mostly hunt the smaller whales for food, the ones with sizes just slightly more than that of cattle. Maybe they can mark off a few acres of their coastline and drop submersible nets to fend off these enclaves from the rest of the sea.
I suppose the same argument could be extended to tuna, crab, lobster, halibut, etc...etc...fishermen.
And what about me...I'm going deer hunting this afternoon, am I a bad man?
I'm not saying I agree with harvesting humpback whales...because I don't. But IMO, your logic...is flawed.
Obviously the Japanese need to install a 32-MJ Rail Gun on their whaling vessel harpoon mechanisms so they can target the beasts from 200 miles away without distracting the environment. In this fashion they may remive them more surgically, while furthering their accurate research.
Better living through modern engineering!
As long as the Japanese kill whales to eat, I have no problem with it. It’s too bad they have to invent this silly “scientific” cover story to fend off environazis. I don’t give a damn how “cute” whales are. Have you ever seen a piglet? A lamb? If it tastes good...eat it. That goes for cows, whales, pigs and dolphins. Just don’t hunt to extinction and it’s all good.
Of course, Hawaii earns $$ from Japanese tourism, mustn't piss them off. If these hippies protesting wanted it to be effective, they's protest the Japanese getting off the planes in Honolulu.
My Japanese wife was explaining that to our boys just the other day. She ate whale at school all the time. Beef was very rarely served at home or school, in fact she said she didn't like it the first time she had it.
That was excellent.
Uh hello back. And home many countries are on the no doubt long list of those doing this sort of B.S. “research”? It’s a scam, and pretty much the world knows it. If it were say....mountain gorillas they wanted they would likely use the same lame argument.
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