Japanese Whalers don't read Col Regs

[Ariadne]

I never said they didn't, just highlighting the fact that if we all know about it how do the toothless politicians and various governments stand by while we fish our planet into extinction. I guess it's because there is no mineral wealth there so we don't bother, not in my backyard, can't see it so don't care...

Not getting on my soap box here but I've seen it from both sides and work on the conservation side these days.

 

[Woodlouse]

I never said they didn't, just highlighting the fact that if we all know about it how do the toothless politicians and various governments stand by while we fish our planet into extinction. I guess it's because there is no mineral wealth there so we don't bother, not in my backyard, can't see it so don't care...

Not getting on my soap box here but I've seen it from both sides and work on the conservation side these days.

Probably not to do with the lack of mineral wealth. After all the fishing industry is also worth megabucks to all nations. Most regulation concerning fishing around the world needs reforming but I'm not going to condemn the Japanese for fishing legally.

 

[webcraft]

. . . fishing legally . . .

I'm sure you know whales are mammals. They aren't fishing, they are hunting.

-W

 

[Woodlouse]

I'm sure you know whales are mammals. They aren't fishing, they are hunting.

-W

Yep. Was onto tuna fishing there.

That said, I have put whale in a fish pie before.

 

[Ariadne]

I'm not condemning the Japanese, just including them, I'd start with Germany, Spain, UK, China, basically any form of commercial fishing above subsistence level (globally meaning nothing above 15m LOA supporting local markets) is not sustainable. The tuna industry is a joke and as I said being fished into extinction for profit.

 

[Tintin]

Well done to Sea Shepherd for being the only group doing anything effective to stop the slaughter.

 

[fireball]

Well done to Sea Shepherd for being the only group doing anything effective to stop the slaughter.

Indeed - although not always sure I'd approve of their methods - some decidedly dodgy ship handling going on at times - but I'm not there, can offer no realistic alternative and I don't contribute to their funds - so as far as I'm concerned - so long as they do not harm anyone - good luck to them.

 

[reginaldon]

Yep. Was onto tuna fishing there.

That said, I have put whale in a fish pie before.

I doubt it - a kind of beef or horse - had it during the war.

 

[Woodlouse]

I doubt it - a kind of beef or horse - had it during the war.

Brought it from a fish market in Norway. Don't tell me that the whale trade has got caught up in the horse meat scandal too?!!?

 

[Woodlouse]

Back on track to Sea Shepherd now though, a court in the US has branded them pirates.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21589352

 

[Cardo]

Do you reckon they play the Pirates of the Caribbean music when they attack?

 

[Woodlouse]

Do you reckon they play the Pirates of the Caribbean music when they attack?

It really wouldn't surprise me. Their flag is based on the skull and crossbones after all.

 

[Cardo]

It really wouldn't surprise me. Their flag is based on the skull and crossbones after all.

I did notice that. Does take some of the legitimacy out of their operation. No matter how much fun it is.

 

[fireball]

I really can't understand how the Japanese think they can just say it's for scientific purposes when they're hunting 100's of whales a year.

If they were subsistence fishermen catching a couple of whales local to their shores then I could understand it.

Really it is about time the rest of the world did something positive to prevent the Japanese decimating the whale population.

 

[macd]

decimating the whale population.

I'm sure the whales would be delighted if they'd only been decimated over the last century or so.

 

[Woodlouse]

Really it is about time the rest of the world did something positive to prevent the Japanese decimating the whale population.

Except they're not decemating the whale population. Their quotas are endorsed by the international whaling commission and are a few hundred out of populations of hundreds of thousands. They've never caught as many as they're allowed too in a season either.

 

[Moonshining]

Except they're not decemating the whale population. Their quotas are endorsed by the international whaling commission and are a few hundred out of populations of hundreds of thousands. They've never caught as many as they're allowed too in a season either.

Since Japan can't sell the stuff they catch and it costs them a fortune to go and do it, it seems to be just sheer bloody-mindedness that makes them continue to hunt whales. Hopefully Sea Shepherd will continue to make it as expensive and difficult for them as possible so they give up.

 

[Ariadne]

They won't give until it becomes financially not worth the effort, but I would guess they continue just to prove a point.

The Norwegians still hunt whale commercially as well.

 

[FishyInverness]

The Norwegians still hunt whale commercially as well.

And don't even start on what the Faroe Islanders do, because it's "tradition"

 

[fireball]

Except they're not decemating the whale population. Their quotas are endorsed by the international whaling commission and are a few hundred out of populations of hundreds of thousands. They've never caught as many as they're allowed too in a season either.

Commercial whaling catch limits

In 1982, the Commission took a decision, which came into force for the 1986 and 1985/86 seasons, that catch limits for all commercial whaling would be set to zero.

So Japan do not have IWC permits to catch whales for commercial reasons - hence why the Japanese continue to call it "scientific research" - have you seen any results from this research? Why is it necessary to kill around 1000 whales a year? I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers were far greater had SS not managed to interrupt their hunts.

Where else in the world do we hunt wild mammals at this level?