New Humpback Whale Study Planned

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2007-11-18 02:06am

A Japanese whaling fleet has set sail aiming to harpoon humpback whales for the first time in decades.

The fleet is conducting its largest hunt in the South Pacific - it has instructions to kill up to 1,000 whales, including 50 humpbacks.

The mission has drawn strong protests from environmentalists for breaking a 44-year moratorium on humpback hunting.

Japan was forced to abandon commercial whaling in 1986 but has since carried out whaling for "scientific research".

Four whaling ships, including the lead craft Nisshin Maru, set off from the southern port of Shimonoseki on Sunday.

The 239-man mission plans to kill more than 900 minke whales as well as fin whales and humpbacks, in a South Pacific whale hunt that will run until mid-April.

The 8,000-metric tonne Nisshin Maru was crippled by a fire on a whaling mission in the Antarctic in March. One crew member was killed.

A Greenpeace campaign ship will be following the Japanese fleet.

Sensitive mammals

Tokyo's plan to target the humpback - which was hunted to near extinction four decades ago - has drawn condemnation from environmentalists.

"Humpbacks are very sensitive and live in close-knit pods so even one death can be extremely damaging," Greenpeace spokesman Junichi Sato said.

Japanese fisheries officials insist both humpback and fin populations are back to sustainable levels.

"Humpback whales in our research area are rapidly recovering," said fisheries spokesman Hideki Moronuki.

"Taking 50 humpbacks from a population of tens of thousands will have no significant impact whatsoever."

Mr Moronuki said killing whales allows marine biologists to study their internal organs.

Meat from Japan's scientific catch is sold commercially but Japanese officials deny that the mission plans to make a profit.

Tokyo argues that whaling is an ancient Japanese tradition, and has pushed unsuccessfully at the International Whaling Commission to reverse the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling.

Environmentalists say Japan's research programme is a pretext for keeping the whaling industry alive.

Posted with comment! Seriously Japan, what the fuck? Do they really need several flavors of intelligent mammal in their diet? I don't endorse the killing of Gorillas and Elephants for their meat either. Honestly, why can't they just leave the whales alone? It's not like they have a legitimate reason to want to harvest them--it's just an exotic meat.

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2007-11-18 02:20am

and highly toxic meat, too. Loaded with Mercury deliciousness. In some places, when a whale carcass washes up on shore, it's treated as HAZARDOUS WASTE

Thanas · Post by **Thanas** » 2007-11-18 06:26am

Where's Moby Dick when you need him?

Fuck the Japanese whaling industry. The environment is not something where man can just do something because it is "exotic" or "tradition". One actually needs a legitimate reason for doing so. And "my stomach is growling for some whale meat" is not it.

hawkwind · Post by **hawkwind** » 2007-11-18 06:35am

Japanese killing off thousands of dolphins as "pest" and competitor in fishing industry is the same thing. Its hundreds of year tradition, so it cannot be disturbed.
Sadly Japanese being oth xenophobic and nationalistic never listened to much reason from internationall sources, unless forced to and for last attempt 2 A bombs were needed.

J.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2007-11-18 09:45am

Not for profit, my gaijin ass. I bet they've already got bids on the meat.

CaptHawkeye · Post by **CaptHawkeye** » 2007-11-18 10:21am

And this is the country where the Kyoto Protocol was signed. Environmental conservation hmm?

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2007-11-18 12:27pm

CaptHawkeye wrote:And this is the country where the Kyoto Protocol was signed. Environmental conservation hmm?

This is where I derive my cardinal rule on Asia. Asians within their native cultures have no sense for the conservation of biodiversity. They signed Kyoto to avoid half their territory from being flooded out. But they will still eat Tiger penis, fish the oceans clean of life, and wantonly flood out entire river valleys and clearcut forests.

For fuck's sake japan, why dont you just start hunting people, it is about the same fucking thing these animals are so intelligent.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2007-11-18 01:39pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:For fuck's sake japan, why dont you just start hunting people, it is about the same fucking thing these animals are so intelligent.

They came pretty close in WW2 in some degrees, I'd say, although they'd totally deny it.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-11-18 01:48pm

We should send a CVBG and hunt their whaling vessels, then sell off the crew as a rare new type of mammal for "research".

And by "research", I mean "a tasty dish for nouveau cuisine".

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2007-11-18 01:54pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:We should send a CVBG and hunt their whaling vessels, then sell off the crew as a rare new type of mammal for "research".

And by "research", I mean "a tasty dish for nouveau cuisine".

I can get behind that.

Hawkwings · Post by **Hawkwings** » 2007-11-18 02:27pm

And sure enough, Sea Shepherd is going vigilante on their asses:

SSCS wrote:Announcement:
Sea Shepherd Launches Operation Migaloo to
Defend Whales in Antarctic Whale Sanctuary

This December, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will embark on its fourth expedition to the remote southern waters off the coast of Antarctica, with the launch of its latest Antarctic whale defense campaign: Operation Migaloo. Sea Shepherd has drawn a line in the sand when it comes to the humpback whale featured on its logo and will not stand by while the Japanese whalers target nearly 1000 whales for certain death, including 50 endangered humpback whales and 10 endangered fin whales in the Southern Oceans.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2007-11-18 02:28pm

Hawkwings wrote:And sure enough, Sea Shepherd is going vigilante on their asses:

SSCS wrote:Announcement:
Sea Shepherd Launches Operation Migaloo to
Defend Whales in Antarctic Whale Sanctuary

This December, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will embark on its fourth expedition to the remote southern waters off the coast of Antarctica, with the launch of its latest Antarctic whale defense campaign: Operation Migaloo. Sea Shepherd has drawn a line in the sand when it comes to the humpback whale featured on its logo and will not stand by while the Japanese whalers target nearly 1000 whales for certain death, including 50 endangered humpback whales and 10 endangered fin whales in the Southern Oceans.

The word Vigilante does not apply when there is no law to which they are subject to appeal to.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2007-11-18 02:32pm

Apparently the FCO is considering lodging a complaint to the UN or something. So atleast someone seems to be a bit miffed about it.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2007-11-18 02:43pm

And the UN will do what now? a voluntary fine? The UN can barely be moved to get up off its ass to stop a genocide.

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2007-11-18 02:49pm

Good--it's not that I don't understand that a legion of fat, happy whales might be cut up into whaleburgers, but these people have proven time and again to be incapable of an honest, intelligent hunt. They're not concerned with the sustainability of the species, as the humpback population is still at max at a third of their pre-devastation levels. So they want to reopen commercial whaling with around 30 percent of the stock there? That's just stupid.

Note, 50 whales isn't gonna kill off the species of course. But it's that they're so starved for Big Swimming Puppy meat that they have to lie and skirt the guidelines to get it. That's the really offensive thing--not that they want to eat it, but that they want to eat it so much they're willing to defy everyone and claim this idiotic idea that it's for research.

It's like a kid who ate all of the cookies last time, and now you're telling him he can't have any or else none of us will have any, and instead he keeps 'testing the cookie dough' just for scientific principles, not of course to satisfy a lust for cookies. Except these cookies are intelligent animals with a complex language we are just beginning to understand, a complex social dynamic, and strong familial bonds with the capacity for grief, anger, and memory. We need to figure out what's Humpback for "Run the fuck away!" so we can have our tag-along vessels disrupt this unnecessary hunt.

It's a damn Humpback. Do they want to harvest a blue whale for research too? I just don't honestly understand the allure, is their desire to reopen the hunt really just the stupid, self-serving motivation to sell tiny strips of tried, salted whale ass in a store? That shit they make all tastes the same. I think we should start a market for homeopathic whalemeat over there instead.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2007-11-18 02:50pm

I just saw the report on the news, its DEFRA (Department for the Environment) rather than the FCO, who are going to get our ambassador over there to go shout at someone. Apparently they are...less than convinced about the nature of the hunt (Who'da thunk it?)

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2007-11-18 02:55pm

Does Japan even do any research? They should lose their research quota allowances if they don't do proper research.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2007-11-18 02:59pm

Covenant wrote:Does Japan even do any research? They should lose their research quota allowances if they don't do proper research.

HAHAHAHAHAHAH! Proper research! Dont make me laugh. They claim to be studying population and age structure, anf genetic diversity IIRC. The thing is, none of that requires the killing of a single whale. There is very little research in population biology that ever requires killing an organism.

Erik von Nein · Post by **Erik von Nein** » 2007-11-18 03:00pm

No one's convinced by Japan's rhetoric about researching the whales they kill. They just happen to have a large enough group of pro-whaling nations backing them up that these kinds of concessions end up having to be given. The whole thing's a sham and everyone knows it.

Never mind humpback whales may be dying off, anyway, since they're seasonal homes are starting to suffer from fish die-offs due to climate change. No, let's harvest the ones that are left because we want whale meat! Even if it's not even that popular in our own country, anyway!

Why don't they just go eat some more live pufferfish? At least then they have a pretty good chance of dying from it.

Erik von Nein · Post by **Erik von Nein** » 2007-11-18 03:02pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:HAHAHAHAHAHAH! Proper research! Dont make me laugh. They claim to be studying population and age structure, anf genetic diversity IIRC. The thing is, none of that requires the killing of a single whale. There is very little research in population biology that ever requires killing an organism.

Yeah, funny that non-whaling nations seem to be perfectly capable of studying these animals without killing hundreds to thousands of them.

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2007-11-18 03:09pm

Erik von Nein wrote:
Alyrium Denryle wrote:HAHAHAHAHAHAH! Proper research! Dont make me laugh. They claim to be studying population and age structure, anf genetic diversity IIRC. The thing is, none of that requires the killing of a single whale. There is very little research in population biology that ever requires killing an organism.
Yeah, funny that non-whaling nations seem to be perfectly capable of studying these animals without killing hundreds to thousands of them.

I was wondering if that's all it was--I was hoping they were doing, at least, something with the organs to study their dietary problems and that we were--ironically--learning about the shrinking health of the oceans by studying the poor harvested whales.

They should also claim to be studying their whalesongs and such, and just leave a tape recorder on under the water as they go shoot them full o' harpoons. Guh. It's an emotional issue, but it really reminds me of commerical Elephant hunting or something. Or a group of paper-makers crying out to be allowed to harvest the oldest and most historic trees they can find, just for scientific principles, and not to sell, like, fancy paper.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2007-11-18 03:15pm

Covenant wrote:
Erik von Nein wrote:
Alyrium Denryle wrote:HAHAHAHAHAHAH! Proper research! Dont make me laugh. They claim to be studying population and age structure, anf genetic diversity IIRC. The thing is, none of that requires the killing of a single whale. There is very little research in population biology that ever requires killing an organism.
Yeah, funny that non-whaling nations seem to be perfectly capable of studying these animals without killing hundreds to thousands of them.
I was wondering if that's all it was--I was hoping they were doing, at least, something with the organs to study their dietary problems and that we were--ironically--learning about the shrinking health of the oceans by studying the poor harvested whales.

They should also claim to be studying their whalesongs and such, and just leave a tape recorder on under the water as they go shoot them full o' harpoons. Guh. It's an emotional issue, but it really reminds me of commerical Elephant hunting or something. Or a group of paper-makers crying out to be allowed to harvest the oldest and most historic trees they can find, just for scientific principles, and not to sell, like, fancy paper.

I am almost to the point that I want to go and shoot whalers. If I am ever at an IWC (iirc) meeting, There will be an eloquent speech speech followed by a shotgun.

Post by **fgalkin** » 2007-11-18 03:20pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:

For fuck's sake japan, why dont you just start hunting people, it is about the same fucking thing these animals are so intelligent.

They did, in WW2. They still refuse to admit it was anything but a jolly good time for all involved.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2007-11-18 03:56pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:I am almost to the point that I want to go and shoot whalers. If I am ever at an IWC (iirc) meeting, There will be an eloquent speech speech followed by a shotgun.

Well, let's remember, killing a person for killing a whale doesn't really jive and makes us look rather wacky. I prefer the kinda goofy plan to board their vessels that some Australian guy came up with. The reason I said memory and anger is because the whales we have now are so docile and friendly due to the fact they've never been hunted. If we start hunting them again, we might have them get aggressive once more. It's no myth that sperm whales would turn on and sink whaling vessels, and even then go down and take out the crew in the whaling boats. I really wouldn't want to see the several hundred million dollar whalewatching industry to shrink because some jackasses want to eat intelligent swimming cows.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2007-11-18 04:19pm

Covenant wrote:
Alyrium Denryle wrote:I am almost to the point that I want to go and shoot whalers. If I am ever at an IWC (iirc) meeting, There will be an eloquent speech speech followed by a shotgun.
Well, let's remember, killing a person for killing a whale doesn't really jive and makes us look rather wacky. I prefer the kinda goofy plan to board their vessels that some Australian guy came up with. The reason I said memory and anger is because the whales we have now are so docile and friendly due to the fact they've never been hunted. If we start hunting them again, we might have them get aggressive once more. It's no myth that sperm whales would turn on and sink whaling vessels, and even then go down and take out the crew in the whaling boats. I really wouldn't want to see the several hundred million dollar whalewatching industry to shrink because some jackasses want to eat intelligent swimming cows.

Look at it from a different perspective. If there was a faction of people within an international body that wanted to hunt at sell the flesh of small children, would you be overly amenable to not killing them? How about the idea that there is a faction within an international body that demands concessions on not hunting small children so that they can do "research" on said children.