Japan and Whaling

[notyoueither]

For Christ's sake, the IWC chastised Canada for allowing Inuit to take a single animal (as the Inuit have for thousands of years).

There is no reasoning with these fundies.

Some Japanese and Icelanders are fed up with it. I can't blame them.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Hunting a healthy population in moderation could hardly be counted as 'destroying nature'.

And I'm sure you remember well how the Canadian fishing industry routinely used to claim that the cod stocks were healthy and fishing was sustainable, except for those pesky seals.

The IWC said in the 90s that there were something like 750,000 minke whales worldwide. Now they think the population is actually about half of that, but they're not sure. No one is sure how many of these whales are out there.

And remember how the fishing industry used to criticize the chattering classes who pointed to the scientific research showing that cod stocks were declining.

And remember that every industry downplays the clear evidence that the environment is being harmed by their actions.

It is time that we stop pandering to these special interests and start doing more to protect the environment that affects all of us.

[notyoueither]

I think I would grant credence to the governments of Japan and Iceland. They do have interests in properly managing a resource.

Switzerland has no interest other than screaming in a shrill voice about the injustice of it all after watching a Star Trek movie.

And taking 300 out of 350,000 animals per year is going to do what damage, exactly?

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by notyoueither
For Christ's sake, the IWC chastised Canada for allowing Inuit to take a single animal (as the Inuit have for thousands of years).

There is no reasoning with these fundies.

Some Japanese and Icelanders are fed up with it. I can't blame them.

For Christ sake, there are less than 1,000 bowhead whales left in the eastern arctic (some say less than 600) and only 350 around Baffin Island where once there were more than 11,000.

We should not be hunting them. The Inuit should not be hunting them.

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/species/species_bowheadWhale_eastArtic_e.asp

[notyoueither]

1 of 1000. I'm sure the species is doomed.

[notyoueither]

What you need to do, Tingkai, is convince the Inuit, the Icelanders, and the Japanese.

Hijacking an international organization is not going to do it. Canada pulled out. Japan is about to. Iceland, Norway, etc, will not be far behind.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by notyoueither
I think I would grant credence to the governments of Japan and Iceland. They do have interests in properly managing a resource.

A Conservative trusting governments to do the right thing?

Canada had an interest in keeping the cod stocks viable. That worked really well.

[notyoueither]

Oh, and there was no such organisation as the ICC when the cod were being vacuumed up.

There is one now, but the Spanish and Portuguese still don't like it and have to be chased down on the high seas from time to time.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Tingkai


A Conservative trusting governments to do the right thing?

Canada had an interest in keeping the cod stocks viable. That worked really well.

Governments are the proper place to take certain things.

There was no agreement among North Atlantic nations about the cod until it was too late, and then some break agreements.

The whales have a much better chance. There is a UN sponsored organisation to look out for them. It won't work though if environmentalists hijack the process through the governments of countries that don't have the slightlest interest in the matter.

In other words, STFU unless you want to see 1 or 5 countries pull out and begin unrestricted whaling.

[Qilue]

So I guess from the responses here that there will be no end to whaling.

Therefore, we should start composing our explainations for our grandchildren when they ask why whales were hunted to extinction.

Quote from a song -

"Pray for the children who's time is still to come."
"Pray they forgive us for the stupid things we've done."

[Qilue]

replicate post

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Qilue
So I guess from the responses here that there will be no end to whaling.

Therefore, we should start composing our explainations for our grandchildren when they ask why whales were hunted to extinction.

Quote from a song -

"Pray for the children who's time is still to come."
"Pray they forgive us for the stupid things we've done."

You're right that some people won't stop whaling, unless you convince them. Try convincing them.

Your hyperbole that it necessarily leads to extinction is par for the course and why some Japanese are making the noises they are making.

[Tingkai]

The destruction of the cod stocks was a result of pandering to special interest groups. And of course these special interests demanded a bail out for the problems that they had caused.

There is no need to hunt whales, particularly endangered species.

And the attitude that we're just going to take a couple so it is okay is exactly the thing that destroyed the cod stocks.

The Canadians take a "sustainable" share, so do the Japanese, so do the Icelanders, and the Spanish and the Chinese and the Russians, and so on.

Next thing you know there is nothing left.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Tingkai
The destruction of the cod stocks was a result of pandering to special interest groups. And of course these special interests demanded a bail out for the problems that they had caused.

And some people didn't stop when it was widely agreed we should stop fishing cod. Don't forget to mention that.

There is no need to hunt whales, particularly endangered species.

Explain that to the average fisherman in Iceland.

I should note that to the average Kenyan there is no need for us to burn oil for fuel in cars or homes either. We still do it.

Physician, heal thyself!

And the attitude that we're just going to take a couple so it is okay is exactly the thing that destroyed the cod stocks.

Bull****.

The cod didn't have an international organisation looking out for them before the disaster.

The whales are a lot better off.

The Canadians take a "sustainable" share, so do the Japanese, so do the Icelanders, and the Spanish and the Chinese and the Russians, and so on.

Next thing you know there is nothing left.

The Russians have officially sworn off whaling. Canada hasn't had commercial whaling for a very long time.

Convince the rest. Don't try to bludgeon them by hyjacking an organisation that they would willingly cooperate with.

[Ãskallin]

Excatly, try to convince those 3-4% of the working population that there is no need for them to do what they do... Iceland is not a big nation, but 3-4% of the working population is a big deal don't you think?

And no one is exterminating mink whales if 200-300 are killed a year in the seas around Iceland, and it has been scientificly studied for over a decade now that the mink whale stock is not by a long shot in any danger of extermination.

So what's the big deal? It's a good food and there is a market for it so there shouldn't be a problem. But these animal rights groups just don't have a clue, do they?
The whales are killed quickly and relatively painlessly( you don't live long after an exploding harpoon sticks into you) so they don't suffer.
What "other" jobs should a fishermen have after maybe 20 years on working at sea? Marketing? Advertising? Computer Consulting?
This IS their life, it is based around the sea and they've lived of it for generations. Why should some crazy-meddling-in-affairs-that-don't-concern-them people have anything to say about how these men live?
But of course this must be monitored and controlled for the good of all. It should be a system like the cod control around Iceland, there it is studied each year how many the stock can loose without damaging the whole specie. It this works fine and dandy as all the fish that is fished here is in good balance. And actually the herring is appearing again after a 40 years(norwegians and Icelanders overfished it 40-50 years ago)