Here we go again, whalers slip out of Japanese port

Here we go again, whalers slip out of Japanese port

news.bbc.co.uk

The Japanese whaling ship Nisshin Maru has reportedly left harbour for the annual hunt in Antarctic waters.

Greenpeace said the factory ship had left the port of Innoshima, near Hiroshima, without fanfare.

There was no official confirmation of the departure, although officials did say the number of whales targeted would be identical to last year's hunt.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.abc.net.au

Here we go again, Greenpeace against the whalers. Last year the quota was kept down will they do as well or better this year.
Local news from Australian Broadcasting Corporation

"The federal Opposition says the departure of Japanese whaling ships from port shows the Government's whaling research package is a diversion.
Yesterday Environment Minister Peter Garrett announced the Government would put millions of dollars into non-lethal whale research to discourage Japanese whaling

Link
www.abc.net.au...

I hate this each year we have endless whaling stories it arouses a fair bit of anger in OZ and NZL I suppose because Greenpeace docks in the region for supplies.

Support anti-whaling





news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

they need to seize or sink these ships if the enter Australia or new Zealand waters... the Japanese just don't care about animals.....

Can someone explain whey the Japanese are so fixated on slaughtering whales? I fail to understand the necessity of killing 900 whales.

Another link just popped in

Link

Whalers' factory ship back at sea
JAPAN'S whaling fleet mother ship, Nisshin Maru, has slipped out of port on the way to a full-scale Antarctic hunt, despite repeated attempts by the Rudd Government to curtail the killing.

I’m sure there will be lots of local protest but the voice of the world is what’s needed now because each year it’s the old same thing. While killings have been limited more support is needed more voices – push your governments

reply to post by Karlhungis


Ihe same old reason....greed, cash, money.....that's all it is. It's the same excuse they use for slaughtering sharks simply to cut off their fins to make SOUP! The Greenpeace International website will give you some very scary statistics about whale populations that simpley are not recovering, and about how depleted they really.

I'm gonna risk a flaming here...but I totally agree with Fatdad...these ships need to be seized...not sunk, for as much as I hate what they do, I wouldn't want to kill the whalers....I would make them work for Greenpeace actually. If pirates in the Gulf can take the larges oil tanker in the world for ransom. them a little whaling ship from Japan should be easy....shame I'm so far away, cos I'm just in the right mood to do it.

I for one support them.
Not oneliner...

[edit on 18/11/2008 by PsykoOps]

Originally posted by Karlhungis
Can someone explain whey the Japanese are so fixated on slaughtering whales? I fail to understand the necessity of killing 900 whales.

the problem is the Japanese have been caught taking far more then 900 per year.

there are some evidence they may have one or more unidentified ‘pirate whaling ships operating outside the rules.

since 1 whale can be worth over $100.000 a ship that can pirate 10 to 20 whales a year could make 1 to 2 million dollars

www.theage.com.au...
oregonstate.edu...
www.greenpeace.se...
www.care2.com...

So the whole "using them for scientific research" line is just a cover for greed? Not all that surprising I guess.

Originally posted by Karlhungis
So the whole "using them for scientific research" line is just a cover for greed? Not all that surprising I guess.

(Every year, I tell myself I'll stay out of this...)

Japan's goals are pretty clear, although for some reason they don't get much attention in the western press.

Here it is in a nutshell:

1) Successive generations of whaling internationally brought whale stocks to critical levels in the 1960s. Several species of whale were prohibited by the IWC to allow their stocks to replenish - as a conservation measure.
2) In the 1980s, the moratorium was agreed upon by member nations to halt commercial whaling until such a time as the stocks of specific species could be verified to be able to support a return to commercial whaling.
3) In the late 1980s, Japan began exercising it's right under the IWC to scientific research. The goal, which can be found anywhere you care to look for it, is clear: to verify that the stocks are healthy and numerous enough to return to commercial whaling - which is directly in line with the original agreement, the IWC charter, goals of the IWC scientific committee, and so forth. After the conclusion of JARPA 1, the second (current) phase was started to further the data collection.

The operation is heavily funded by the Japanese government, but augmented through the sale of whale meat.

Augmenting the well-known research - and funded completely by the sale of meat and government subsidy, Japan provides sighting ships and crews for the Southern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research Programme (SOWER) - thusfar the only country to step up with any kind of real funding for this project, year after year - effectively supporting the academic work of several noted US, NZ and Australian scientists. A few years ago, there were two ships involved in this program, but one was let go due to funding cuts (yet there's $6 million in PR money available from the Australian government...)

There's a lot more, actually, but I'm not sure why I'm bothering. I'll get shouted down soon enough, probably called out as a government plant or something. Whatever.

There's a lot of information available out there on what's actually going on. The blogger david in Tokyo has done a spectacular job of translating the Japanese information, and anyone who wants to know what's really going on on the other side of this debate should check out his site. Very well researched, very well documented.

[edit on 18-11-2008 by vox2442]

I thought I saw something the other day about sea shepherd

"Sea Shepherd ready to clash with Japanese whalers"
But its not all good looks like they are not stocking up for Antarctica !!
Anyhow here is the link

link

reply to post by vox2442


Thanks for the response. I am not trying to flame here, I honestly don't understand. It is late....

In the late 1980s, Japan began exercising it's right under the IWC to scientific research. The goal, which can be found anywhere you care to look for it, is clear: to verify that the stocks are healthy and numerous enough to return to commercial whaling

The operation is heavily funded by the Japanese government, but augmented through the sale of whale meat.

So they are researching whether or not the whale populations are ready for commercial hunting by slaughtering 900 of them? Am I being simple minded for thinking that there might be a better way of going about it?

The Japanese are diverting attention from the Norwegian whale slaughter. So while Greenpeace are chasing Japanese vessels all over Antarctic waters the Norse are skulking around Arctic waters and are happily slaying enough to feed Japan and make a killing! (no pun intended)

Norwegian Whaling

MORE INFO
I'll save you trawling through the papers
JUST ANNOUNCED TODAY


Australia launching $6m war against whaling The federal funding will be spent on non-lethal whale research and conservation programs. Environment Minister Peter Garrett says he hopes the funding will help put an end to so called “scientific whaling” by neighbouring countries. “We want to debunk, for once and for all, the need to kill whales in the name of science,” Mr Garrett said.

Some how I think we need more countries to chip in - but perhaps they have and i've jump the gun.

Link if you want to read

Originally posted by Karlhungis


So they are researching whether or not the whale populations are ready for commercial hunting by slaughtering 900 of them? Am I being simple minded for thinking that there might be a better way of going about it?

If I say yes, will you be offended?

If you aren't concerned with resuming commercial whaling, non-lethal research would fit the bill.

That's the disconnect I've been noticing over the last few years of watching this debate. People who are opposed to lethal research are also strongly opposed to whaling in general - so nothing could possibly be acceptable.

The research that's being done is a lot more specific than simple whale spotting - although whale spotting is certainly a part of it.

It involves autopsies. Taking a small percentage of the population and checking how many offspring they've had and at what age, how much - and what kind of - food they've been getting. You need to do this to get a picture of not only how many there are, but how many there are likely to be, statistically speaking, in the future - as well as a picture of the overall ecosystem.

The goal - and for some strange reason, this tends to surprise people - is to resume commercial whaling. Because that's what the whole moratorium was about.

reply to post by vox2442

If I say yes, will you be offended?

Not at all.

Thank you for the clarification.

reply to post by vox2442

It involves autopsies. Taking a small percentage of the population and checking how many offspring they've had and at what age, how much - and what kind of - food they've been getting. You need to do this to get a picture of not only how many there are, but how many there are likely to be, statistically speaking, in the future - as well as a picture of the overall ecosystem.

Thanks VOX2442, Do you know the link where we can view all the scientific data ?

reply to post by vox2442

]
If what you say is true whats this about....

The environment group said the vessel Oriental Bluebird was de-listed earlier this year after accusations its whaling crew had secretly sent home a large amount of prime whale cuts.

Link

Originally posted by majestictwo

Thanks VOX2442, Do you know the link where we can view all the scientific data ?

What, all 20-odd years of it?

Sorry, can't help you there. Check the blog link I posted above though, I know he has numerous links on his site.

Also try here: www.iwcoffice.org... That's a link to the main journal page, but there's a wealth of information on that site.

Originally posted by majestictwo
reply to post by vox2442

 

]
If what you say is true whats this about....

The environment group said the vessel Oriental Bluebird was de-listed earlier this year after accusations its whaling crew had secretly sent home a large amount of prime whale cuts.

Link

Greenpeace making the news.

Literally. They broke into the warehouse of a courier company and stole mail (packages of meat) and demanded the cops investigate. Turns out their posession of the meat was legal, but the greenpeace actions weren't.

search.japantimes.co.jp...

Odd though - this thread is the first time I've heard about the Oriental Bluebird, and I try to keep on top of things.

Sea Shepherd - in one of your links - says it was deregistered for one reason, greenpeace says another. Why is that? Which one is it? And why don't I see anything in the J-news about it?