Japan Launches it's 1st scientific hunt in 30 year

[Shannow]

s on Humpback whales around here.

They've announced that killing whales is the only means of preserving them.

Harpoon them, chop them up. Determine the age, sex, DNA, and "reproductive viability" of the animal.

Of course, you don't waste them after the "research". Some makes the table, while the rest goes to pet food due to a declining human food market.

Interesting to see the market at work, with Japan bribing non-whaling nations to vote on their side of negotiations, and then see Japan snubbing their noses at the rest of the world and doing whatever they want anyway.

 

[Master ACiD]

would you expect any less from the country that brought you toyota and honda?

 

[Aldaris]

Originally Posted By: Master ACiD
would you expect any less from the country that brought you toyota and honda?
now now that wasn't called for

 

[Gary Allan]

Yeah ..they pretty much do whatever they want. I guess if we really felt strongly about it, we could bribe all the nations to vote our way ...and even agree to allow us to enforce their wishes in their waters.

..but we don't...

 

[MarkC]

They suk for doing this, but I can think of at least one other country that goes around doing pretty much what we---I mean it---wants to.

 

[mechtech2]

At least yo know that it won't be overcooked!

 

[Silk]

If they kill Migaloo there is going to be some serious trouble!

 

[Shannow]

Given the illegal fishing and whaling that are going on in our waters (and yours silk), I'd personally be happy enough for the Navy to be sent out for practice.

Board them, retrieve the sailors, place them on a plane back home, defuel the vessel, and sink them as target practice.

 

[Silk]

They have been plundering our coastal waters for decades,sometimes they are caught if they drift inside our limit....but we aren't exactly a Naval power,a couple of frigates can't do a thing about them.Any emergencies and we go to their aid with everything we've got,the best tax payer funded emergency and medical care at their disposal.

 

[Shannow]

Ain't it great the public funded rescue...we rescue Bullimore every now and then, and those rich blokes who decide to race their boats down the East coast.

 

[Kernel Potter]

Here's an article that covers this subject quite well:

"Japan might kill world's only white whale
By Nick Squires in Sydney
Last Updated: 3:01pm GMT 12/11/2007

Australians fear that the world's only known white humpback whale could be slaughtered as Japan's whaling fleet prepares to embark on its annual hunt in the Southern Ocean."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/11/12/eawhale112.xml

 

[Shannow]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/whale-calf-slaughter-anger/2008/02/07/1202234018214.html

Quote:
Japanese authorities have hit back in the public relations war over its "scientific'' whaling program, accusing Australian officials of misleading the public.

The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) today denied two whales photographed as they were dragged bleeding into the whale processing vessel Yushin Maru, in the Southern Ocean, were mother and calf.

The two whales were unrelated, ICR director general Minoru Morimoto said, and the variance in size showed only "random sampling'' in practice.


http://news.smh.com.au/japan-denies-whaling-photo-propaganda/20080207-1qpm.html

Quote:
Mr Morimoto said the release of the photographs was part of an "emotional propaganda" campaign which threatened to sour international relations.

"The photographs taken by the Oceanic Viking, and which major Australian newspapers published today, show two minke whales but they are not a mother and her calf as claimed by the media," he said in a statement.


Next sound bite includes..."each whale saves 500 cattle"...haven't seen them carrying out scientific research on Oz cattle, while they bought (paid for) 279,408 tonnes of beef in 2003.

 

[Al]

I guess in the grand scheme of things..Looking at the way oil consuming nations (including us) are wrecking the planet..killing a few whales isn't so bad.

 

[Matt89]

Originally Posted By: Master ACiD
would you expect any less from the country that brought you toyota and honda?


Not sure I understand this. Without Toyota and Honda I can't imagine what US autos would be like today. Think huge '70s-era Mercury Montegos with really skinny bias-ply tires belching coagulated Dexcool.

 

[Panzerman]

A white whale, that would be considered a trophy wouldnt it. Like a Albino buck.