Pro-Hunting Japanese Seize Control of Whaling Commission

[flvegan]

In a remarkable diplomatic coup, Japan, the leading pro-whaling nation, is poised to seize control of whaling's regulatory body, the International Whaling Commission (IWC), and so hasten the return of commercial whale hunting, which has been officially banned worldwide for the past 20 years.

While the world has been looking the other way, the Japanese have spent nearly a decade and many millions of dollars building up a voting majority in the IWC, by buying the votes of small member states with substantial foreign aid packages.

Their aim is to reverse the moratorium on commercial whaling brought in by the IWC in 1986 as a result of the long Save The Whale campaign by Greenpeace and other environmental pressure groups.

<snip>

But anyone who opposes killing the great whales, or who thought that the main battle against the harpooners had been won, is in for a nasty surprise when at the IWC meeting in the West Indies, two months from now, this new majority is likely to become clear, and to be exercised for the first time. It will be a huge propaganda victory for the Japanese and the other nations determined to continue whale hunting, principally Norway and Iceland.

<snip>

Originally here: http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article358190.ece
Posted here: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0417-02.htm

I guess that the bright side is that the BS lies about the current Japanese whale slaughter being "science" will at least end, if they're successful...

[SlipperySlope]

1. Where can I buy whale meat in the United States?

I'd like to try it before it is too late. Is it available at Japanese restaurants?

[flvegan]

4. You'll likely have to journey

to Japan or Norway to sample it. I don't think it's quite legal to sell here.

[SlipperySlope]

I tried googling for it

I found some recipes, but no place to place an order online.

Since there is limited whale hunting by the Inuit, maybe whale meat could be purchased in Alaska?

If not, then I suppose I have to wait until I travel to a country that doesn't use the "law" to restrict what people can choose to eat.

[flvegan]

16. Bald eagle on the menu, too?

Digest that.

[SlipperySlope]

21. Sure, why not...

I'll eat some of that too. You got any to sell?

[flvegan]

24. Though I don't quite understand

the nasty beginnings of the above posts, I don't have any bald eagle to sell. I DO however, have something that's quite plentiful, that I'd suggest you go ahead and eat. It's four letters long, starts with the letter "S" and likely isn't something not suggested to you before.

Bon appetit.

[SlipperySlope]

29. Ah yes, Seal, another tasty meat.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[flvegan]

36. Thanks for the kick!

The more responses, hopefully, the more that will read.

You rock!!!

[SlipperySlope]

44. No problem - I just gave you a recommend also.

[flvegan]

47. Very nice, thank you!

[LeftyMom]

18. Can't eat whale, can't buy a seal coat, no spotted owl stew...

what the hell is this country coming too? :eyes:

BTW, eating any predatory ocean animal is an exceedingly bad idea, pollutants bioaccumulate in thier fats and when you eat them you get a really high dose of mercury, pcb's and other nastiness. In some countries where whale consumption is legal, it's highly discouraged in pregnant women and other vulnurable populations (not Japan though, as I said they feed it to school kids, just because they can.)

[LeftyMom]

5. Jesus Fucking Christ, please tell me you're joking.

:grr:

[flvegan]

7. If not, then hopefully the poster

will journey to one of the places I suggested...and bloody well stay there.

[LeftyMom]

8. I love you when you're snarky.

:evilgrin: :loveya:

[flvegan]

22. Well, as posted above

it's about what one could choose to eat and the usage of laws to "limit" same. Regardless of the impact or driving the animal to extinction, if a person wants to eat it, then reason be damned...toss it on the grill.

I hope the exploding harpoons don't damage too much meat. Selfish fucking lot, I tell you.

Spotted Owl burgers, anyone?

[SlipperySlope]

25. Spotted Owl?

> Spotted Owl burgers, anyone?

It isn't like I was specifying which particular whale species I wanted to taste. I'd be happy starting with any member of the Cetacea order.

That said, do you have reason to believe that Spotted owl would taste particularly better than other owls?

[flvegan]

27. If only

at this point, you were worth my time.

[Beaverhausen]

28. You know they are an endangered species, right?

There is a reason these animals are protected and why we don't eat them.

[SlipperySlope]

30. Analogy?

There is a reason those books are censored and why we don't read them.

It is a sad day when we let the government tell us what we can put in your own bodies.

[LeftyMom]

32. Books aren't endangered

When you read them they don't disappear forever.

The whole reason goverment exists it to protect humankind at large from individual human selfishness. That's why you can't kill your neighbor to take his car, you can't force your way on a woman no matter how much she appeals to you and you can't eat a fucking whale.
Because in the absence of rules, there is hedonism and chaos and people do stupid and dangerous things like that.

Dems understand that. Libertarians and small government conservatives don't. Did you take a wrong turn or are you just blind on this issue?

[SlipperySlope]

45. You lost me...

You lost me at the "you can't eat a fucking whale" part.

I mean, I don't want to eat a WHOLE ENTIRE whale, just a few steaks.

[Beaverhausen]

33. I think protecting endangered species is important

obviously you don't.

[SlipperySlope]

46. I would be sad if they were extinct

Because that would mean that future generations would lose the chance to eat them.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

34. I'm with you on the book thing.

Why just the other day I went into the UofT library and demanded to eat one of the original copies of the Gutenberg Bible. Those nazis wouldn't let me.

[nonconformist]

35. Cripes, they're ENDANGERED. nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

51. I do hope you are being sarcastic? Even at that.........

:wtf:

[alittlelark]

48. I guess inciting.... seems to be working.

[ladjf]

17. They make dog food out of it.

[LeftyMom]

23. Not in the US

In the US, dog food generally involves either rendered fats (which can be roadkill, euthanized pets, basicly any meat with no other function) and byproducts of the slaughter industry. Some permium brands use meats considered suitable for human consumption or non-meat based formulas.

In Japan however, whaling exceeds demand so greatly that whale is used in dog food.

[ladjf]

26. Yes. I meant in Japan.

[LeftyMom]

31. Okay, just wanted to be clear

Much as the idea of a potential whale consumer digging into a can of Alpo warms my animal lovin' heart, I do like to make sure that the facts are out there.

[mogster]

50. It doesn't taste good

Dry and wiry, a bit like liver.
We ate a lot of whale meat when I was younger, and I prefer beef or fish ;-)

Norway is also watching this recent development closely btw.

[flvegan]

2. self delete

[Beaverhausen]

3. talk about the fox guarding the hen house

this is f*#ked up!

[brokensymmetry]

6. So much for the whales.

I guess they'll be extinct soon...along with many other species.

I wonder if anything more majestic than the flea and the cockroach will survive the human era?

[ladjf]

20. The human race is the dumbest species on the planet.

[laheina]

43. Probably not

even ourselves. :shrug:

[GDAEx2]

9. Why is there an International Whaling Commission...

[flvegan]

13. The IWC is responsible

or at least supposed to be responsible for the management and concervation of cetaceans.

[dusty64]

10. My God nothing

is sacred or safe anymore. Get me the fuck off this ride I've had enough! :grr: :nuke:

[sproutster]

11. If you live in rural Alaska you could probably try some.

It is and has been a part of the native eskimo's diet. I have eaten it too. I have eaten it during large family get togethers. I too am eskimo, and it is legal for substinence (sp) hunting. There is a big celebration in regards to the whale out of the North Slope area. It's actually very beautiful.

Do some reading on it before you flame me.

[Beaverhausen]

12. There is a big difference between hunting whales for sustinence

and what the Japanese do, which nearly did and could possibly render whales extinct.

No flames from me.

[LeftyMom]

Exactly.

The Japanese are increasing thier whaling while demand falls. They give the excess to school lunch programs, freeze it for long term storage and even make it into dog food because hardly anybody in Japan eats the stuff. It's seen as old fashioned and is associated with the deprivation of the post-war era.

[flvegan]

14. No flames, but why would

one want to "try some" seeing as how substinence isn't for pleasure, it's for survival, right?

Nothing to do with what these folks are trying. Greed isn't about survival.

[Rex]

15. Just another tasty mammal to murder for it's flesh and organs.

YUM! I just ate a huge piece of bovine shoulder, washed it down with red dye number six and a shitload of sugar water! Ate some deep fried starch and looking forward to a piece of Willy the Whale! Should I do dorsal fin or do they deep fry the blowhole?

[ladjf]

19. Basically, it's larceny, stealing the twenty years or older animal

right out of the ocean. They should have to pay a three million dollar restocking fee for each whale killed. And even that isn't such a great idea.

[Rex]

52. Murder is an illegal killing.

I'm not sure it pertains to just humans.

[shockra]

37. Fuckers.

This especially breaks my heart having read this.

SHAMEFUL JAPANESE NOT ALONE

Canberra Times
January 9, 2006 Monday

The killing of whales is a particularly distressing example of animal cruelty. Whales scream in terror as they are being massacred in a killing process that often lasts for several hours. Unlike humans, they are not blessed with a consciousness shut off valve that kicks in when they are subjected to extreme levels of pain. Their suffering continues as their flesh is repeatedly harpooned and ripped apart.

http://tinyurl.com/f5rul

[flvegan]

38. Mr. Bagaric (Deakin Law School)

Makes some good points. Thanks for posting, as I hadn't read this.

Abstract, here:
http://www.moraldilemma.observationdeck.org/?p=34

More on author, here:
http://www.deakin.edu.au/buslaw/law/staff/bagaric.php

[shockra]

40. Ah, you found a better link!

Yes, that's a great article.

[KamaAina]

39. Whale. The other white meat.

:puke: As if this weren't bad enough, the whaling ships kill dolphins as bycatch! :grr: :banghead:

[flvegan]

41. Not just the whaling ships

Bycatch isn't exclusive to whaling ships. Longliners, tuna boats, etc do the same. Dolphins, sea turtles...

[LeftyMom]

42. Sharks

That's how the Monterey Bay Aquarium got that juvenile White Shark they had, she was caught as tuna bycatch and somebody saved her.

[AussieDave]

49. Don't know whether you've seen this, but it was news here last week

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10376170

"Food companies withdraw support for Japanese whaling

05.04.06 1.00pm
By David McNeill and Michael McCarthy


TOKYO/LONDON - Japan's ruthless push for the return of commercial whaling received a significant setback yesterday when pressure from green campaigners forced five big food companies to pull out of supporting the Japanese whaling industry.

The five firms, led by Japanese seafood giant Nissui and its wholly-owned US frozen foods subsidiary Gortons, said they will divest their total one-third share in Japan's largest operator of whaling ships, Kyodo Senpaku. Nissui owns 50 per cent of shares in New Zealand food processing company Sealord."

(more at the link)


The Japanese "researchers" left the southern oceans last week with 853 minke and 10 fin whales - Greenpeace did what it could but couldn't completely shut down the slaughter.