Fedral
I might just be in that! The Japanese are saying that the Australians & other anti-whaling countries are being "imperialistic" in their attitudes towards Japan's plans. The Commission is not going too well for the whales.
I can't, for the life of me, comprehend an "industry" based on killing whales. How can we all see things so differently?
Japan closes on whaling victory
By Andrew Darby
Ulsan, South Korea
June 20, 2005/the AGE
Australia is taken by surprise as more countries back Japan's position on whaling.
Japan has furthered its ambition of resuming commercial whaling after winning the crucial votes of a number of member countries on the International Whaling Commission.... <cont>
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/japan-closes-on-whaling-victory/2005/06/19/1119119727614.html?oneclick=true
Japan to more than double 'research' whale hunts
June 20, 2005 - 11:15AM/SMH
Japan said today it would more than double its catch of minke whales and extend its hunt to whales considered endangered, defying international pressure to give up its "research" whaling.
Japan plans to catch about 850 minkes annually in the Antarctic Ocean starting with a voyage in late 2005, said its research plan submitted to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) at the opening of an annual meeting in the South Korean port of Ulsan.
The quota system lets a country go 10 per cent above or below the round figure, meaning Japan could go up to 935 minke whales.
Japan now has a guideline of 400 whales a year and most years kills the top limit of 440.
AFP
The Japanese are environmental terrorists.
Japan's commercial whaling bid rejected
By Ulsan, South Korea
June 22, 2005/the AGE
The International Whaling Commission has rejected a bid by Japan to push through a document aimed at eventually resuming commercial whaling, with anti-whaling nations labelling it "an insult".
The measure, which would have required a three quarters majority, was voted down by 29 votes to 23, failing even to secure a simple majority of the 66-member bloc.... <cont>
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/japans-commercial-whaling-bid-rejected/2005/06/21/1119321730608.html?oneclick=true
Two humpback whales breach as they move out of Sydney Harbour on Sunday.
Photo: AFP
Let's make a deal.
For each whale killed, we kill one Japanese politician....for scientific purposes..to see if they have a functioning BRAIN!!!
woiyo
<sigh>
The Australians (along with many others) & the Japanese are on different planets on this issue. There are so many more battles to come after this one & the International Whaling Commission is obviously a corruptible & imperfect organization to properly protect these precious creatures. A short reprieve is all that's been gained. So there'll be another battle before too long. Surely we can do better than this? <sigh>
Japan vows to step up whale kill program
By Andrew Darby and Agencies
June 22, 2005 - 5:54PM
Japan has vowed to go ahead with plans to increase its research whaling program and extend it to two threatened species, despite condemnation by the International Whaling Commission.
Australia and other anti-whaling nations won by 30 votes to 27 a resolution condemning Japan's Antarctic "research whaling" program and asking it to withdraw the plan.... <cont>
http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/japan-vows-to-step-up-whale-kill-program/2005/06/22/1119321785586.html?oneclick=true
Last Update: Wednesday, June 22, 2005. 8:28pm (AEST)
Japan has suffered another setback at the IWC meeting. (ABC TV)
Japan loses bid to scrap Antarctic whale sanctuary
Japan has lost a bid at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to do away with a decade-old whale sanctuary in the Antarctic that it said was no longer ecologically justified.
The IWC rejected Japan's proposal by 25 votes to 30, failing to give the pro-whaling bloc even a simple majority.... <cont>
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1398374.htm
There is absooltely NO REASON, scientific or otherwise, to kill a whale. NONE...ZERO...
I can barley accept the rights of Alaskan Natives hunting a few for food, etc... BUT THAT"S IT!!
woiyo
Obviously I agree with you.
But there must be some better way to protect whales than the International Whaling Commission! Sure, the right decision was made this time ... but what about the next time, or the time after that? It is such a corruptible process!
You won't like my idea but here it is.
All Nations, or maybe via the UN, pass a resolution/international law, protecting all species of Whales from hunting with the rearest of exclusions such as Alaskan Natives for example. I would expect the Navy's of each member Nation to sink any ship in the act of Whale hunting and if caught with a dead Whale, all crew members of that ship will be arrested for life.
Realistic? Probably not, but that is how I feel about this matter.
Apart from also noting that the people of the Faroe Islands ought also to be excepted, and allowed their traditional hunt--i almost agree. I can't accept sinking ships at sea without a much better reason. I can accept stopping them, seizing them, and upon conviction in an admiralty court, condemning them as prizes, and auctioning them off, the proceeds to be divided among the capturing crew. Piracy is still with us; but when nations have decided to end piracy in a particular area, that method has always worked, because of the incentive.
Setanta wrote:Apart from also noting that the people of the Faroe Islands ought also to be excepted, and allowed their traditional hunt--i almost agree. I can't accept sinking ships at sea without a much better reason. I can accept stopping them, seizing them, and upon conviction in an admiralty court, condemning them as prizes, and auctioning them off, the proceeds to be divided among the capturing crew. Piracy is still with us; but when nations have decided to end piracy in a particular area, that method has always worked, because of the incentive.
Sounds more realistic, but where is the penalty to the crew/captain??
The only solution I can see is to fine the companies profiting from whale slaughter to the skies! Whaling is all about making money, of course, so make it unprofitable! But (obviously) to do this, we need an international body with integrity & real authority to make & enforce the law in this area. A long, long way off, I fear.
I've scanned most of these posts and did not see exactly what the scientific reasearch is. Does anyone know exactly what the Japanese will be researching from dead whales?? What is ti exactly that we absolutely need to know that we must kill them to find out?
