Comments

Posts

Could Japanese Whalers Kill Migaloo the Albino Humpback Whale?

Apparently anti-whaling activists are focusing their latest condemnations of the Japanese whaling fleet on the fact that one special whale could be killed:

Japanese whalers have refused to say if they will target white humpback whales such as Migaloo, which annually travels along the east coast of Australia, in their research slaughter this summer.

As the Japanese whaling fleet prepares to leave port and head for the Antarctic, the Japan Fisheries Agency has given a firm “no comment” to questions about white whales.

Japan, which uses a loophole in International Whaling Commission (IWC) laws to hunt almost 1,000 whales each year in the southern hemisphere, allegedly for scientific research, will target humpbacks for the first time this summer.

The ships have been given a quota of 50 humpbacks along with 50 fin whales and hundreds of the smaller minke whales this year.

Migaloo, whose Aboriginal name means White Fella, is believed to be the only completely white humpback whale in the world and is often spotted among the humpbacks which form the basis of Australia’s whale-watching industry.

In addition to referring to Japan’s whaling program as “research slaughter,” the Australian Associated Press mentions the ongoing struggle of anti-whaling groups such as Sea Shepherd, who threaten to ram Japanese ships in the name of protecting whales. While the Japan Fisheries Agency considers Sea Shepherd members to be eco-terrorists, Sea Shepherd sea captain Paul Watson believes that the law is on his side (some experts believe Watson and his crew could be considered a pirates under international law).

Do you support the use of violence to prevent whaling?

21 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - November 12, 2007 at 3:09 pm

Categories: Japanese Food Tags: japan, whaling

Chris

Never scene a white humpback before, thats pretty cool

http://www.japanprobe.com James

The article mentions it may be the only albino humpback in the world. Under such circumstances, even those who support limited whaling would probably agree that such a unique specimen should be left alone. (There is the temptation of wanting to know if the white ones taste better, though)

The Overthinker

I support their legal right to do this under the IWC (which was never designed to stop all whaling) so try not to let emotionalism get in the way, but I would hope that they do realise that leaving this white whale alive would be better for their image than playing up the Ahab thing to the point of irony.

http://www.neilduckett.com Neil Duckett

What an awesome looking whale that is …. seems hard to imagine they could and would kill such an amazing mammal.
majiimeaussie

I imagine it is very important research to find out if an albino whale tastes any better than a normal whale.

-sarcasm-
Joseph K

Hmmm… while I’d answer ‘no’ to your question, seems to me that if Japan, Norway, etc. are going to continue hunting whales in the wild, then they’re probably just going to have to accept the risks involved. I highly doubt any kind of legal action is ever going to stop die-hard conservationists.

http://hiddenblog1.blogspot.com/ The Unseen One

As would the conservationists who attacked said whalers.

shazzb0t

Exactly. This kind of radical action against other humans to defend animals is pretty hypocritical. I don’t know if Japan should be killing any animals that are considered vulnerable (though they are making a comeback after years of insane killing). Apparently, they are going after 50 this year, though there are only 2,000 left in the area they fish to hunt at.

As far as I am concerned hunting whales should not be outlawed when it comes to non-vulnerable species.

Chris

People are more important than whales (and animals in general). If the Japanese whalers need to defend themselves with force then they should go ahead and do that. Sea Shepherd is made up of nothing but people with mental illness. Somehow they value animal life above human life.

I don’t see what the big deal is about killing whales. Is it because they might go extinct? Just give it some time and something new will evolve. Hakuna matata!

Jokela

What a stupid way to think. I don’t care about whales one way or the other, but I think I would rather live in a world with harmless whales than savage humans. After all, a whale has never threatened the world with nuclear holocaust, guns, war or what not.

Humanity is overrated.

The Overthinker

YET. You mean “yet,” right? Just wait until terrorists start supplying dirty bombs to the humpbacks. All Japan is doing is carrying out a pre-emptive strike. But since they learnt never to get involved in a land war in Asia, they’re doing it on the sea.
shazzb0t

‘Humanity is overrated.’ Thats funny, the kid who just killed some people in Finland had a shirt on that said the same thing. How about you do yourself and all of us a favor my snuffing your own life out before your twisted self-hatred costs someone their loved ones?

Susan

No one who condones animal abuse is loved.
So, no harm in first taking out all the pedophiles, rapists, murders, politicians, gun totings assholes and meat eaters. That will take care of 2/3 and that would be great!

Susan

That is because people like you exist. You believe it is allright to put hate, abuse and torture above compassion and intelligence.

Personally, I think the world would be better off with 2/3 humans killed off. Starting with all criminals and meat eaters.

http://hiddenblog1.blogspot.com/ The Unseen One

You know, I have to say I’m a bit stunned at how many people support the use of violence to prevent whaling, considering the way it is currently done being legal.

shazzb0t

Seriously, some people are simply stupid.

http://hiddenblog1.blogspot.com/ The Unseen One

Well… stupid is a pretty strong word. I’m sure there are some extremely otherwise intelligent people who voted yes. More of “misguided”, in my opinion.

boogie

Can’t they just say that they will leave Migaloo alone? That would get pressure off their back won’t they.
Brian

Let’s take a step back from the ludicrous emotions here and note the important thing here — whale meat contains a HUGE dosage of mercury (and shark fin, to note). I don’t care if like whale meat, if you used to eat whale meat as a child, or if whale meat is part of your culture, it should not be eaten. Now, if you want to continue eating it, be my guest, so long as you’re not killing the endangered whales (why are so many people protesting not just the killing of endangered whales, but the killing of non-endangered whales?). Nevertheless, asbestos makes a ~great~ insulator, but we don’t use it anymore because it is dangerous. Why should, therefore, we continue to eat dangerous whale meat?

Susan

Excellent point for those who eat meat. It just isn’t healthy anymore.
Cows that are fed and milked healthy live 25+ years. Anyone woman who has breast fed knows you stop makin milk if you just pump. The milk industry is led by men who are morons. The cows don’t get proper food and are over milked and develop severe osteoporosis by 3 years of age and are useless by 4-5 years of age. There is not nutrition in milk from these cows and they are pumped full of drugs.
Same is for all mammal milk and meat. Birds are not even considered alive, so are even worse off. The meat doesn’t even have the real color from all the plumping with steroids.

Insane to eat any of this. And where do you think cows, goats and sheep get the calcium for their calcium rich milk? They don’t eat meat or drink milk. Vegetarians and their children are the healthiest. Meat eaters and vegans are not.

Michaelia

Humans in genaral are sickening creatures, we thrive on the suffarage of others. Plants and animals should be let alone in peace, and we humans should leave them alone. Let them evolve without us pushing our theories on them and bending to their will. We should embrace the fact that animals and plants are on this earth, if we must eat them to survive then treat them with respect. Conservate the beauty of the world that was created for all animals. Humans are mammals, whcich makes us animals too, just more evolved. We created war, we created wepons, we created famine, we created global warming, we created the disasters that befalled us over these years. All the lives of the blood that spilled over the palms of our hands. We are truly disgusting creatures….

Could Japanese Whalers Kill Migaloo the Albino Humpback Whale?

Recent Comments

Further Reading

South Korean Government Demands That International Hydrographic Organization Use “East Sea”

Japanese Documentary About Sea Shepherd’s Protest Activities in Taiji (English Subtitles)

Babies Born on March 11th Receive Special Present

Washington Times Freelancer Slams Former Employer, Fails to Ethically Disclose Relationship?

Christopher Johnson Attempts to Silence Criticism of His “Gaijin Gulag” Article (Legal Threats!!!)

Tabloid Reports About Yu Darvish’s Love Life: Kirara Asuka & Miho Koga?

Does K-Pop Group KARA Have Ties to North Korea?

Tokyo Gate Bridge

Sara Errani Admits She Avoided Tennis Tournament in Tokyo: Feared Radiation

Chinese Workers Who Survived March 11th Tsunami Return to Tohoku

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Japan Blogs

Korea Blogs

Linkroll

Other Asia Blogs