Japan Resuming Whaling In Defiance of International Law

[dainthomas]

Presumably Sea Shepherd will be chasing after them shortly.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/30/asia/japan-whaling-research/index.html

I've never understood their reasons for keeping this up, especially since they can hardly give the meat away. I give them a minute amount of credit for at least not going after Fin whales this time.

 

[glenn1]

Japan Resuming Whaling In Defiance of International Law

Presumably Sea Shepherd will be chasing after them shortly.

If that happens I hope both sides' ships sink.

 

[LevelSea]

Minke whale conservation status: Least Concern

Zero fucks given.

 

[Subyman]

I've heard whale tastes pretty good.

 

[Indus]

If you think the Japanese are alone with illegal fishing, you're so wrong.

Most of all the shrimp and lobster we eat in the US are illegally fished and shipped to the US from Thailand where the natives use slave labor on boats.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/11/asia/freedom-project-thailand-fishing-slave-ships/

What's a bigger problem? Some whales or actual human slavery in the 21st century?

 

[JSt0rm]

People shouldnt eat whales because of the concentrations of heavy metals.

 

[Gardener]

What's a bigger problem? Some whales or actual human slavery in the 21st century?

How does the horror of human slavery make whaling acceptable?

 

[waffleironhead]

I've heard whale tastes pretty good.

You have heard right. Tastes good.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

The Japanese have no concept of 'enlightened self interest.' The ONLY way to get them to stop whaling is to force them.

 

[UglyCasanova]

How does the horror of human slavery make whaling acceptable?

Agreed, there is definitely human tragedy in the seafood industry (NYT did some great special reporting on it not too long ago) but what does that have to do with the topic?


This is an ongoing pr black eye for Japan, lends them less credibility when they want to discuss international issues, and from what I hear the whale meat doesn't even taste all that good. Tradition is the reason that I've heard given for whaling still being around (oh and research).

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Minke whale conservation status: Least Concern

Zero fucks given.

That was going to be my first question... is this an endangered species by any means? Otherwise, why the fuck do we care? Why is the UN trying to police the world on what you should or should not hunt?

People in china eat dogs like it's chicken here in the states. I'm not saying I would go for it, I'm simply saying different cultures eat different things. It's like telling us we are no longer allowed to eat chicken. That's absurd.

That said, I still have no idea on the history of these whales, etc - so my opinion is based on a presumption that this isn't a species about to go extinct. Then it's obviously a different ball-game.

 

[master_shake_]

is this a real concern or a case of feels?

 

[glenn1]

People shouldnt eat whales because of the concentrations of heavy metals.

Why not? There's probably no one who will ever eat it often enough for heavy metal toxicity to be an issue; I've had whale along with puffin and reindeer pate. As others pointed out the species involved aren't endangered, you ought to try it sometime, I can recommend the place below from personal experience:
http://islenskibarinn.is/net/matur/

 

[bshole]

Why not? There's probably no one who will ever eat it often enough for heavy metal toxicity to be an issue; I've had whale along with puffin and reindeer pate. As others pointed out the species involved aren't endangered, you ought to try it sometime, I can recommend the place below from personal experience:
http://islenskibarinn.is/net/matur/

I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.....

 

[glenn1]

I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.....

I know what to get you for Christmas now:

http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/000398.php

 

[dainthomas]

That said, I still have no idea on the history of these whales, etc - so my opinion is based on a presumption that this isn't a species about to go extinct. Then it's obviously a different ball-game.

IIRC, some of the species they were "researching" in the past were endangered, which was a big part of the argument against them. Now the biggest argument is that it's against international law. And the fact that there's zero reason for it (as there's basically no market for it). The only logical reason is that they're just doing it to give the world the middle finger.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

IIRC, some of the species they were "researching" in the past were endangered, which was a big part of the argument against them. Now the biggest argument is that it's against international law. And the fact that there's zero reason for it (as there's basically no market for it). The only logical reason is that they're just doing it to give the world the middle finger.

Who says theres no market for it? Oh yeah, you, living no where fucking close to other countries and assuming they don't eat it.

If they killed these whales and brought them back all to be paid nothing, why would they waste their time, energy, fuel, and money to do?

(Hint: It's because there is a market for it, smart one).

 

[PottedMeat]

i'm kind of surprised japan hasn't made a robot whale. one that evades, maybe even hunts pursuing vessels. sounds like it could be fun :awe:

 

[KMFJD]

Who says theres no market for it? Oh yeah, you, living no where fucking close to other countries and assuming they don't eat it.

If they killed these whales and brought them back all to be paid nothing, why would they waste their time, energy, fuel, and money to do?

(Hint: It's because there is a market for it, smart one).

Seems like there really isn't much of a market for whale meat and the Japanese government had been subsidizing the whaling industry up to $23 million a year, those subsidies end next year.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/j...ling-industry-as-meat-sales-decline-1.2588526

The amount of whale meat stockpiled for lack of buyers has nearly doubled over 10 years, even as anti-whaling protests helped drive catches to record lows. More than 2,300 minke whales worth of meat is sitting in freezers while whalers still plan to catch another 1,300 whales per year.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...-of-japans-whale-eating-culture/#.Vl8cfnarSWg

' “Even though prices are falling, whale meat sales remain weak, as people consume less than 30 grams on average,” she said. '

Whale bacon?

'Once a cheaper substitute for beef, it's now about the same price. Whale bacon is sold as a delicacy, priced about $90 per pound, several times the cost of regular bacon.'


I find it interesting that culling over 300 minke whales is scientific research? are they using Nanking style research methods? I'm not against people eating whale if they really want to, other than Norway/Iceland and Japan is it really eaten anywhere else?