Whale Wars / Sea Shepherd on Animal Planet

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: Czar
Should we use the same reasoning for wanting to ban whale hunting and apply it to other species as well?

Lets ban all fishing because some sub species of fushes are endangered.
Lets ban all hunting of birds because some bird species are endangered.
so on and so on

Hell, at this point I'd be OK with them stopping hunting just the endangered species. But since they aren't even doing that, I'm not sure what you're point is...

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Whale Meat tastes good.

I wonder what these people would think about killing and eating an "ugly" animal to extinction. All of these groups focus on the majestic and "pretty" animals mostly. Its not always just about preserving life.

 

[ZzZGuy]

If it's the same guy I'm thinking of, his last greeting was local fishermen cutting his lines with axes as he tried to dock. Several sealers had drowned and he expressed how happy he was about it on TV, then proceeded to try and dock at the wharf of the town where these sealers had lived.

 

[Fear No Evil]

Originally posted by: Martin
I wish there was a way to farm whales. I mean, if you like steak, you can't tell me you wouldn't want to sink your teeth into these: http://www.highnorth.no/bilder/meat.jpg

Is that really whale meat? If so, where do I sign up to work on these Japanese boats? That looks delicious!

 

[SneakyStuff]

Whale Wars "Flashbang Grenade Attack"

Well they sure changed the world there!

 

[Number1]

I watched a couple of episodes. The look like a bunch of amateurs. The will get people killed eventually.

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
Whale Meat tastes good.

I wonder what these people would think about killing and eating an "ugly" animal to extinction. All of these groups focus on the majestic and "pretty" animals mostly. Its not always just about preserving life.

While I agree that focusing on an animal just because it's "majestic" is kind of silly (not to mention shallow), the fact that many of these protesters are doing it for the wrong reason doesn't make them wrong. Extinction is a BIG concern, there are plenty of delicious non-endangered animals out there to eat. The reason whales are hunted basically comes down to tradition, which isn't a good enough reason to drive an animal to extinction if you ask me.

 

[alien42]

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
Whale Meat tastes good.

I wonder what these people would think about killing and eating an "ugly" animal to extinction. All of these groups focus on the majestic and "pretty" animals mostly. Its not always just about preserving life.

wtf, you call this pretty? Orca's are beautiful but that is not what you nutjobs are hunting.

 

[StageLeft]

haha paul watson got owned. THey need to learn that if you want to play with the big dogs you're going to get bitten. For right or wrong, they get very close to these ships, have hit them before, and are throwing things at their deck; essentially assaulting them. One mustn't be surprised if the ships defend themselves, in this case with flash bangs and probably a shot although the sea sheperd lied about the kidnapping, so they could easily ahve lied about this, plus is Paul watson really in the habit of wearing a kevlar vest? Sounds like another silly PR stunt.

 

[marincounty]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
haha paul watson got owned. THey need to learn that if you want to play with the big dogs you're going to get bitten. For right or wrong, they get very close to these ships, have hit them before, and are throwing things at their deck; essentially assaulting them. One mustn't be surprised if the ships defend themselves, in this case with flash bangs and probably a shot although the sea sheperd lied about the kidnapping, so they could easily ahve lied about this, plus is Paul watson really in the habit of wearing a kevlar vest? Sounds like another silly PR stunt.

Yeah, they need a big ship so they can ram the whalers.
Don't you have another baby seal to club?

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: marincounty

Originally posted by: Skoorb
haha paul watson got owned. THey need to learn that if you want to play with the big dogs you're going to get bitten. For right or wrong, they get very close to these ships, have hit them before, and are throwing things at their deck; essentially assaulting them. One mustn't be surprised if the ships defend themselves, in this case with flash bangs and probably a shot although the sea sheperd lied about the kidnapping, so they could easily ahve lied about this, plus is Paul watson really in the habit of wearing a kevlar vest? Sounds like another silly PR stunt.

Yeah, they need a big ship so they can ram the whalers.
Don't you have another baby seal to club?

I stopped clubbing seals after I got sick of the taste of their meat; it really is a high-fat gamy kind of a nasty taste. It is good in pig feed, though, and when I was farming in Newfoundland for a few years we used to go through a couple hundred of those a season. They really are like damned ants on the ice, just thousands upon thousands of them and so easy to find. After a while you just stop even seeing them as real creatures because they barely even try and get away.

 

[LumbergTech]

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
Whale Meat tastes good.

I wonder what these people would think about killing and eating an "ugly" animal to extinction. All of these groups focus on the majestic and "pretty" animals mostly. Its not always just about preserving life.

a lot of it has to do with intelligence and behavior patterns as well

the more people identify with something, the harder it is for them to eat

 

[Hajpoj]

Originally posted by: marincounty

Originally posted by: synapsetx

Originally posted by: BoomerD
I agree that the captain seems less concerned about the lives of his crew than of his...reputation?...legacy?...personal fame?.

I think you hit it - I think he wants be a martyr for the cause. Provoke a lethal level of reaction, and die for "the cause".

They have already had martyrs.

Text

Commander of 1985 French Bombing of Greenpeace Ship Living Freely in Virginia?as U.S.-Paid Arms Dealer
Twenty two years ago a group of French government agents blew up a ship known as the Rainbow Warrior off the coast of New Zealand. On board were activists from the group Greenpeace who were protesting French nuclear testing in the Pacific. One member of Greenpeace died in the blast. Thirteen French agents were identified as being directly involved in the bombing but only two were ever convicted. Now it has been revealed that the commander of the unit is living freely in McLean, Virginia. Louis-Pierre Dillais is president of an arms manufacturer with several government contracts. Greenpeace has urged the Department of Homeland Security to deport Dillais became of his direct ties to an act of state terrorism. But the Bush administration has not moved on the request

Really?

Sombody pick up your phone and order a hit! He's not innocent, and could kill again. If anyone here has that power, you'd be performing a service to humanity.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: LumbergTech

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
Whale Meat tastes good.

I wonder what these people would think about killing and eating an "ugly" animal to extinction. All of these groups focus on the majestic and "pretty" animals mostly. Its not always just about preserving life.

a lot of it has to do with intelligence and behavior patterns as well

the more people identify with something, the harder it is for them to eat

If these people identify with multi thousand pound behemoths that swim around sub-freezing waters, maybe they need a shrink!

 

[robphelan]

i've seen the first 4 episodes - I'm scared that the crew members are very inexperienced, very idealistic, and don't see the seriousness of what they're doing.

They laugh and joke like it's all a game.

 

[TomK@y]

Well, I believe someone has to stand up to the Japanese whaling BS. they say it's to research whale's migration, and how they effect the ecosystem ect. But it's all big time BS. They kill over 1000 whales each year, (yes each year, not over all) WTF kinda bs is that? How many do you have to kill, to learn basically nothing? And if you ever been to japan, they serve whale meet at their restaurants. It was very strange, but I thought, whatever, different culture, different foods. But now that I've seen this show it ties in all together. I'm sick of mankind unbalancing the ecosystem. It's like the giant commercial fishing nets. Let's just hunt everything to extinction. Unbalance the S#*T out of this planet.

 

[Throckmorton]

If these people identify with multi thousand pound behemoths that swim around sub-freezing waters, maybe they need a shrink!

Whales are self aware and as intelligent as the more advanced primates. Hunting whales is like hunting chimpanzees.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Well, I believe someone has to stand up to the Japanese whaling BS. they say it's to research whale's migration, and how they effect the ecosystem ect. But it's all big time BS. They kill over 1000 whales each year, (yes each year, not over all) WTF kinda bs is that? How many do you have to kill, to learn basically nothing? And if you ever been to japan, they serve whale meet at their restaurants. It was very strange, but I thought, whatever, different culture, different foods. But now that I've seen this show it ties in all together. I'm sick of mankind unbalancing the ecosystem. It's like the giant commercial fishing nets. Let's just hunt everything to extinction. Unbalance the S#*T out of this planet.

They do not kill 1000 whales each year, you have your facts off.

 

[glenn1]

They're pirates (even fly the Jolly Roger for crying out loud), and the Japanese would be perfectly within their rights to shoot them on sight. I'm surprised the Japanese haven't taken a page from the Israeli playbook and simply destroyed their ships while in port.

 

[Capt Caveman]

They're pirates (even fly the Jolly Roger for crying out loud), and the Japanese would be perfectly within their rights to shoot them on sight. I'm surprised the Japanese haven't taken a page from the Israeli playbook and simply destroyed their ships while in port.

You mean go into Australian seaports?

Good to see the Sea Shepherds make a bigger impact every year. Last year, they forced the Japanese to capture less than 50% of their quota. Every year, the show generates even more publicity and donations for the Sea Shepherd leading to additional ships, replacement helicopters. Hopefully, one day, they'll be able to stop the Japanese from killing a single whale.

And I hope the other protesters are also able to stop the killing of dolphins. Both hunts performed out of tradition and not demand or need.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

You mean go into Australian seaports?

Good to see the Sea Shepherds make a bigger impact every year. Last year, they forced the Japanese to capture less than 50% of their quota. Every year, the show generates even more publicity and donations for the Sea Shepherd leading to additional ships, replacement helicopters. Hopefully, one day, they'll be able to stop the Japanese from killing a single whale.

And I hope the other protesters are also able to stop the killing of dolphins. Both hunts performed out of tradition and not demand or need.

As I said in the other thread going, whale meat is on the decline in popularity according to reports. So its possible whaling might stop on its own. Time will tell of course.

 

[Doppel]

Does seems like the sea shepard is making a positive difference, though. I still maintain that they are more or less amateurs who only by the grace of God haven't killed themselves through sheer incompetence and blissful stupidity, but it is nonetheless entertaining TV.

The Japanese sure do seem to be skirting the law. I can't really believe a whale is as smart as a primate, though. If so, I just lost respect for primates.

 

[Jimmah]

Yeah, they need a big ship so they can ram the whalers.

I don't get it, these people have some serious convictions and will do anything to stop these whalers..... why not just use a few speed boats and surplus rpg's? Sink a few, make em scared, Japanese Navy comes out to protect, move on to the processing plants. Seriously, if they want to do a job right going about it this way is just going to cost more expensive ships instead and not produce any results.

It's akin to what problems Canada has with the Spanish illegally fishing on the East cost. You have trespassers/people doing illegal things/some other reason, you kill them, done and done no more problems.

 

[Doppel]

I don't get it, these people have some serious convictions and will do anything to stop these whalers..... why not just use a few speed boats and surplus rpg's? Sink a few, make em scared, Japanese Navy comes out to protect, move on to the processing plants. Seriously, if they want to do a job right going about it this way is just going to cost more expensive ships instead and not produce any results.

It's akin to what problems Canada has with the Spanish illegally fishing on the East cost. You have trespassers/people doing illegal things/some other reason, you kill them, done and done no more problems.

I assume that they aren't using RPGs and speed boats because they don't want to spend the rest of their lives in prison. I do wonder if one of them some day will sink a japanese ship while it's at port, though. I think there is precedent with the captain having done that in iceland or something in the past anyway.

I don't know why at the very least one of them cannot somehow sneak onto a whaling ship during off season and put a transmitter on it, at the very least.

Would be too sweet if the sea shepards got a surplus naval frigate from somewhere and gunned around the antarctic in that. Just for intimidation effect

 

[makken]

Im all for the environment and whatnot, but groups like greenpeace do more harm than good imo.

As for whaling, I have no issue with it as long as they're not hunting endangered species and doing it in a sustainable manner. Its no different than hunting deer in my mind if those two conditions are met. I dont know how people can denounce whaling while happily slaugthering millions of cattle for beef every year.