Money Well Spent?

[waruikazi]

There is nothing wrong with sustainable use of anything in the environment.

I haven't researched this but i have a very strong hunch that i am right.

The environmental impacts that whaling (hunting a wild animal in it's natural environment) has on the globe are probably far better for our planet than wild scale farming is.

Let's just think about this for a minute, just green house gases and we'll forget habitat destruction for a while. An adult minke weighs about 15 tonne, a cow weighs maybe 1 if it is a giant. A whale is a carnivore, which means the greenhouse gases it produces are negligeable. But a cow, at a conservative estimate, produces upward of 70 tonnes a year! And that's methane, which is about 70 times stronger in it's influence on climate change than carbon dioxide. That is all before we look at transporting the meat.

If you're a real greeny you should be throwing the whale steaks down!

Save the environment, eat a whale!

 

[HonestPirate]

To play devil's advocate for a minute here are a couple of points to maybe consider:
- I don't think they believe what they are doing is any more wrong than commercial fishing.
- Minkes are actually less endangered than Bluefin Tuna which Westerners are still happily eating.
- My understanding is that whaling contributes reasonably strongly to their economy.
- It's incredibly difficult to get an entire country (especially Japan) to change their culture.

We are mates Sax, and I know your intentions are noble here; but I don't know if we can just write off whaling as just a "cultural" thing. I am sure they fail to see why we are so disgusted when we plunder the rest of the planet not only for food but for the elements that make big money. We are all as humans definitely a hypocritical bunch- the Western world more than any; but we have to remember that culture as it pertains to any country/race is constantly subject to refinement, fashion and inevitably change.

What was once the norm in Asia; shark-finning, whaling, exotic meat eating; is no longer acceptable to the majority of the world; and the idea of not eating whale or shark etc shouldn't be seen to be exclusive to the Western world. Plenty of cultural norms are now passe; for instance remember the jokes as kids we used to tell about chokito bars etc....or how about eeni meeni miney mo..... what I guess Im saying is that as the world has focused more on political correctness, many a cultural norm has been changed to appease the majority with little effect on identity or economy. I don't think it's too extreme to expect Japan to halt whaling, or at the very least restrict it to their own seas so that the population is able to flourish elsewhere, leading to higher numbers which, daresay could sustain ritual culling....

 

[PilbaraPythons]

Whats the joke about the chokito bars Pirate, I haven't heard it. Now do tell, uncle Pilbara loves a sick joke

 

[HonestPirate]

Nope. Although being from WA you would probably enjoy it ya sick miscreant !!!!

ps- Uncle Pilbara"... sounds like a wise old elder t'be sure t'be sure

 

[Ricochet]

Just for the record I'm against whaling and have been on many a cruise to watch and enjoy these magnificent creatures.

There are many practices in the world that are still undesirable to the many varying beliefs and cultures throughout the world. As "european" aussies we get bent out of shape when someone tries to push their different beliefs on us such as - no Pork in school sangas - so we don't upset the Muslims. The japs probably feel the same way about the rest of the world trying to dictate their beliefs.

But in saying this, we Aussies claim Australia and Antarctic waters (Southern Ocean) as our own, yet we do not defend it. Why are we letting the Japanese hunt in our waters and not send the Navy down to sieze their whaling vessels. It should be seen that they are invading our territory if we firmly believe that these are our waters even if they don't acknowledge it.. I'm sure there would be political and economical backlash, but who really needs who in the overall scheme. We want Jap products, but without the resources we sell to them they couldn't make half of them. They also need our market. We "Aussies" have rolled over and taken it. Our ancestors who fought for our way of life would be rolling in their graves if they knew we were such a bunch of soft ons.

I think we should send them an SOS signal - Sink On Sight

 

[cement]

The samurai does not change his mind. He makes a decision and lives by it, this is his way. This was told to a friend of mine by a very strong and influential Japanese martial artist, who is alive to this day. He himself was highly respected worldwide for his accomplishments as a full contact karate fighter, then he made a decision that lead him down a path that lost him a lot of respect. Because he was samurai, he now could not apologize nor turn around and accept his mistake, he had to keep living it and push on, even though he knows he is wrong and the further he goes the worse it gets.

My friend who is also highly respected fighter and teacher both in Japan and Australia, said it made him feel uncomfortable to hear his former friend say what he said. He asked him "so if you are driving down the road and turn left instead of right, you just keep going?". In Australia, we can just turn around, make our apologies for wasting our passengers time and go the right way.

But that is cultural difference. I have many good Japanese friends, and love aspects of their history and culture, but It is their own stupid pride that keeps the whalers on this path of destruction, regardless of the fact that the meat is not even real food.

If man was supposed to eat whale he would live in the ocean.

 

[Monitor_Keeper]

-.-

 

[moosenoose]

It's not the tuna I like, it's the side-serve of dolphin

 

[user 23122]

Japanese may be alot of things but they certainly not stupid they are an old culture who have utilised the ocean for centuries for their primary source of protein they are not fortunate like us where we have ample space to farm our own red meat in fairly large quantities making it readily available. Considering the age of our country and our extinction rates we shouldnt be pointing the finger at anybody. For the record I hate whalers and I love whales

Disgusted to think in this day and age that the Japanese still don't get that these beautiful animals are one of the most endangered species on earth. Are they seriously that stupid and nieve? Don't they watch wildlife documentaries over there on whales? They are the most majestic, loving animals that are so vulnerable to attack because of their astounding size and the innocent curiosity shown towards humans.

Obviously they still haven't learnt what Karma is... perhaps another tsunami is in order, but this time a direct hit on the whaling fleet!

 

[longqi]

The post about Tuna being exterminated was a very valid one
Atlantic Blues are very nearly beyond saving
Pacific Northern Blue and Southern Blue will reach critical status in less than 5 years
The tonnage would be a lot more than 900 minke whales would even come close to

Nearly every tuna from South Australia is the end result of of huge slaughter
Planes track entire schools of baby blues
Fast purse seiners catch the entire school
25% survive to be fattened up
The 75% are used as feed and cat food
So 100% of a genetic strain is removed forever to grow 25% that is then killed after fattening
Advances have been made with breeding
But still not a viable proposition

I ran a long liner out of Milne Bay for 18 months
Just my boat would meet a factory ship in Sundes Straight every 14 days and drop a minimum of 20 tonne
Netting tuna using dolphin free nets etc is a joke as 99% of the tuna are damaged and only suitable for canning

Only possible sustainable tuna fishery is deep set Long Lining

Yet we pride ourselves on our wonderful tuna fishing/farming, which is a very new industry, and condemn Japan for carrying on ancient traditions. albeit with modern methods

After seeing the huge increases of whales in Australian cosmopolitan areas over the last 20 years; I very much doubt that most species could be classified as 'most endangered on Earth'
Anti whaling is a huge industry that generates many many many millions of dollars
Where does it all go?
Sea Shepard most definitely doesnt get it yet they are the guys in the van guard???

Walk up to anyone and ask for money for whales, apes or tigers and elephants and chances are they will donate
Ask for money to save snakes and see how you go

I dont support whaling by any means
But we shouldnt really be throwing stones

 

[Elite_Reptiles]

Yes, and the money you donate longqi to save the whales or in this case... 'save the japanese people after being hit by a devastating tsunami' goes were?... Straight to the whaling fleet of course!

 

[waruikazi]

Pretty sure Japanese whaling is still an industry that would need support to get going again. These are real people's livelihoods that were belted by the tsunami and earthquake, they have just as much right to the money donated as anyone else.

Yes, and the money you donate longqi to save the whales or in this case... 'save the japanese people after being hit by a devastating tsunami' goes were?... Straight to the whaling fleet of course!