Sea Shepherd/Whale Wars

[Mayhem]

So I did a couple of searches and this topic doesn't seem to have been covered yet.

The Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research says that they are allowed to harpoon 1000 whales a year to conduct "lethal research". The Sea Shepherd organization says that this is a violation of international law, inhumane and a bogus front designed to put whale meat in upscale Japanese restaurants.

http://www.icrwhale.org/eng-index.htm

http://www.seashepherd.org/

Having watched both seasons of Whale Wars and going through both the above websites front to back ..... I'm on the Sea Shepherds side. The Japanese whalers must be stopped and the (not so) extreme methods that Sea Shepherd uses seems to be the only way to make that happen. I, personally am very much a carnivore, not a tree-hugger and am pro-hunting. But enough is enough. The suffering and potential suffering of a complex and intelligent animal is all I need to consider. We don't even know that much about whales. It takes over 20 minutes for the whalers to kill a whale that they have harpooned, and since they are a socially advanced, intelligent animal, there is no way of knowing how their mates and offspring feel about watching mom, dad or the kid get whacked.

Anyway, discuss.

 

[itcouldbeme]

A pig is "complex and intelligent" as well....:eek:

MMMM.... Bacon.....:banger:

 

[~~whimsy~~]

So I did a couple of searches and this topic doesn't seem to have been covered yet.

The Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research says that they are allowed to harpoon 1000 whales a year to conduct "lethal research". The Sea Shepherd organization says that this is a violation of international law, inhumane and a bogus front designed to put whale meat in upscale Japanese restaurants.

http://www.icrwhale.org/eng-index.htm

http://www.seashepherd.org/

But enough is enough. The suffering and potential suffering of a complex and intelligent animal is all I need to consider. We don't even know that much about whales. It takes over 20 minutes for the whalers to kill a whale that they have harpooned, and since they are a socially advanced, intelligent animal, there is no way of knowing how their mates and offspring feel about watching mom, dad or the kid get whacked.

Anyway, discuss.

I think if these animals were so intelligent and socially advanced they would be traveling in pairs and if they see a Japanese harpoon ship they would come in groups and start attacking it, trying to destroy it. However they do not. They continue to swim around, eat and breed, just as they always have.

And if the children of these whales are so "traumatized" by watching their parents being killed for 20 minutes. Given their socially advanced status and all that, do you think there are whale therapists down there giving out reef(er) joints to calm them down and keep them collected? Maybe if they don't get the proper help to deal with this, since apparently, whale killing and the effects is so much different than it was since it began dating back at least 3,000 BC. Maybe these whales try to find a escape and shoot up a lot of squid ink or powder up a starfish and snort it. :dunno:

I guess in this new age of sensitivity towards whale sociology and all that, we should burn all the Moby Dick novels out there and any thing else out there that shows whales being mistreated.



Now, when it comes to hunting of anything, it should always be in moderation and should always have a count of the majority of the species. If hunted on illegal grounds severe punishment should be handed out. I am all for the preserving of nature and wildlife, however, animals have been hunted since the beginning. It's when we get out of hand and start killing them left and right is when we need to be put into check. And we all seem to forget that wildlife hunts wildlife; we aren't the only hunters out there, so moderation is definite key in all of this.

I personally don't know what the Japanese need 1,000 whales for. When we think about it, what do we need all the cows and pigs over here in North America for?

Whales is just the reality show hot topic. I love how people watch a show about capturing crabs and think nothing about it, but watch a show about whale hunters and all of a sudden everyone is a oceanographer expert and sensitive towards other forms of life!

Get off your damn high horses and don't let reality TV fool you! Just because reality shows and TV in general starts talking about any topic doesn't mean it just began a month ago!

 

[on]

Whale tastes like chewy chickeny-fish, It's not that nice!

 

[itcouldbeme]

Whale tastes like chewy chickeny-fish, It's not that nice!

Man the Japanese sure do like it...:dunno:

I have a buddy from Japan that gave me a hot dog/sausage thing made from whale... It was fishy tasting, but had some vinegar in it so it wasn't half bad...

I'd certainly eat another...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwNvIM2W9Aw

 

[Rey C.]

The reason I cheer for the Sea Shepherd crew is because this is yet another example of the Japanese government thumbing its nose at international law. If I were to go out and shoot a deer out of season and get caught, the state would seize my vehicle, my firearm, take me to jail and fine me - and I'd loose my hunting privileges for at least 5 years, if not life!!! But just as when they were dumping products in the U.S. (under cost) to gain market share, the Japanese have been allowed to gig other areas and laws without consequences.

Fuck 'em! It's just too bad that the Sea Shepherd crews aren't composed of Somali pirates with AK-47's, RPK's and RPG's! :violent: Might as well make a little money off of them while "saving the planet".

Now if we could just get some brave, idealistic types to start picking off ships leaving China with their cheap, pirated, knock-off shit. :thefinger And then, once they learn that free trade also means fair trade, the dogs get called off.

I'm really tired of seeing certain countries stay low on the radar when they abuse the system. But the U.S. gets called to the carpet for most anything we do. So why does Japan get a pass? The few times I've seen it, I've gotten a kick out of watching the show for that reason alone. I especially like it when they score a good hit with a stink bomb or that stuff that makes the deck of the whaler too slick to walk on! :rofl:

 

[Mayhem]

When we think about it, what do we need all the cows and pigs over here in North America for?

We need them to feed people with, and you know that. No one starves when whales aren't being hunted. And that's about the only part of your post that I can reply to because the rest was gibberish. Seriously dude, did you sit on a light socket or have you been sleep deprived for the last couple months?

Why is it that whenever intelligence is (attempted to be) discussed, someone equates it with violence. Perhaps whale's don't attack because it doesn't occur to them. Perhaps they are too intelligent to resort to violence.

As I so often need to do on these discussion boards, I will repeat myself. It takes over 20 minutes to kill these whales. They get harpooned and repeatedly shot, they thrash around in agony before slowly expiring. Please, please defend that (might as well pull that old Michel Vick jersey out of your closet and slip it on when you do). These are mammals with central nervous systems and pain receptors. So the simplistic argument that these are sea-going cows doesn't wash either. If someone was pulling this crap with any other species, they'd get locked up, the news report would be pasted on this board and we would all line up to denounce the pricks doing it. And as far as crabs or lobsters go, they're overgrown bugs. They don't feel pain, or despair, or loss. No one can say for a fact that whales don't, and neither can you.

I was against whale slaughter decades ago. Whale Wars did not provide me with my belief system (but thanx for just blindly assuming that it did. You know me so well). It did open my eyes to the fact that it is going on, it is against the laws of the U.N. and Australia and that it needs to be stopped.

 

[~~whimsy~~]

We need them to feed people with, and you know that. No one starves when whales aren't being hunted. And that's about the only part of your post that I can reply to because the rest was gibberish. Seriously dude, did you sit on a light socket or have you been sleep deprived for the last couple months?

Why is it that whenever intelligence is (attempted to be) discussed, someone equates it with violence. Perhaps whale's don't attack because it doesn't occur to them. Perhaps they are too intelligent to resort to violence.

As I so often need to do on these discussion boards, I will repeat myself. It takes over 20 minutes to kill these whales. They get harpooned and repeatedly shot, they thrash around in agony before slowly expiring. Please, please defend that (might as well pull that old Michel Vick jersey out of your closet and slip it on when you do). These are mammals with central nervous systems and pain receptors. So the simplistic argument that these are sea-going cows doesn't wash either. If someone was pulling this crap with any other species, they'd get locked up, the news report would be pasted on this board and we would all line up to denounce the pricks doing it. And as far as crabs or lobsters go, they're overgrown bugs. They don't feel pain, or despair, or loss. No one can say for a fact that whales don't, and neither can you.

I was against whale slaughter decades ago. Whale Wars did not provide me with my belief system (but thanx for just blindly assuming that it did. You know me so well). It did open my eyes to the fact that it is going on, it is against the laws of the U.N. and Australia and that it needs to be stopped.

You only quoted one little part of my post and then went off on a lengthy personal diatribe. Resorted to insults, a silly one at that, Michael Vick jersey? Made yourself seem smarter because you have to "repeat" yourself. Which only means you get upset and are only able to say the same thing over and over again and nothing new. As evident with your post concerning mine.

Why is it that whenever intelligence is (attempted to be) discussed, someone equates it with violence. Perhaps whale's don't attack because it doesn't occur to them. Perhaps they are too intelligent to resort to violence.

This is why they have been hunted for the past 5,000 years. As I said, that you obviously overlooked, moderation is key. Hunting any animal there needs to be moderation. Say it out loud: Moderation.

If someone was pulling this crap with any other species, they'd get locked up, the news report would be pasted on this board and we would all line up to denounce the pricks doing it. And as far as crabs or lobsters go, they're overgrown bugs. They don't feel pain, or despair, or loss. No one can say for a fact that whales don't, and neither can you.

I brought up those crab hunters/trappers on the Deadliest Catch. Where is your bleeding heart for the poor crabs? I wonder if the show went after those who catch crabs in a bad light, how many people would be wanting to save the crabs. And how many would say, I was for the saving of crabs for decades. Or any other seal life that is hunted for our food enjoyment and decorative habits.

And the thing is I wasn't even talking about you. I just quoted the main thread. Then you went off on a personal rant and you backed yourself in a corner by yourself for no reason. Sounds like you need to follow your avatar of "Don't Panic" :hatsoff:

 

[Mayhem]

Japanese Foreign Minister Confesses to Whale Poaching

In an interview with The Australian newspaper and Australian Broadcasting Corporation Foreign Minister Okada said, “We have a tradition here in Japan of eating whale meat.”

"I think food is an important element of culture and therefore there is a need to mutually respect and recognize each other's culture," he said.

"It might be that there is something Australians eat that the Japanese do not. Of course it would be a different story if those species were endangered species on the verge of extinction… But if not, I think the average Japanese would like to continue consuming whale meat into the future."

Not once did Mr. Okada attempt to justify Japanese whaling operations as “scientific research.” He has made it very clear that this is a commercial operation and the objective is to kill whales for consumption and for profit. He even denied that Fin and Humpback whales are endangered despite international recognition that they are classified as endangered.

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-091211-1.html

 

[Mayhem]

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=165320542&blogId=522562272Japanese Deploy LRAD Against Sea Shepherd helicopter

At 1730 Hours the Steve Irwin's helicopter flew back to film the Shonan Maru #2.

In Response the crew of the Shonan Maru #2 activated their Long Range Acoustical Decive (LRAD) in the direction of the Sea Shepherd helicopter.

"This was an extremely irresponsible thing to do," said Sea Shepherd helicopter pilot Chris Aultman (USA). "That device can cause nausea and disorientation and the use of it against an aircraft is both extremely dangerous and grossly irresponsible."

Cameraman Simon Houtman filming for Animal Planet's Whale Wars caught the deployment of the LRAD on camera and recorded the high decibel blast it emitted.

The Shonan Maru is now pursuing the Steve Irwin in thick ice in French territorial waters some 140 miles of the coast of Antarctica.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society requested permission to enter French waters. Permission was granted. The French base has confirmed that the Japanese did not request nor were they given permission to enter the French territorial waters.

"The situation is now very dangerous," said Captain Paul Watson. "We have deliberately led the Japanese into thick ice. It is our intention to lose them in this ice. The growlers could easily damage either vessel. We'll just hope that they're damaged before us. If so we will lose this tail and resume our search for the main body of the Japanese whaling fleet."

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=165320542&blogId=522566778

The situation is becoming a little more tense.

After our helicopter landed the Shonan Maru #2 sped up right onto our stern with water cannons blazing in an attempt to destroy our helicopter on the landing pad. This was happening as the helicopter crew were removing the blades to bring the helicopter back into the hangar.

I responded by ordering the deployment of a 150 meter line aft to force the Shonan Maru #2 to keep it's distance.

We had to increase speed to avoid the water cannons and this led to a very dangerous situation with the two ships moving around large chunks of ice. We saw the Shonan Maru #2 take a big hit but we can't confirm any damage.

We are undamaged.

We have reported the attack to the French authourities. They are taking this seriously I believe. The Japanese mounted an unprovoked attack on our helicopter twice in French territory, first with an LRAD device and then with water cannons with the intent to inflict material damage to our aircraft.

We are now 140 miles north of the French Research base of Dumont d'Urville.

The Japanese have not been given permission to be in French waters. Sea Shepherd has been given official permission to be in these waters.

Interfering with an unarmed aircraft while in flight. Over fatally cold water, no less. My, that’s a rather extreme tactic to resort to in the name of “scientific research”.
How would the critics have responded if the Sea Shepherds had tried a similar tactic to the Japanese spotter aircraft that is tailing them? I think we are seeing graphic examples of who the terrorists really are.

 

[whoremaker]

I love Whale Wars. Funniest show on television. Those clueless hippies and their retarded antics never cease to crack me up!

While I sympathize with their mission, and even agree to an extent, I am regularly baffled at their ignorance. Seafaring is a serious enterprise, not to be undertaken by unskilled landlubbers with no sea experience at all. Yet, that is exactly what the Sea Shepherds do, and it's a miracle that nobody has been killed. The South Park episode is pretty dead on in lampooning these idiots.

What I'd like to see is a skilled, trained and experienced crew of seamen take on the Japs and really fuck their shit up. That'd be awesome.

 

[~~whimsy~~]

I love that South Park episode! It was hilarious.