Did you know that a Japanese whaling fleet departed the port of Shimonoseki on Sunday, heading toward the waters off Antarctica to hunt humpback whales? These whales, once nearly extinct and listed as an endangered species, are now listed as “vulnerable” by the World Conservation Union. Their worldwide population is estimated in the range of 30,000 to 40,000. This hunt would be the first since the 1960s, when a 1963 moratorium put the whales under protection.
photograph by Giles Shaxted; licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain license
Japan aims to take 50 humpbacks as well as up to 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales in a scientific expedition in order to study reproductive and feeding patterns. Once killed, meat from the whales will be sold on the commercial market in accordance with International Whaling Commission requirements.
Critics state that there are research methods that do not require killing and allege that this is a commercial whaling expedition disguised as a scientific venture. The U.S. Department of State recognized Japan’s legal rights but also asked Japan to refrain from the hunt. Greenpeace plans to shadow the fleet to try to reduce their catch. The conservation organization recently announced a satellite-based tracking system to monitor the whales as an alternative to killing them.
What do you think? Is this a scientific expedition or just a commercial venture? Is this just an example of cultural misunderstanding, or truly a conservation issue? How can we know that a scientific study is really what it claims to be? Read about, think about it, talk about it — we’d love to hear from you!
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From what I have seen the Japanese do not respect animals, I once saw footage of SHarks being dragged out of the water by Japanese fisherman, have the fins sliced off and then chucked back into the water to die, this was for shark fin soup. I think we are being suckers to believe that this is a scientific expedition, its is purely to hunt whale meat. I dont know much about gathering data to research breeding patterns in whales but I am pretty sure that it doesnt need to end up killing these beautiful and mysterious mammels
i agree with you on that statement, Japan really is a inhumane country towards animals. When i heard about the fin soup they serve, it made me sick, cutting off the fins of sharks, then disposing their bodies back in the water, was just horrible.
Whales do not need to be killed to be studied, hello take Aust for eg, we dont kill what we find interest in studying in fact we protect them…its very pathetic in my eyes….i believe they should be stoped!
I am certain that Japan along with other countries can make profit without killing animals how about growing other industries rather then sticking to one which is meat market.
Yours Truly
Alicia x