Whale Wars

[r_w]

We've been watching BHO and congress like hawks. It still hasn't helped.   

You sure?  I don't like thinking about it being worse, but it could be. 

[jaybet]

Don't know if it's new or not, but I watched a South Park episode last night where they made Paul Watson out to be a lying idiot poser (pretty accurate there I guess). Turns out the Japanese were killing all the whales and dolphins because someone had given them a photo of the Enola Gay right at the end of the war that showed a dolphin pilot and killer whale bombadier. Kyle gave them the "real" photo showing that it was actually a chicken and a cow, so the Japs busied themselves f*** you chickens and f*** you cows! and killing chickens and cows intead.
Why couldn't Watson come up with something like that?

[mkm]

I'm back.  It's been a very long and stressful week; hence, the delayed reply.

I don't guess I made myself fully clear in my first post.  I have no doubt Paul Watson is a crazy lunatic that admitedly doesn't care about the lives or safety of his crew.  I am also not condoning the aggressive tactics of ramming ships, launching projectiles, or boarding ships without permission.  That does make them pirates.  What I meant by their tactics are lacking is that there should be more legitimate ways to accomplish their goals than piracy.

I haven't done as much research on the subject as I would like, but there is at least a moratorium on commercial whaling at the moment.  From what I've seen, Japan may very well be doing scientfic research, but they do seem awfully concerned about the commercial aspect of whaling.  I have spent enough time in the scientific community to know that science can occaisionally be abused for the sake of profit.  Whales are not rapid breeders.  The current rate of whaling may not be as bad as the historical numbers, but the scars of history take time to heal.  A few decades ago, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys were a rare sight in the Southeast; now, they are plentiful allowing for generous hunting seasons.  Given enough time, there may be a place for sustainable whaling, but I don't think that time is now.  I am generally a proponent of conservation over preservation, but at some point preservation becomes critical.

"If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering." -Aldo Leopold

Just because some idots in a few black ships try to make their point with piracy, doesn't mean we should take a completely opposite stance on the subject out of spite.  Historically, true sportsmen have done more for the preservation of wildlife and the environment than most others.  People, especially those who love the outdoors and firearms, need to consider the impacts of their actions.

PS. Yall thought I posted and ran didn't you. 

[twyacht]

Not at all mkm, I also watched "The Cove" which has a small Japanese coastal town that lures very effectively, dolphins into a cove and nets is off, and slaughters them for meat. NO scientific research at all. Here's the official trailer.

The former trainer of the original "Flipper" is leading an active role in fighting and exposing this, and has done so for years.

The acts of Watson, and his crew does result in piracy. However, the IWC, (Int. Whaling Comm.), is corrupt. Japan literally "buys off" countries that don't even see whales, like Barbados, Martinique, Antilles, and they sit on the IWC.

(Kinda as effective as the U.N.),... As I also posted, we allow Eskimo's to club seals, and also harvest whales each year.

The rational for Japan, as well as Eskimo's, is "part of our culture and heritage"....

I agree with you and others, there is no real need to hunt and kill these creatures anymore, but piracy, vandalism, and criminal acts at sea, should have consequences.

[Coe]

I watched this past season and the Japanese are definitely getting tired of the Sea Shepherds.  The ship that hit the Ady Gil was pretty aggressive.  Of course, the Steve Irwin hit a Japanese ship last year so they probably feel justified.  (I know that I would be pretty pissed if someone rammed my truck on the way to the deer stand.)  I don't really find myself siding with either group but it did make for some interesting TV.

[Sponsor]

[MikeBjerum]

I watched this past season and the Japanese are definitely getting tired of the Sea Shepherds.  The ship that hit the Ady Gil was pretty aggressive.  Of course, the Steve Irwin hit a Japanese ship last year so they probably feel justified.  (I know that I would be pretty pissed if someone rammed my truck on the way to the deer stand.)  I don't really find myself siding with either group but it did make for some interesting TV.

Careful on talking about the Ady Gill incident.  I agree that the Japanese ship was being aggressive, but in the videos you can see that the Ady was under power in contradiction to the claims of the shepherds ... little boat vs. ship ... big boy has right of way ... they shouldn't have been under power into the path of the Japanese ship.

[Coe]

Careful about what?  All I said was the other ship had been being aggressive.  Running interference was all that ship was there to do as it was not the factory ship or a harpoon ship.  The sea shepherds were aggressive too.  When you have two aggressive parties something is bound to happen.  Someone needs to calm this entire thing down.

[MikeBjerum]

In my opinion the Japanese are showing great restraint in this.  With the acts of piracy being committed by the Sea Shepherds much more force on the part of the whaling ships is justified.

They put up with bottles of acid being thrown on their decks, prop foulers being deployed in contact with their vessels, an attempt to damage an engine on their largest vessel, and an illegal boarding.

I think the Japanese are playing the public relations battle and coming out ahead on that.  However, what will the Sea Shepherds do if next season the security vessel and the processing ship arrive with firearms for their own protection?

[Coe]

Your comment reminds me of the air guns the Japanese had on that ship that they tried to use for pepper spray, mace, or something.  It is not really funny but I couldn't help but to laugh a little when they didn't factor in the wind.  They ended up just spraying themselves down.  Those poor guys burned their own eyes and faces pretty bad.  I'd hate to see what they would do with real guns.

[Badgersmilk]

In my opinion the Japanese are showing great restraint in this.  With the acts of piracy being committed by the Sea Shepherds much more force on the part of the whaling ships is justified.

They put up with bottles of acid being thrown on their decks, prop foulers being deployed in contact with their vessels, an attempt to damage an engine on their largest vessel, and an illegal boarding.

I think the Japanese are playing the public relations battle and coming out ahead on that.  However, what will the Sea Shepherds do if next season the security vessel and the processing ship arrive with firearms for their own protection?

+1 all the way.  Jap's should send a sub to escort their ships.  Now THAT'D be interesting tv!