Iceland Breaks Ban, Kills Endangered Whale

[shoupart]

I think it was not of a good move for Iceland to do that. Are they choosing to pick and choose which international laws to abide by? I don't think any country has the right to do that (and I believe that in regards to America, as well), especially if those agreements were based upon scientific research and consensus and not mere political pressure.

Also, what I don't understand is why Japan, Norway, and Iceland are so fervent about whaling. From what I've heard from Japanese and Norwegian friends, whale meat isn't very popular there. They don't seem to see it as a staple or a delicacy, so why this drive to go harvest whales?

 

[Charlie99]

From the point of view of population depletion, a quota of 9 doesn't seem excessive when the population is estimated to be 40,000 in the Northern hemisphere and 15,000-20,000 in the Southern Hemisphere (American Cetacean Society population estimates).

Of course, vegans will find the harvesting of ANY whales (or cows for that matter) offensive.

 

[Sasquatch]

Not to address every post but I agree that breaking or ignoring the ban was wrong. Allowing any justification is wrong.

Farm animals raised for the food supply is a HUGE business around the world and is very different than harvesting wild animals that don't fulfill immediate nutritional needs.

 

[UWupnorth]

I spent a couple years working in Pt. Barrow Alaska and in the surrounding villages and was there as they (Alaska Natives) drug a 60' bowhead whale up on the beach with a D9 cat after harpooning it from an aluminum boat with an outboard motor all in the name of native tradition and subsistance hunting. The beach they drug it up on was just down the street from one of the two large grpcery stores in town. Shortly after the whale was cut up, all the dumpsters in town were full of whale meat that they had left from the previous season.

I personally dont see the need for traditional whale hunts, but they are a fact of life here in the good old US of A.

 

[Mr.X]

I spent a couple years working in Pt. Barrow Alaska and in the surrounding villages and was there as they (Alaska Natives) drug a 60' bowhead whale up on the beach with a D9 cat after harpooning it from an aluminum boat with an outboard motor all in the name of native tradition and subsistance hunting. The beach they drug it up on was just down the street from one of the two large grpcery stores in town. Shortly after the whale was cut up, all the dumpsters in town were full of whale meat that they had left from the previous season.

I personally dont see the need for traditional whale hunts, but they are a fact of life here in the good old US of A.

Thanks for sharing. Simply amazing. If the natives are not eating the animal there is really no point in hunting ... just to maintain a tradition of dubious value. Heck, they could harpoon a large piece of styrofoam attached to a slow boat vs. hunting a live animal who's might be more than a 100 years of age!

Very upsetting. :shakehead

 

[Mr.X]

Just adding CNN news related to native whaling...a mercy killing in the Northwest Territory. Very sad, but something that has been happening for millenia.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/11/16/trapped.whales.ap/index.html

 

[Zingtea]

Human slavery has been a European tradition since the Roman Empire. I'm wonder what those "traditional" whalers would say if we resumed that!