Mike,
I agree with your statement and think the due process would be the best answer. Sadly it seems Japan working as an economic bully has protected themselves from having the laws they break enforced upon them. As I stated earlier when Japan breaks conservation laws their ship should be boarded and those taking part in the action tried under the law. For some reason that does not happen even when Japanese Whaling fleets are in clear violation of the law.
There was an article in National Geography two years ago detailing the way Japan was offering financial bribes to a variety of nations, even small island nations that have the swing power in the IWC's vote on whether to continue whaling's worldwide moratorium.
It was the U.S. that pressured Japan into cutting back on whaling promising that if they stopped whaling they could still fish in the Alaskan territory. When the Japanese used illegal fishing practices in the Alaskan territory and nearly over fished all the key species in no time flat the U.S. sent them on the road and they increased their whaling operation.
Personally I think it would be great if SS took all the money they spend on ships and what not and invested it in legal services and investigators to prove how in the wrong the Japanese are. The problem in during the time investigations were taking place and all this evidence went through countless litigation the Japanese would be killing hundreds if not thousands of whales. I guess SS feels that their direct action conservation approach works much better.
What I can't get about the Japanese people is how a culture so stopped in honor and tradition has allowed themselves to become mass murderers of the sea. Long ago in Japan when Iceland and Norway started whaling with powered vessels and harpoons that Japanese whalers were against this mindless slaughter of whales. They believed the whales to be the Guardians of the Sea and promoted a sustainable harvest. It wasn't until post WWII Japan that the demand for whale meat increased, partly due to the economic fall post Hiroshima. It was then that the Japanese began full scale whaling which they have not stopped even today.
I just fear that unless law enforcement were to take action SS is the only protection whales will get from illegal whaling. How to you work against a nation who founded the proverb:
"There's nothing to throw away from a whale except its voice."
This proverb speaks to the fact that the Japanese utilize the meat and oil of the whale. Pretty disgusting saying if you ask me.
I agree with your statement and think the due process would be the best answer. Sadly it seems Japan working as an economic bully has protected themselves from having the laws they break enforced upon them. As I stated earlier when Japan breaks conservation laws their ship should be boarded and those taking part in the action tried under the law. For some reason that does not happen even when Japanese Whaling fleets are in clear violation of the law.
There was an article in National Geography two years ago detailing the way Japan was offering financial bribes to a variety of nations, even small island nations that have the swing power in the IWC's vote on whether to continue whaling's worldwide moratorium.
It was the U.S. that pressured Japan into cutting back on whaling promising that if they stopped whaling they could still fish in the Alaskan territory. When the Japanese used illegal fishing practices in the Alaskan territory and nearly over fished all the key species in no time flat the U.S. sent them on the road and they increased their whaling operation.
Personally I think it would be great if SS took all the money they spend on ships and what not and invested it in legal services and investigators to prove how in the wrong the Japanese are. The problem in during the time investigations were taking place and all this evidence went through countless litigation the Japanese would be killing hundreds if not thousands of whales. I guess SS feels that their direct action conservation approach works much better.
What I can't get about the Japanese people is how a culture so stopped in honor and tradition has allowed themselves to become mass murderers of the sea. Long ago in Japan when Iceland and Norway started whaling with powered vessels and harpoons that Japanese whalers were against this mindless slaughter of whales. They believed the whales to be the Guardians of the Sea and promoted a sustainable harvest. It wasn't until post WWII Japan that the demand for whale meat increased, partly due to the economic fall post Hiroshima. It was then that the Japanese began full scale whaling which they have not stopped even today.
I just fear that unless law enforcement were to take action SS is the only protection whales will get from illegal whaling. How to you work against a nation who founded the proverb:
"There's nothing to throw away from a whale except its voice."
This proverb speaks to the fact that the Japanese utilize the meat and oil of the whale. Pretty disgusting saying if you ask me.