I see nothing wrong with sustainably farming whales like any other animal. Certain species have been endangered and those should be protected, but responsible consumption of traditional foods is an important way to preserve culture.
Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
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Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
#12Note that "scientific" whaling by Japan hadn't stopped during that time frame; I put scientific in quotes because its scientific value was discutable
Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
#13Shame on you, Japanese government. Shame on you.
It's not like that Japanese government is consuming the whale meat. So why only blame it? seems deliberately missing the target.
Because there is only one Japanese federal government and Abe is supporting whaling at around the level of $50 million a year?
Most Japanese may support whaling, but don't actually eat the meat. The government has also been requiring whale meat in school lunches which has upset parents who don't want their kids eating whale meat, for either ethical reasons or the sheer amount of toxins that accumulate in whale meat.
Blaming the government is much more useful than blaming the public - policy can be changed, their position is articulated in press releases and documents. Trying to capture the diversity of the Japanese population and hold it accountable is an exercise in futility and is just muddying the waters.
Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
#14I see nothing wrong with sustainably farming whales like any other animal. Certain species have been endangered and those should be protected, but responsible consumption of traditional foods is an important way to preserve culture.
agree 100% - it's difficult with some industries to enforce this, but it's important not to dismiss culture and keep it alive.
Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
Because consumers aren't capable of international treaties, which is the only mechanism that ended whaling.
Consumers are well capable of voting in Japan though, isn't it?
Was their a we shouldn't hunt whale referendum or are you being deliberately obtuse?
Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
#16I see nothing wrong with sustainably farming whales like any other animal. Certain species have been endangered and those should be protected, but responsible consumption of traditional foods is an important way to preserve culture.
From what I’ve gathered, Japanese whaling is about as traditional as British rule of Africa, India, and America.
Although the article quotes a hunter claiming their village has done it for 400 years, it also later says “A number of coastal communities in Japan have hunted whales for centuries but consumption only became widespread after World War Two when other food was scarce.”
Also, whales aren’t being farmed, they’re just being hunted.
Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
#17Note that "scientific" whaling by Japan hadn't stopped during that time frame; I put scientific in quotes because its scientific value was discutable
They were researching the number of whales a whaling ship can hunt per season.
Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
#18I see nothing wrong with sustainably farming whales like any other animal. Certain species have been endangered and those should be protected, but responsible consumption of traditional foods is an important way to preserve culture.
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Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
#19Faroe Islands and Norway catch more whales than Japan [1] but for some reason don't receive nearly the same level of outrage. [1] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Whales_Nordic.png
The outrage is at the announcement that one more country is now allowing it. But you probably knew that.
Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years
#20Faroe Islands and Norway catch more whales than Japan [1] but for some reason don't receive nearly the same level of outrage. [1] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Whales_Nordic.png
That is curious. I had known about Iceland hunting whales and was upset about it but I wasn’t aware that Norway also did this. Also I forgot the Faroe Islands existed.