Whaling: what do you think?

[Mobius]

When I lived in Japan, I regularly saw whale meat for sale at the meat markets around Osaka. This didn't phase me really - I just thought it made a mockery of the \"scientific whaling\" they do. Funny too, because Japanese people seem to understand English (Eigo) pretty well, right up until you want to talk about whales or nuclear energy. Then, all of a sudden it's \"Wakarimusen\" (I don't understand).

Yeah Right.

You may know that New Zealand was a MAJOR whaling outpost for a very long time, and hundreds of thousands (probably millions?) of whales were slaughtered, butchered and cooked on the shores of NZ.

Today, the numbers of whales have risen strongly. Whale watching is now a big tourism activity just north of where I live. But it brings in only a few million dollars a year at a guess, if that. It's not like people come to NZ to see whales, because you can see 'em at just about any non-landlocked country in the world. People just go see 'em when they're here.

Anyway, looking at the numbers of some of the commercially interesting (read as \"yummy\") whales, it now seems like they are getting very string populations. Because of this there is no longer any reason to protect them from extinction.

Some would argue that sufficient numbers now exist to allow the commercial catching and killing of whales to begin again - but as part of a system which allows whales to maintain good populations in their main habitats.

Some on the other hand, might say we should not kill whales at all, and they are so intelligent they deserve to remain unhunted forever.

I used to think the later, but I am now drifting towards the former.

I'm not saying that Humpbacks should be hunted (their numbers are still low, but that's IMO) but there are many species of whales which number in the many tens of thousands.

Is it ethical to kill whales for humans to eat?

Is it ethical to cause 15-20 minutes of suffering to a large whale before it dies?

Besides a large brain and size, what's the difference between a cow and a whale?

[Xamindar]

Then, all of a sudden it's "Wakarimusen" (I don't understand).

Umm, you mean "Wakarimasen", or more correctly "わかりません".

Learn to spell.

[Xamindar]

DBL post. Man, this site is really getting bad. Takes FOREVER to do anything.

[dundun]

I`m Norwegian, we kill whales for fun.
Its only 999.999 left!!!!


so said a tshirt who where for sale here when the whale
discussion and Paul Watson shouted loud a 12-15 years ago.

[roid]

as a child of the whole \"whales are beautiful creatures!\" era, the thought of killing them makes me sad. but i guess i wouldn't mind much if they took one here and there - but only if they are VERY selective of their targets.

it's like killing elephants, i always kinda thought we didn't kill and eat elephants coz we liked them.

If i were a grudge holding man i'd suggest we all start farming and killing Pandas . The Japanese loooove their pandas.


oh PS: i heard how Japan was outvoted or something on the whaling thing, and i heard PORPOSES mentioned. do you think this includes Dolphins? Coz killing dolphins is a bother too

[WarAdvocat]

Whaling: Because fat girls need love too..

Oh wait, you meant cetaceans...

My bad. Carry on.

[woodchip]

Roid, Porpoises are mammels, Dolphins are fish. Porpoises are remembered as Flipper, Dolphins make good table fare.

[Shadowfury333]

i heard how Japan was outvoted or something on the whaling thing, and i heard PORPOSES mentioned. do you think this includes Dolphins? Coz killing dolphins is a bother too

I've been there, and I can safely that the Japanese dietary attitude concerning fish is "if it lives in the water, eat it, sometimes even cooked"

[Testiculese]

Considering they live on an island, that doesn't surprise me.

[roid]

Woodchip dolphins arn't fish they are mammals.
dolphins and porposes are closely related, but it seems they are different familys.
flipper was a dolphin not a porpose. iirc a bottle nosed dolphin.


ok, wiki doth tell unto me:

• Domain: Eukaryota
  
  • Kingdom: Animalia
    
    • Phylum: Chordata
      
      • Class: Mammalia
        
        • Order: CETACEA (big swimming mammal thingys)
          
          • Suborder Mysticeti: Baleen whales
            (a bunch of whales with plates instead of teeth, like the humpback whales. They are all huge - much bigger than xboxes)
          • Suborder Odontoceti: toothed whales
            • Family Delphinidae: Dolphin
              (includes killer whales)
            • Family Phocoenidae: Porpoises
              (includes... well... porpoises)
            • Superfamily Platanistoidea: River dolphins
            • other familys under the Odontoceti suborder.

listerific!

[WarAdvocat]

Wiki THIS

Dolphin=Fish, Porpoise=Mammal.

Only land-lubberly womanish types who're ascairt to bait their own hooks insist on your definitions, Roid.

[roid]

oh hurhur

a "dolphin-fish" is not a dolphin. just the same as a "sun-fish" is not a massive compact body of plasma in outer space that is currently producing or has produced energy through nuclear fusion.

The name "mahi-mahi" ... has been adopted in recent years to avoid confusing these fish with dolphins, which are mammals.

---

Anyway, keep ye witts about ye heartys, for as the days go by things are not all they seem. There be nasty things asunder:

By the razor-thin margin of one vote, the IWC accepted the "St Kitts declaration", a two-page document that says the ban on commercial whaling in place since 1986 is "no longer necessary" and that the world should resume "controlled and sustainable whaling".

allas, as new dawns do break, they bring with them chillin tales, ayarr!

[Xamindar]

If i were a grudge holding man i'd suggest we all start farming and killing Pandas . The Japanese loooove their pandas.

I thought pandas were a Chinese thing? I didn't see ANY pandas while I was in Japan.

[Sir Sam II]

There are Dolphin Fish
There are Dolphin Mammals/Porpoises

Fact: I hooked a Dolphin Fish while down in Key West last month, & I had 4 Dolphin Mammals/Porpoises swim under our boat while I was out on it.

[XThermonucleusX]

I think whaling is wrong and should be outlawed because we have adequate other meats to use. One reason I say this is because my family used to go whale watching, and we had a close bond with them.

I do think that with the new methods of killing though (namely using argon and other gases to kill animals while they aren't concious) SHOULD be employed if whalers simply need to make a living. This way they won't suffer at all. It's all just a matter of legislation, popular support, and executive power.

[TIGERassault]

There are Dolphin Mammals/Porpoises

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porpoise

"The porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. They are however distinct from dolphins"

[Testiculese]

You bonded with a whale? Did he tell you stories or something?

I see no point in whaling, myself. I'm from a country that has plenty of meat products available. Japan, however, does not. Aquatic foods are a huge part of their culture because it's all they have and ever had for thousands of years. Just try to get a steak in Japan. They whale because it's how they eat, among other animals.

The whaling just for blubber I don't like, there are other products that can be used instead.

[Dedman]

I am completely against whaling. However, this is admittedly an emotional response and not one based on logic.

Logically, other than the possibility of a higher intelligence (which hasn’t been shown to exist) whales and cows are pretty much the same within the context of this conversation.

[Ferno]

Dolphins are fish? heh that's not what the marine biologist I spoke to said a couple days ago.

[Dedman]

There is a game fish whose common name is Dolphin. It also goes by Mahi-mahi. I don't think its proper scientific name is Dolphin, but I could be wrong there.

[Xamindar]

Little bored XThermonucleusX? NecroXThermonucleusX?

[Duper]

You bonded with a whale? Did he tell you stories or something?

"Gracy is pregnant....."