On November 17th, 2008, the Japanese whaling fleet set sail to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to conduct “research,” which involves the industrial slaughter of 1 000 whales.
The whaling industry has had a long and dark history, which dates back almost six thousand years. However, with the invention of new technology, the industry has grown in size and destructive capacity, hunting many species into near extinction and some populations into complete extinction. In 1946, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was created to conserve whale stocks and make it possible for the whaling industry to continue to hunt “sustainably.” Initially, the IWC was dominated by whaling nations and took an “anything goes” approach.
By the 1970s, the number of whales had been reduced drastically to the point where only a handful of species remained off the threatened or endangered species list. In response, the global anti-whaling movement persuaded the majority of nations involved in the IWC to press for a complete moratorium on commercial whaling by 1986. This meant that no whales could be hunted commercially anywhere in the world. However, the moratorium had some very large loopholes. Whaling could be conducted if it was for “scientific research” or “aboriginal subsistence programs.” This allowed nations who wished to continue whaling to do so under the pretext of conducting ‘research.’
Nations that have continued whaling under the banner of research (or just completely rejected the IWC moratorium) include Japan, Norway, Faroe Islands and Iceland, as well as some small aboriginal communities in Russia and the Caribbean. International pressure has forced some of these nations to halt operations temporarily, but the Japanese continue to be the largest and most vocal opponents to the ban.
The Japanese whaling fleet is operated by the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), which is a privately owned, non-profit organization. Once the “research” is completed, the whale carcass is given to Kyodo Senpaku, a for-profit government subsidized company that processes the whale meat for global markets. Kyodo Senpaku sells $60 million worth of whale meat every year. One of the provisions of the IWC moratorium requires that any whale killed for research must not be wasted, which is very convenient for those wishing to make a quick buck off the industry.
The Japanese plan to catch 1 000 whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary off Antarctica this year with their industrialized fleet. The fleet includes several spotter boats, two “killing” boats and a large factory ship to process and package the whale meat. The fleet left the Japanese port city of Hiroshima amid tight security. A Kyodo Senpaku spokesperson has said that it cannot disclose any information regarding its departure out of consideration for the safety of the crew.
Ironically, the “research” being conducted this year is to determine the natural mortality rate and age of the whales. This is the only research needed by the IWC that requires the death of the whale; the only way to tell definitively how old a whale is is to examine a part of the inner ear. This is a piece small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and its extraction requires the death of the animal.
These actions by the Japanese fleet are not going unopposed. Australia and New Zealand, which both claim territorial rights to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, are both strongly opposed but have done little to stop the hunt. Strong opposition has also come from the United States and the European Union, but since most of the whale meat is sold within Japan, few economic actions can be taken to punish those engaging in the hunt. However, pressure on the Japanese government has grown over the years and has forced the whale industry to cut its quota in the last year.
Greenpeace have also been vocal and aggressive critics of the slaughter of whales ever since the organization was founded in 1971. They have used non-violent direct action to try and interrupt the whaling fleet by recording the killing and sending the videos to world media sources, as well as using small boats to drive between the kill ships and the whales to prevent the ships from firing their harpoons.
Another (and much more controversial) group called the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been very active in the anti-whaling campaign. The group is led by Paul Watson, who was a co-founder of Greenpeace, but was kicked out for being too radical. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society have been labeled as pirates and terrorists. They have a long history in direct conflict with whaling, including the sinking of nine whaling vessels around the world. The most notable was the scuttling of half the Icelandic whaling fleet in the 1980s by two Sea Shepherds with monkey wrenches.
The group caught worldwide attention last year when they tossed bottles of Butyric Acid (rancid butter) on the decks of the Japanese factory ship, making the deck unworkable because of the horrendous smell. They also had two activists climb aboard the Japanese ship and attach themselves to the ship while delivering a handwritten message to the captain. These actions were heavily condemned in the international community, but also celebrated by many global citizens. In the conflict, Paul Watson was shot in the chest by an unknown gunman. Fortunately for Watson, he was wearing a Kevlar vest (which he always wears) because the Ecuadorian Mafia has a contract out for his death. The incident was caught on tape and relayed around the world. The Sea Shepherds are currently docked in Melbourne, Australia, and are ready to deploy and interfere with the whaling operations. They also currently have a series on Animal Planet called “Whale Wars,” which has highlighted last year’s campaign.
The combined efforts of Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherds resulted in a disappointing catch season for the Japanese fleet in 2007-2008. The fleet missed its quota by almost half, citing environmental groups as the main reason.
This year’s whale hunt is sure to bring action to the high seas as the two opposing sides come head to head once again. While international pressure is mounting and many young Japanese have disapproved of the hunt, the slaughter will continue in the name of “research.”
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