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Australian Customs Service
Japan's whaling fleet already takes minke whales, like this mother and calf, and South Korea wants to do so as well.
When it comes to whaling, South Korea wants what Japan has: a loophole to hunt. Technically, the hunt would be for scientific research, but in reality it would eliminate competition for fishermen complaining about dwindling catches.
The U.S. on Thursday joined the list of nations opposing the move made Wednesday at the International Whaling Commission meeting in Panama.
In its opening statement, the South Korean delegation said the nation plans to use the same loophole in the international ban on whaling that Japan has been using to sustain its whaling fleet and domestic demand for whale meat.
That loophole allows a nation to sell for consumption any whales killed for research into whale biology or population dynamics.
South Korean fishermen "are experiencing disturbances in their fishing activities due to frequent occurrences of cetaceans in their fishing grounds and an increasing number of minke whales are eating away large amount of fish stocks," the delegation stated, adding that South Korea, too, had a whaling fleet and market for whale meat before the 1986 ban.
The U.S. delegation responded Thursday via Twitter. "US believes lethal scientific whaling is unnecessary," it tweeted.
Conservationists, for their part, said overfishing, not competition from whales, is responsible for depleted fish stocks around the world.
Anti-whaling activists and a Japanese whaling vessel squared off in a scuffle at sea. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports.
Moreover, the minke whales being targeted by South Korea are considered endangered, the World Wildlife Fund said.
"The resumption of whaling by Korea after a quarter of a century would be a huge step back," said Wendy Elliott, who's leading the WWF delegation at the Panama meeting.
"Korea already sells meat from whales caught in fishing gear, and we believe this move is a thinly veiled attempt by Korea to conduct commercial whaling under the guise of scientific research, similar to hunts conducted by Japan in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary," she added.
While it doesn't need specific permission to start "scientific whaling," South Korea said it had made a formal proposal to the commission's scientific committee.
That group could take a year or so to come up with its advice for South Korea, which is not bound by the recommendations.
Former Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell, who is now on the board of the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, said the organization would "have to get organized to go out to the oceans and save the whales off South Korea," Reuters reported.
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Leave a Comment:
Woooaaaaaaa... what a brilliant idea......... Everyday I'm more surprise with human stupidity and arrogance,So we are killing everything, and we blame the animals that actually live of fish, what else they will eat ??? A salad.... , the problem is not whales , dolphins or other animals , the problem is US, we are over fishing the ocean in such rate that fish can keep up... Killing whales is not the answer, I hope someone have the decency to stop this madness........
The problem is overpopulation! 7 billions and counting. That's why we have overfishing. Human stupidity is infinite. I hate humans. Can we drop an atomic bomb on South Korea: Please!
Us stupid humans are not going to be happy until we desecrate the planet we SHARE with the animal kingdom. South Korea have more respect than the Japanse that use the loop hole to the fullest extent. Disgusting.
Perhaps the headline should be the other way 'round
Greenpeace should invest in a couple of surplus diesel subs and do some scientific research into the buoyancy of Japanese and South Korean whaling ships.
whales and tigers , lions will soon be like dinosaurs
As one who spent 6 years hunting whales of the Great Steel Variety, I have no problems if the Japanese or Koreans hunt whales, but ONLY if they do it in open longboats with hand-thrown harpoons like This:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKKlA1rtzQ8
I wonder what the Sea Terrorists will do about this...
The problem IS overpopulation, the overpopulated whales are eating our fish. We must kill (and eat) the whales so we can kill (and eat) all the other fish.
The issue is fisheries management and sustainability. I will make a case in point. New Zealand had been over fished by foreign fleets and it's fish stocks depleted. The biological life at the ocean bottom damaged by trawls. New Zealand decided to extend it's 12 mile limit to 200 miles. It decided to reserve 25% of it's fishing grounds as a marine sanctuary where no fishing is permitted. After 3 years all fish species rebounded. Fishing outside of the sanctuaries now supports an industry that was on the verge of collapse. In short these sanctuaries generate fish, the biological life has returned to New Zealand and if other countries use the New Zealand model there will be no issue with fisheries and every generation will continue fishing because this is a sustainable practice. While there are migratory species, size limits and quotas do work for these species. So for the environmentalists to simply say no to anything without an alternative plan is wrong either they put up or shut up.
It won't stop until some one starts to sink ships. I'm sure a few subs will take out enough ships that both Japan & Korea both will start to think twice about their illegal fishing. The countries with the subs can claim experimental target shooting, YES?
Until then, block all exports from those two countries!
If I were a billionare - like Bruce Wayne or Bill Gates - I would invest in some old Navy surplus battleships, recondition them, fuel them up with a few thousand gallons of french fry oil, hire a crack team of Blackwater "security specialists", rebuild the guns as long range soured butter launchers, and then join those guys on Whale Wars.
The only difference is that my ship would be faster than the Japanese ships and if they want to play "bumper boat", they would lose. For every whale they kill, we would accidentally sink a Japanese research boat. Want to play rough? We could play rougher.
Regarding South Korea - I wonder in Kim Il Sung is a whale lover? Nothing would cool the market for whale meat like a threat of full on naval warfare. "Oh, no - we are not hunting whale boats. We are simply doing naval exercises. It would be unfortunate if we mistook a whale boat for an enemy vessel though..."
Do any of you care that Minke whales are not endangered?
The estimates are that there are hundreds of thousands of them.
The japanese have been looking to kill ~500 a year.
"we've been overfishing and now all the fish are gone, what do we do?"
"simple, just kill the whales"
That loophole is a bunch of BULLCRAP!! How long do the japs need to "RESERCH" to find out what whales eat and where they migrate?! They should know by now!I know this wont happen because most people dont care,we should BOYCOTT their products untill they stop! Or even better,get rid of that BULLCRAP LOOPHOLE!!
shot a man in reno,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minke_whale
you are absolutely right.
Minke whales breed alot faster than bigger whales, get to sexual maturity faster also, do so they can replenish their population faster.
that being said,
i dont agree with this. the whales have just as much right as others to eat where they live.
i dont agree with shark finning, and i do believe we are over fishing.
now if this were like a coyote killing a farmers livestock i woould go for it, but people seem to think what is in the ocean is theirs and no one elses. farming fish has been unsuccesful, so i know they didnt farm these fish.
no south korea, these fish are NOT yours, you do not own them!!!
if they do wind up hunting these whales, i hope they do eat them all. i dont like watching people waste animals for no reason.
Nothing going on that a good pandemic couldnt cure.
I agree that sustainability is better and Ihate whaling but the commenters on here wanting to bomb countries over it are worse because killing people won't help. Education will.
Yes, lets sink the sea shepard!
Simple solution;
Change the rules and say that whales killed for 'scientific research' canNOT be used for food.
I suspect the 'research' would end immediately.
info@koreanconsulate.org
People of Korea:
This is a HORRIBLE idea!
Don't destroy your wonderful world reputation by doing the same stupid, ugly and ignorant thing as Japan!
Douglas Johnston
US Citizen
Piscataway, NJ
DJohnston, unfortunately the Koreans don't have a "wonderful world reputation" right now. They kill dogs and cats in the most brutal ways - beating dogs to death and boiling cats alive - for food and bury diseased animals alive to get rid of them. Most people aren't aware of this. The scale of animal cruelty in Korea is unimaginable. That is why I never buy Korean products. I refuse to support a country that practices such animal cruelty.
Americans have no idea how cruel and evil Koreans are. You, American-idiots, continue to help and support those devils. I can't call them humans. You are guilty of all the crimes those devils are committing because you support them. Let the North Korea bomb them and kill them all, I will only be so happy! Actually let better throw a couple of atomic bombs on them and a couple of bombs on Japan. The world will be a much better place without those 2 monster countries.
Screw the Koreans and screw their fishermen!! The problem is not the whales the problem is people who are over fishing the oceans and will continue until they are devoid of life.
Call your local Korean embassy and tell them to grow a brain. This just disgustingly stupid and ultimately self-destructive.
Boycott Hyundai, Kia,Toyota,Nissan,Honda, etc. They only understand money.
Yes ,...boycott korean produts and the korean nation.
This should go viral,...they also eat cats and dogs , don't they??????????
And a cat or dog is different from a pig or cow how? Why do you think it is immoral to eat the flesh of one species but not another?
Enough, do you know what the Koreans do with cats and dogs? They beat the dogs to death because they believe the pain releases chemicals that make the meat tastier. And they boil cats alive. Are you okay with this? If you are then you are as cruel and barbaric as the Koreans. And here is how cats and dogs are different from pigs and cows. Dogs and cats were specifically bred to be companion animals, unlike pigs and cows. Treating dogs and cats as food is a complete betrayal on the part of humanity.
Enough must eat cats and dogs and probabely rats! Thats why he defends the practice!!
Chew on this Enough... (especially around min 4:10) and then go and have a cup of shut the **** up.
Google it - Dogs and Cats: Tortured for taste(AnimalLib Production) - cannot embed the link. I'd think that anyone who defends the eating of cats and dogs should watch this before they speak.
For tzd13 #5.5&5.6: Well, I watched it - the whole disgusting, horrifying thing. I would not have believed such cruelty & insensitivity exists. I cannot make sense of this in my mind.
I'm not defending the practice. I simply asked why MC is singling out cats and dogs. I also notice that MC did not answer, and those that did may have their own reasons for condemning the practice, that does not mean that is MC's reason. As far as the animal cruelty aspect from the people who chose to respond for MC, you betcha that is wrong, but the processes involved in the general meat industry aren't significantly better.
We have a situation where people are breeding to much and they need to kill for food. Resourses are scarce. This needs to be controlled. Absolutly rediculous that these mongers will kill a beautiful whale. When will it stop- if they kill these whales now and the food demand increases, these idiots will obliterate the species. Homans need to practice birth control.
I don't see a problem with this, as long as we withdraw all support and foreign aid from S Korea.
If they agree, so be it.
Lets kill every last whale and see just how quickly the entire food chain can break down. Great idea. Soon we will only have algae to harvest from the ocean, and maybe we can learn how to live on a runaway greenhouse planet.
The South Koreans have proven to me once again that all those Far East Asians have no concept of conservation, and will soon destroy OUR planet.
We should stop all federal aid to south Korea ! this country has done nothing for America ever ! time to cut it lose and give it to china ! I would have said north Korea, but i am hope they starve to death ! I don't even take my dry cleaning to them anymore !
Actually we should give a lot of bombs and bullets to North Korea and pay them to do the job and kill all the South Koreans. And the Japanese too. USA did a big mistake by using only 2 A-bombs. At list 10 should be used to make sure none of those monsters survived.
Cassandra, Cassandra, Cassandra. Your statement ("...kill all the South Koreans. And the Japanese too") seems a bit racist, ignorant, and barbaric, don't you think? Please do the world a favor and keep your mouth shut!
Schooldog, Schooldog, Schooldog. Your backward, "I'm gonna marry me cousin" redneck mentality is showing. Please keep your mouth shut and stop embarrassing Americans.
Cassandra is leading the pack for the dumb@!$%# comment of the day.
hard to believe that a so called developed country can come up with such trivial lies to protect their greedy interests.
They were never a developed country. They made some money only because American-idiots were buying Korean products. I would never buy anything produced in Korea.
I heard recently that for the first time, human consumption is outstripping the planet's resources. Oh gee, I am surprised. Too many people and not enough fish. Seems the Asians are determined to completely destroy the ecosystem in Africa (the demand for rhino horns and other things), and now South Korea wants to join the Japanese in destroying the food chain in the ocean. We only have this earth to produce food. Destroy the delicate system that has been around far longer than humans, and see how long humans last.
Maybe its time to pull our 30,000 troops off the Korean border. They won't import our beef and they do not engage in fair trade practices. If they want to skirt international law and common decency by killing endangered species, then they don't need our support or money. I was thinking about my next car/truck, guess I'll be buying a Ford.
I agree 100%
I agree 25%. The minke whale has never been considered endangered even during times when whaling was at its peak. South Korea does ban porpoise captures for entertainment, which is permitted in the U.S. The ban on beef from the U.S. due to disease has been lifted. I wouldn't get a Ford again because of my 9 grand tranny repair. For heavy duty the more powerful GM diesels will do.
Now we know where to ship all that "pink slime". Shhh, don't tell them.
Good idea! If you want a crappy car like Ford. Even Americans don't buy Ford.
Sadly when they do this, and then run out of fish and have nothing but seaweed and crap in their nets they'll be BEGGING us for food! Cut them off. Disgusting, horrible people. Vile stupidity at its best! Also, we need serious population control, I hate to say it. But no one should have more than 2 - 3 kids at best. NO ONE.
I think having 3 kids is excessive!
The Asians should have no kids at all. They are genetically evil, very evil DNA.
I'm betting Japan is behind this. They frequently try to buy/influence the votes of other countries on protection of whales.
They still eat dogs so I am not surprised. Filthy.
Greasy, but not necessarily filthy. At least they are not raised in animal factories.
Only when the last tree is felled, the last river poisoned, the last fish caught will man realize he cannot eat money.
But I'll bet Soylent Green will be on sale.
That photo of the mother whale and her calf being hauled into the hull of a ship just broke my heart. I'm really beginning to hate people.
Me too.
It broke mine as well. It seems as if there are a lot of Asian countries that are hell bent on making sure the most endangered wild life on our planet becomes extinct. While they may have oodles of technology and such they aren't very smart when it comes to conservation. This is just sickening!
The picture above the story says it all. " Japan's whaling fleet already KILLS minke whales, like this mother and calf, and South Korea wants to do so as well." They do not care, and will keep fishing until nothing is left.
How about this "let's kill North Korean Fishermen to save Minke whales"...
How typical! Our 'good' orientals the South Koreans and the Japanese get
a pass to slaughter whales. If this was the North Koreans and Chinese we
would all be screaming foul and bringing out the torches. But most likely
this is just the American Cattleman Society lobbying to sell the world more beef.
You think NK follows the ban?
Leave North Korea alone, please! This is South Korea and Japan. Don't blame everything on that country, have some decency!
New plan, we will kill off people who eat a lot of fish to save the fish population.
Completely agree!
When there are no more fish, or whales, what will they destroy next? Whatever they can.
All these so-called scientific committees designed to appear as though they have a purpose, make me sick. The fact that the response of the American delegate was 'tweeted', is ridiculous. Japan, what does the word sanctuary mean to you? Personal hunting ground?
When mother nature bites back, she doesn't play by any rules either. There will be no man, woman, or child untouched by the changes to come. Looking at the news lately, some of the changes are already upon us, and science and technology will not save us. Here's a lesson to remember, what we do to the earth, we do to ourselves. We are part of it, just as it is part of us.
Boon, so true and sickening.
Excellent comments on behalf of the whales ! I agree wholeheartedly. It is so wonderful to read the excellent, caring, well-thought-out commentary. Now, we need to boycott.
BOYCOTT Starkist tuna, Starkist salmon, and other Starkist products.
Starkist is owned by Dongwon Industries of Seoul, South Korea. They purchased Starkist two years ago for $363 million dollars. Prior to the purchase, they were already the largest tuna processor in the world.
They have a great deal of input into what South Korea does with regard to its fisheries. It is my opinion that Dongwon is probably the primary actor in this whole scenario of killing whales.
Two of their processing plants are located in Samoa. In November 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspected the plants and found serious violations. Since then, Dongwon has refused the FDA further access for additional inspections and viewing records.
Send a post card (.35 cents at the post office) to Dongwon telling them you are boycotting all Starkist products because South Korea is killing whales. The tuna industry has also started killing dolphins again with a horribly cruel procedure called FADS. (See Greenpeace website)
Send your postcard to Dongwon's U.S. Headquarters office: President, Starkist, U.S.A. Headquarters, 225 North Shore Drive, Suite 400, Pittsburg, Pennsylvannia 15212.
For more information, go to Google. Enter Dongwon Industries - South Korea.
Keep up the good work! Tell all your friends and relative to boycott Starkist and send postcards.
Joan, THANK YOU. Just what I was looking for:
Send your postcard to Dongwon's U.S. Headquarters office: President, Starkist, U.S.A. Headquarters, 225 North Shore Drive, Suite 400, Pittsburg, Pennsylvannia 15212.
For more information, go to Google. Enter Dongwon Industries - South Korea.
Joan, although there are thoughtful posts here. THERE are TOO FEW.
Cut off ANY country that is pulling this "harvesting for research" BS. JAPAN NEEDS TO GET NOTHING!!!!!!
No food no money no NOTHING!!! STOP whaling once and for all. The world is going down the @!$%#ter.
As we kill the oceans, we kill ourselves.