Japanese Fleet to Hunt Humpback Whales

[go west young man]

Source: The Gaurdian UK

The ships, led by the 8,030-ton Nisshin Maru, will embark on their largest scientific whale hunt in the South Pacific. Besides humpbacks, they will take up to 935 Antarctic minke whales and up to 50 fin whales.

But it is Tokyo's plan to hunt the humpback - a favorite among whale-watchers for its distinctive knobby head, intelligence and out-of-the-water acrobatics - that has triggered condemnation from environmentalists.

``These whales don't have to die,'' said Junichi Sato, a Greenpeace spokesman. ``Humpbacks are very sensitive and live in close-knit pods. So even one death can be extremely damaging.''



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7084319,00.html

---

Please support Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace in their efforts to thwart whale hunting.
http://www.seashepherd.org/

[sce56]

1. BASTARDS!

[OKthatsIT]

60. Send money to Green Peace

That's the least we can do. Bitchin won't get the job done.

[allisonthegreat]

74. absolutely! n/t

[shenmue]

2. Next mission: poking kittens in the eye

:puke:

What the hell is wrong with them? They don't need to do this anymore, and pretty much the whole world says it's bad for the environment, as it almost wiped out the whale population before. F***ing popular fashion. Some asshat wants to buy whale products, so they've got to go out and destroy these magnificent creatures again.

Can't they just buy hats or something? :dunce: :nuke:

[shanti]

3. why???

:grr:

[roguevalley]

53. fucking bastards. they've decimated the seas. they're really going

to have a go at it when the sea stops giving up what they steal from it. God, I loathe this practice, the bastards.

[daninthemoon]

4. Why? Food? Oil? Fun? Surely there are better alternatives to any of these.

WTF? Why?

[malakai2]

6. Pseudo cultural preservation

nt

[wordpix]

51. BS---let them hunt with little spears in kayaks, then

[wordpix]

52. BOYCOTT JAPANESE GOODS------much as I like Hondas and Toyotas

I wouldn't buy a THING from these murderers now.

[ClintonTyree]

9. They can't GIVE the whale meat away.

the Government has been trying, without success, to re-introduce whale meat into school lunches. The younger Japanese set wants nothing to do with it. They have refrigerated warehouses stuffed with whale meat THAT NOBODY WANTS! :grr: They're just protecting their archaic whaling industry from economic collapse. Seems like a great reason to slaughter whales to me. :banghead: Maybe they should retrain the whalers for some new line of work? :shrug: Just a wild idea.
So, this whale meat, that they HAVE TO have, will end up sitting frozen in warehouses because NO ONE WANTS IT! :mad: The Japanese are killing the oceans from over fishing. They've already pretty much decimated the Tuna population, now off to some other senseless slaughter just so a handful of traditional Japanese fisherman will still have a job. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[awoke_in_2003]

14. "Maybe they should retrain the whalers ...

...for some new line of work?" Yeah, maybe harp seal hunting :evilgrin: But seriously, I agree, this is senseless.

[BrotherBuzz]

44. Blackwater is hiring

:shrug:

[nebula]

5. This makes me sick

Not to give anyone any crazy ideas, but,

I'd like to see an unmarked ship armed with torpedoes go track down and send that Nisshin Maru to the bottom of the ocean.

Uhh, just thinking out loud.

[Judi Lynn]

10. It's a worthy passing thought, all right. They are crying out for discouragement.

Cannot imagine a more offensive, ugly way for human beings to spend their efforts and their time than in pursuing and mudering these helpless creatures just for the ####ing hell of it, since it hasn't been an economic neccessity for ages and ages.

They need to wake the #### up and recognize we are running out of recognizable world to preserve. Acts of filthy destruction are loathesome, dishonorable behavior for any one hoping to resemble a human being.

[Vilis Veritas]

22. 'offensive' and 'ugly' do make murder a worthy passing thought.

Most of the crew of those vessels are just that - crew. People in need of money to feed their families. There is no glory in even contemplating/mulling the murder of people to stop their 'offensive' and 'ugly' practices.

To me, that thought, even in 'passing', is UGLY and OFFENSIVE.

But, I am a pacifist.

Peace.

[Vilis Veritas]

21. Unfortunately, this kind of thinking out loud...

is what gives the freeper trolls ammo.

You can't seriously even hint at advocating the murder of people doing their job, how be it unseemly, to justify the progressive vision of a sane sea policy. Most of the crew are just that - crew. They are not the corporate overlords that are responsible for funding the ventures.

It is my only problem I have with your suggestion/hint/loud thinking...

Peace.

[karlrschneider]

27. Ah yes, just "following orders."

I would happily bomb the shit out of those boats given the chance.

[Vilis Veritas]

29. Then you advocate murder.

What makes you different than those you oppose?

[karlrschneider]

34. Not murder. Look it up.

:eyes:

[nebula]

42. I can't excuse what they do

Whales are becoming nearly extinct because of illegal hunting. And I have no problem with anyone doing what is necessary to prevent their extinction and no other options are left. The whaling crew are international criminals and make themselves fair target when they refuse to cease and desist from their criminal activities.

Sinking a ship does not necessarily involve killing the crew anyway. The crew of the target ship will simply board their lifeboats as their ship is going down. If not, well then cry me a river.

[mduffy31]

7. Haven't those bastards seen Trek IV?

You know what will happen if we kill off the humpback? Some weird probe will come and destroy the earth and Kirk will have to time travel to come back and get two whales....


Okay levity aside....why? I read an article that whale meat isn't even that good.

[awoke_in_2003]

15. Jesus, no

There is only so much bad acting the world can handle.

[xchrom]

8. bunch of fuckin barbarians. recommend for the nightmare it is.

[IndianaGreen]

11. Time to sink the Japanese fleet!

Remember Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?

[jeff30997]

13. Yep.Great movie.

BTW mduffy31 thought the same thing as you.See post #7 above.:)

[Thothmes]

76. Sinking

Don't like whaling anymore than anyone else on the Board, but I would stop short of recommending we kill Japanese sailors to save whales.

[and-justice-for-all]

12. Scientific my ass!! lying fucks! nt

[Crayson]

77. Must be the Science of Statistics...

... so they obviously need mass samples to see the pattern that the more whales they kill the fewer stay alive.

[flvegan]

16. Keep your wits about you, Nisshin Maru crew

She's coming for your boat



Ramming speed, Sea Shepherd.

[rockybelt]

17. Wher

is the US and their diplomacy now? The US could stop this if they wanted to!
These bastards hunt and kill magnificent animals to satisfy some egotistical vanity of a human. Fuck 'em all!

[MasonJar]

18. Can't anyone stop these hideously insensitive people. I have lost

all respect for the Japanese. I am officially boycotting all their products, and I am calling my rep in DC.

[Vilis Veritas]

25. A sane response in all the calls for murder.

I respect your efforts, but on edit: you should not equate all Japanese as the problem...that is wrong.

Peace.

[Occulus]

37. You're the only one saying sinking a boat = murder.

I've seen people saying "sink that boat", but I HAVEN'T seen anyone continue with, "and kill everyone on board."

YOU are the only one saying that.

By the way, someone should sink the fucking boat.

[Vilis Veritas]

50. You are right...

I may have responded to the wrong post and overstated and I apologize for that.

"I'd like to see an unmarked ship armed with torpedoes go track down and send that Nisshin Maru to the bottom of the ocean."

"I would happily bomb the shit out of those boats given the chance."

"Nukes would be overkill. 500 lb bombs would be fine."

"Japan needs to be reminded who won the war "

The most heinous post about a call for the Enola Gay was deleted.

For the record. I do not advocate or condone the hunting of Whales...There are other nations that do not get the press that Japan does.

I support Sea Shephard and other groups trying to protect the whales and other sea life.

edited for spelling...

[crikkett]

26. Boo! Racism sucks! One whaling fleet represents all Japanese like one Blackwater represents

all Amerikans.

Frickin' take the beam outta yer own eye before you start this racist crap in here pal.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Vilis Veritas]

23. So now it is ok to nuke the japanese again?

I question who the savage is...

Your hint is repulsive to me.

Peace.

[karlrschneider]

28. Nukes would be overkill. 500 lb bombs would be fine.

...

[arikara]

47. Sea Shepherd will handle them

without hurting anyone which is as it should be. If you're that passionate about it why not do some good yourself. Make a donation and help Sea Shepherd do their work.

http://www.seashepherd.org/migaloo/

[karlrschneider]

48. I know, I do contribute to them. I don't really want to kill anybody but some ass-kicking would

feel good over this...I have a lot of good friends in Japan, and I never actually saw anybody eating whale that I knew of.

[okasha]

65. Second the motion.

Sea Shepherd/Paul Watson has put whaling ships on the bottom without any human injury or death.

[Danger Mouse]

58. I know this message got deleted

but shame on you anyway.

[GOPNotForMe]

20. Go get 'em, Sea Shepherd!!

This makes my blood boil. If only the whales could fight back and sink their damn ships in return. God would that be poetic.

[crikkett]

24. "scientific whale hunt"

bring on the sea shepherds!
http://www.seashepherd.org/

[DCKit]

63. They/'ve been calling it science for decades, yet the meat keeps showing up on the street. Go figure

[Judi Lynn]

64. Thanks for posting the link. These people are so needed. n/t

[karlrschneider]

30. Links to JNTO, Japan National Tourist Office

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2302323

[boricua79]

31. hey, don't criticize...

wouldn't want to be considered culturally imperialists, now would we? :eyes:

Whale hunting should go the way of other interesting human activities (like pulling people's nails out with pliers).

How do we know this is acceptable or not to the world? Have a vote on it in the General Assembly of the U.N. and get a sense of the world on this practice.

[Joey Liberal]

32. Japan needs to be reminded who won the war n/t

[LeftyMom]

33. It'd be a damn shame if something happened to those ships

'cause then I'd have to buy a new t shirt from Sea Shepherd, mine with the list of whaling ships they've rammed, disabled and sunk would be out of date.

Looking forward to it, 'cause that'd be the happiest $20 I've spent in a while. :)

[Kajsa]

35. Damn those bastards!

They COMPLETELY ignore the international ban on whaling!

They are not alone, unfortunately!

Norway, Iceland and Russia are also ignoring it.

Damn them!!

[calteacherguy]

36. Scientific hunt??? I say we cut off all Japanese imports until they stop these criminal actions! nt

[Kajsa]

40. I'm with you,Calteacherguy!

Friggin sanctions on violators of the ban on whaling.

[Kajsa]

38. GREENPEACE-departure delayed, so as not to embarrass Fukuda & GW.

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/fearing-us-reaction-japanese

"More than two-thirds of Japanese do not support whaling on the high seas."

The Japanese whaling fleet has delayed its departure to the Southern Ocean for its annual whale hunt to avoid political embarrassment when Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda meets with US President George W. Bush.

Japan's annual Southern Ocean whale hunt is conducted under the guise of science but has been condemned internationally. This season, Japan aims to kill more than 1,000 whales, including 50 endangered fin whales and, for the first time in 20 years, 50 threatened humpback whales will also be harpooned.

The International Whaling Commission has called for an end to the killing of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary under Japan's whaling program.

Our ship the Esperanza is currently positioned just outside Japanese territorial waters and will be following the Japanese whaling fleet after it leaves the port of Shimonseki for its passage towards the Antarctic.

"The Japanese government's "scientific" whaling program is a sham and a source of diplomatic tension between Japan and countries that support whale conservation, like the United States. Whaling has no place in Antarctica - it's a place of peace and science, and this is not science," said Karli Thomas, expedition leader aboard the Esperanza.

An opinion poll carried out in Japan by the Nippon Research Centre, in June 2006, showed that 95 per cent of Japanese people never or rarely eat whale meat. More than two-thirds of Japanese do not support whaling on the high seas.

[YankeyMCC]

39. 935 whales for research!?! B-efing-S! nt

[Dukkha]

41. and Fuck you da Bush!

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/fearing-us-reaction-japanese

:rofl: that's a hilariously unintentional banner at *

Being an ex-deck hand on the Rainbow Warrior I have confidence that my former mates will stop the fleets from taking one humpback.
commercial whaling is totally pointless even from a cultural standpoint. The Japanese didn't begin the large scale factory whaling until after WWII in a desperate act to feed a decimated population with no other way to feed themselves. The loophole they've been using through the IWC is the scientific research, specifically population count. So by that rationale I can go into homes, kill everyone, then fill out the census form.

I met Paul Watson and a couple of his shipmates as well. He's a crazy egomaniac with little sense of direction. He often wore a made up captain uniform and made his mates salute him all the time. He was kicked out of Greenpeace long ago when he went after the harp seal hunters and threw all their gear into the sea. He was not a founding member either as he claimed.

So please follow the above link and donate. That is the real chance at saving the whales once again.

[Barrett808]

43. Announcement of Sea Shepherd's Operation Migaloo here:

Sea Shepherd Launches Operation Migaloo to Defend Whales in Antarctic Whale Sanctuary
http://seashepherd.org/migaloo

This December, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will embark on its fourth expedition to the remote southern waters off the coast of Antarctica, with the launch of its latest Antarctic whale defense campaign: Operation Migaloo. Sea Shepherd has drawn a line in the sand when it comes to the humpback whale featured on its logo and will not stand by while the Japanese whalers target nearly 1000 whales for certain death, including 50 endangered humpback whales and 10 endangered fin whales in the Southern Oceans.

The campaign is named in honor of Migaloo, an endangered albino humpback who has become a national icon in Australia. This year, the sights of the ruthless Japanese harpooners are set square on the endangered humpbacks, meaning that Migaloo and all of his family are under imminent threat of death at the hands of Japanese pirate whalers.

Founder and President of Sea Shepherd, Captain Paul Watson, will soon embark with an international crew on the ship, the Robert Hunter, to enforce international conservation law and prevent the illegal slaughter of endangered species by an outlaw whaling fleet. As the relentless Japanese whalers seek to hunt down and kill Migaloo and his family, Sea Shepherd will be hunting the whalers with the firm objective of intervention against their illegal activities.

"I did not establish the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as a protest organization," said Captain Watson. "I have not gone to sea over all these years to simply bear witness to the atrocities that whalers continue to inflict upon the most gentle and intelligent beings in the seas. We are sea cops-operating legally under the guidelines of the United Nation's World Charter for Nature, which allow for the enforcement of international conservation law by non-governmental organizations in international jurisdictions."

For more than three decades, Sea Shepherd has been at the forefront of the whale wars, defending the gentle giants wherever and whenever they can. Sea Shepherd has tackled overwhelming odds with insufficient resources, won many victories, and saved the lives of thousands of whales. In 2005-2006, Sea Shepherd harried the Japanese fleet enough to ensure they went home 83 whales short of their self-appointed quota. In 2006-2007, the Japanese whalers fell over 500 whales short of their illegal quota. Sea Shepherd will return this year with a ship to match the speed of the Japanese fleet, new equipment for intervention, and an international crew of dedicated volunteers willing to spend their holidays at the bottom of the earth on a historic voyage to save whales.

Sea Shepherd is on a quest to protect the greatest treasure of the seas-the great whales. "We are obsessed with stopping the Cetacean Death Star, that viciously cruel killing machine otherwise known as the Nisshin Maru, and her ruthless fleet of hunter/killer boats armed with their explosive deadly blunt harpoons," said Captain Watson. "Because if we kill the whales, the sharks, the seals, and the sea turtles, we will destroy the very foundation of life in the oceans-and in so doing, we will destroy humankind."

Make your tax-deductible donations here:
http://seashepherd.org/donate.html

[minnesota_liberal]

45. As long as it's a SCIENTIFIC whale hunt...

Let's have a Scientific Whale Hunter Hunt. Locate the bastards and direct communications via satellite, use GPS to navigate, then send the filthy bastards to the bottom! Are you in?

[codjh9]

46. F-ing assholes

[Barrett808]

49. Sydney: Thousands protest over whale killing (video)

Thousands of protesters have formed a humpback whale figure on Sydney's Bondi beach to raise awareness of the plight of the endangered species.

The protest came as Japan confirmed it will go ahead with the controversial killing of 1,000 whales.

Japan's whaling tradition has long caused tension with New Zealand and Australia.

The country abandoned commercial whaling in 1986, but it found a loophole in the moratorium that allows the killing of whales for research.

Japan argues its whaling programme helps the understanding of whale stocks and species, while also keeping the eco-system in check by keeping the numbers of marine species stable.

It also considers whaling a cherished cultural tradition, although studies show the public's appetite for the delicacy is declining.

http://itn.co.uk/news/47dd5272db8db5c6f28b5ddeabf2e3bf.html

[FarCenter]

54. Nuke the unborn gay whales!

[Snarkturian Clone]

55. "Gotta nuke somethin'" -Nelson Muntz

[Barrett808]

57. "Touché ." -- Lisa Simpson n/t

[DS1]

56. scientific? how many specimens do they need?

It's a farce, it should be sunk.

Go Sea Shepherd

[Matilda]

59. Kevin Rudd has pledged that a new Australian Labor Government

would use navy gunboats to protect whales in Australian sanctuary areas
in the Southern Oceans.

Whalers operating in illegally in Australian waters could be intercepted
and boarded. Australia's whale sanctuaries were established by the
Howard Government in 1999, but since then, although at least 400 whales
have been killed in Australian waters, nobody has been prosecuted.

Hopefully, that situation will change after next Saturday's election,
under Prime Minister Rudd.

[Nutmegger]

61. Good thing Rudd is going to kick Bush Inc ass-kissing Howard!

:bounce:

[okasha]

66. Go, Oz!

Take the crews off and sink the damned killing factories.

[Matilda]

75. Rudd believes that Australia can, and should, take Japan to the International Court.

His probable Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, needs to shore up his credentials, so I hope
they'll make it a priority after Saturday.

[Judi Lynn]

62. Activists about to blow as Japan sets off to hunt humpback whales

Nov. 18, 2007, 2:19AM
Activists about to blow as Japan sets off to hunt humpback whales
Associated Press

SHIMONOSEKI, Japan — Japanese whalers set off into the South Pacific on Sunday with orders to kill humpback whales for the first time in decades. The hunt is certain to inflame tensions in the standoff between anti-whaling forces and Japan.

Angry activists have pledged to chase Japan's whalers to the Antarctic.

"The Japanese government's scientific whaling program is a sham," said Karli Thomas, expedition leader aboard the Greenpeace boat Esperanza, waiting outside Japanese territorial waters to confront the fleet. "Whaling has no place in Antarctica — it's a place of peace and science, and this is not science."

International Whaling Commission, or IWC, allows Japan's annual research whaling mission, but anti-whaling activists call it a cover-up for a commercial hunt. Meat from Japan's scientific catch is sold commercially.

The large-scale hunt for up to 50 humpbacks is thought to be the first for the species since a 1963 moratorium that put the whales under international protection.

Scientists say the knobby-headed humpback whales — a favorite among whale-watchers — are intelligent creatures that communicate through lengthy "songs."

More:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/5311455.html

[truthpusher]

67. Update: Japan begins hunt for humpbacks

Source: CBC News

Despite international criticism, Japan launched a hunting expedition on Sunday to kill more than 1,000 whales, including the majestic humpback.

A four-ship whaling fleet left the port of Shimonoseki for the South Pacific and the waters off Antarctica.

The hunt is due to last until April. Japan claims it's necessary for scientific purposes, but critics say it's commercial whaling in disguise. Whale meat is regularly sold in Japanese markets.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/11/18/japan-whaling.html?ref=rss

[LeftyMom]

68. Could you edit the source on this? It days CBS, link goes to CBC.

Thanks!

[truthpusher]

70. gotcha - thanks

[GOPNotForMe]

69. F*** them. I hope a whale capsizes their ships. nt

[Nihil]

78. Whale, typhoon, tsunami, Sea Shepherd, whatever ...

... just sink the fuckers (with or without the crew).
:grr:

[xchrom]

71. i'm not wishing these guys well -- not. at. all. nt

[Honeycombe8]

72. Disgusting. Awful. Terrible. nt

[Name removed]

73. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.