Now we are talking. Bravo!

Ive just finished watching some clips on youtube of the whaling... with tears streaming down my cheeks at the horror i was seeing.. i tried to put myself into the mind of the whale... the utter pannic at this sudden imense pain.... the utter confusion at why i couldnt move through the water...then more pain....as the second grenade tipped harpoon strikes...my thoughts are of my family... my new calf i just birthed the rest of my social group... oh how i long to be with them right now....its hard to imagine any human being with any thought or emotion for other living things on this planet could do this barbaric thing to such beautiful creatures...im only one of billions of humans on this planet but i share my soul with all living creatures... the pasion this has stirred inside me is incredible... in some tiny microscopic way i can almost understand the passion you guys feel...im going to contact my nearest branch of Greenpeace and offer my services... even though they are limited..also i will restart my funding of Greenpeace...(as i let it slip)even though my contributions may be small( im only on a Carer Pension caring for my elderly mum) i will donate as much time and $$$ as i can to keep you guys doing what you do best.. that being DEFENDING THE PLANET
God Speed guys and look after yourselves

Hi Clive,

Very nice piece of rhetoric again, I think. The objective of the JARPA2 programme is not to barely check what minke whales are eating, and you know it.

The objectives are to (1) monitor the antarctic ecosystem, (2) build an inter-species feeding competition model, (3) elucidate the space and time changes in populations structures and (4) ameliorate the management procedure for the Antarctic minke whales.

The programmes includes the sampling of 850 (+/-10%) minke whales, 50 fin whales and 50 humpback whales (suspended) for which more than 100 data are collected, and also non-lethal methods like observation, biopsy sampling and photographs.

As for your assumption that "will remain totally unsustainable in the future", I would like to hear your arguments. The actual situation is certainly not the same as in the past when most most member countries in the IWC were whaling. It is just Japan still whaling in the Southern Ocean and this country has objected to - and therefore is not bound by- the whale sanctuary you keep mentioning.

Moreover, the IWC has adopted a Revised Management Procedure (RMP) which is considered by many scientists to be a very risk-adverse management procedure. When the moratorium is lifted, the quotas for abundant species would be calculated sustainably under this RMP. There would also be a Revised Management Scheme (RMS) that would include sending observers on whaling boat and flensing stations, and other inspection measures.

In fact, it would be better to lift the actual ban on commercial whaling as it would be fully controlled by the IWC. The thing is that opponents of whaling don't have any reason to oppose whaling on scientific grounds.

Cheers.

Excellent letter Clive!

Didn't some Greenpeacers film themselves eating whale last year? Another time they've tried to suck up to the Japanese. When having a go at nuclear plants you never hear greenpeace say "We love America but nukes break our hearts" do you?

Stop pissing about taking stupid pictures of yourselves in front of the whalers ships and get stuck into the whalers. I now wonder why I gave my $100 to Greenpeace. Hope you enjoyed spending my money dining on the flesh of other sentient beings - yes you eat beef, pork, chicken, fish on your boats don't you.

Insanitori lost any credibility a long time ago, along with David@Tokyo, as his/her rants tried to legitimize the "research" as the purpose for killing thousands of whales since 1986 ban on commercial whaling, a ban he/she now calls for overturning outright. I think it is this deceit by him/her and the Japanese govt and the ICR that angers people, in addition to the actual brutal killings and agonizing deaths of the world's largest mammals. He/She and other readers of this blog might enjoy reading this article in the Sydney Morning Herald by Paul Sheehan entitled "Japan must stop taking the minke."
http://www.smh.com.au/news/whale-watch/japan-must-stop-taking-the-minke/2008/01/20/1200764074897.html

There are scientific reasons to oppose Japan’s WhaleKill 2007-08 and its planned resumption of Extinction-based Industrial Whaling after it buys and pays for the auto-destruction of the IWC and the termination of The Moratorium, Isanatori. But they are not nearly so important as the Moral Reasons for opposing whaling.

Of course, if it is done in the name of science, then it is OK, right? Just like the Death Camp Experiments conducted by the Nazis. That was “science,” at least according to the Nazis.

Just as your “scientific” whaling is “science” according to the ICR and its propagandists: science carried out in the name of Profit and under the Guise of “sustainability” and “management ameliorization” etc et al etc.

And are your Numbers correct? You stated that you kill 950 whales in order that “100 data are collected.” What does that mean, “100 data”? That you glean 100 bits of information from the 950 whales that you slaughter? Not very cost effective, it seems.

Fortunately, you get to sell the “collateral damage” called Whale Meat to the Tokyo sushi and sashimi markets, and, failing that, to the dog food producers at a much higher cost-effectiveness and return on investment.

The Fact, and the Moral Argument, Isanatori, is that The Whales do not need to be managed by the ICR, the IWC, or anybody, by any Human. Because the Humans have demonstrated time and time again their inability to “manage” anything, particularly themselves.

Man is the only predator that hunts its prey into extinction and calls it a manifestation of superior intelligence. Man is the only habitant who turn his habitat into a shit hole and calls it development. Man is the only species who wages war on non-combatants of his own species and who enslaves their own kind in the name of profit.

And this creature, you claim, is capable of “Managing The Whales”? On what Scientific or Moral basis do you make that claim?

On another Thread of this Blog (http://weblog.greenpeace.org/whales/2008/01/catcher_boat_approaching_our_l.html )
you were invited to submit a complete, annotated List of ALL the scientific research documents that Japan has submitted and had accepted by ANY committee of recognized Cetacean Scientists anyplace in the world? You were given the option to make it two Lists: one that has been accepted by your colleagues and peers at the IWC; and another accepted by any other recognized Cetacean research professional on the Planet.

It would be interesting to see what you come up with. But of course, you won’t. Because there is little if anything to present, would be my guess.

WHALE Is The Planet’s Canary.

JG Moebus
S/V WayFinder
HMB CA USA
sv_wayfinder@yahoo.com

Science should be for findng how a system works and in these modern days, how to stop the system from collapsing.
Any scientist worth their salt would NOT remove a species with such a slow turn around on off-spring. (ie v.slow breeders). Basic stuff I was taught in first year University. (Interesting to see an obviously state funded propaganda poster though, are they becoming concerned?)

Write On, Clive!

Kudos to Clive for a great blog!

Well said, Cousin! You all did very well, congratulations! Everyone here excited to see you soon.
Love, Wilma