Humpback whales: Licence to kill

[PaulaFarrell]

Endangered humpback whales to be hunted for the first time in 30 years as Japan defies ban
By Geoffrey Lean, and David McNeill in St Kitts
Published: 18 June 2006

Humpback whales - the best loved and one of the most endangered of all the giant mammals - are to be slaughtered for the first time in more than 30 years, in defiance of an international ban.

Japan is to put plans to kill the humpbacks before a meeting of the International Whaling Commission, the body that regulates world whaling, on the West Indian island of St Kitts today. The Japanese claim the whales will be used for "scientific research", a loophole that gives a licence to kill.

Yesterday, the Australian government described the plans as an "outrage", and Britain has also protested.

But Tokyo has made it clear that it will press ahead with the slaughter - and the killing of increased numbers of other whale species - whatever the reaction.

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1090214.ece

[hankthecrank]

1. Maybe you missed this, makes this plan all that more evil (Japan)

A very good true story

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1444996

shireen posted this
full SF article at
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/12/14/MNGNKG7Q0V1.DTL

[Ladyhawk]

2. Humpbacks are my favorite baleen whales.

They're slow-moving and curious, so they would be ripe for the slaughter. :( Here are some pics I took of a humpback in Monterey Bay:





I'm really not sure what can be done about Japan. We're hardly in a position to influence our own government. :( I once talked with a whale biologist who said someone had swiped some material from one of their "scientific research kills" and discovered from DNA testing that they had killed a blue whale. *shakes head sadly*

[n2doc]

3. There is a simple way to stop them

Sanctions, like we want to use against Iran. If they want to kill whales, put an immediate 50% tarriff on all Japanese imports. They would stop in a new york minute. We don't have to trade with barbarians.

[Chulanowa]

4. I hear a lot of thunder, but there's no lightning

What are Australia and Britain doing to curb Japan? As far as i've heard, no action has been taken, nor will it be. They need to either get off their ases to act on their apparent consciences, or shut the hell up and stop wasting energy telling us how much they dislike it.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Humpbacks face a slow death by explosives; Japan LYING about whale kills

crosspost: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=57402&mesg_id=57402