A decade ago it was possible, barely, to mount an emotion-free case against Japanese whaling by claiming that they were targeting species that were, if not endangered, at least in danger of becoming endangered.

It was on this basis that we and others sought to adopt whatever means available in an attempt to force the Japanese to stop their programme. But for the Japanese and many others, it was always believed that the crux of the opposition was not environmental but emotional. That Western populations, raised on Moby Dick, Flipper, Willy (as in Free Willy) felt an emotional affinity to these creatures and were repulsed by the thought that others see them as food.

Despite our multiculturalism posturing, this was one cultural habit that we were prepared to say wasn't acceptable. At the same time, we looked the other way when other cultures such as the Eskimos and Australian Aboriginals exercised their liking for cetacean meat.

This week the Japanese whaling fleet set forth on their (almost) annual 'scientific' research. Unsurprisingly Sea Shepherd will sally forth to do battle again. The Australian government has already condemned the hunt and talk of more legal action is afoot.

The Japanese plan to take 333 minke whales. Now, there are between 600000 and 1 million minke whales in existence. So there is no way that anyone can suggest that these whales are endangered or that the culling of a couple of hundred will have the slightest effect on the species survival.

Finally therefore we see that the opposition to the Japanese was always about emotion. We feel a connection with these creatures and are determined to impose our standards on others who don't think like us. We anthropomorphise the whale and imagine that it is intelligent as we are intelligent. Dolphins seem to be forever smiling (like The Joker), so how can we let them be eaten.

The Japanese et al, see them as food. They aren't romantic about their supposed intelligence and want to treat them just as we treat cows and cute little lambs - by having a good fry-up

There are a number of inconsistencies in the Japanese argument. The hunting of whales for "scientific purposes", seems a bit of a ruse. The food angle also lacks credibility, given the stock piles of unsold whale meat in Japan, young Japanese don't particularly like whale meat. Finally there is a degree of political belligerency on the part of the Japanese, not wanting to be seen as being dictated too by others. Since WWII Japan has suffered from "small man syndrome" on the worlds political stage, and this is an opportunity for them to demonstrate that politically they are equal among equals.

//Unsurprisingly Sea Shepherd will sally forth to do battle again. The Australian government has already condemned the hunt and talk of more legal action is afoot.//

I wish the Government would condemn Sea Shepherd and take legal action against the bloody mongrels. Endangering lives on the high sea is terrorism, not activism.

//The Japanese et al, see them as food. They aren't romantic about their supposed intelligence and want to treat them just as we treat cows and cute little lambs//

Their is one important difference between conventional livestock and whales: the method of slaughter. Cows and cute little lambs are slaughtered humanely, not shot with a harpoon and left to thrash about their paddock for a few hours in agony. No one likes animal cruelty, so that aspect of whaling is a big issue.

//The hunting of whales for "scientific purposes", seems a bit of a ruse.//

Nonsense, they are performing valuable scientific research into how delicious whale meat is.

//The food angle also lacks credibility, given the stock piles of unsold whale meat in Japan.//

Well I wish they'd start exporting it then. I've always wanted to try whale, but it seems unlikely that I'll get the chance unless I travel.

//Finally there is a degree of political belligerency on the part of the Japanese, not wanting to be seen as being dictated too by others.//

There are a number of inconsistencies on the part of Australia as well - we're quite happy for Norway, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Canada and the U.S. to hunt whales. Just not the Japanese. Dare I suggest it, but do you think this might have something to do with good old-fashioned Aussie racism? Because when you have the Norwegians catching more Minkes than the Japanese and nobody in Australia batting an eyelid, that suggests to me that it's more about opposition to who is doing the whaling than the practice of whaling itself.

No, no Toni, I visited my favorite whale restraint just the other day 'The Bloated Blubber' in South Yarra, or was that in Leichhardt Sydney, never mind. It was our tri-annual meeting, of the 'Save the Gay Whales Collective' our movement has certainly grown over the years, since its inception in 1972, there were 3 at this years meeting, a record attendance, 4 if you count our fearless leader and movements founder, convener, treasurer, chairperson and president for life Terry's cocker spaniel Jock, we are running a peaceful, non violent protest, trying to win land rights for gay whales, and I can tell you if our demands are not met there will be blood in the streets. well that's what Terry said.
Terry is arranging for him to attend on the movements behalf, and at our expense, a huge, Terry said its going to be a mega whale protest rally he is organizing for August 17th 2017 in Memphis Tennessee, Terry's expecting 1000's to be in town on that day, at the protest of course, Terry said it's just a coincidence the rally is in Memphis, on the 40th anniversary of the death of Elvis, and has nothing to do with him being a humongous Elvis fan, and said he felt hurt that we would even think something like that of him. We all felt guilty about questioning Terry on that, considering he is willing to give up two months of his valuable time to attend the rally on our behalf. Terry even forgave us for thinking like that, gee, Terry's one great selfless individual, a real saint.
Anyway, back to my point, seems a bus load of camera clicking Japanese tourists had just been to the 'Bloated Blubber' and they were all out of whale. I did my bit for ecology and settled for the under done Panda Steak, served with a light White Rhino sauce. Unfortunately, Terry was miffed, wanted to know why the Dodo Casserole was no longer on the menu.

Emotional attachment to whales? Sounds sick to me.

There is a real world story to misery and death of whales.
Starvation of whales has been occurring for some time but so called science and government authorities and pet media are continuing to ignore and boycott relevant evidence.

Autopsy results from mass stranding and abandoned calves are not duly released.

Young new biologists say humpback whales do not feed while migrating from Frazer Island calving grounds back to Antarctica.
Nothing is said about the once teeming numerous schools of baitfish on the east coast of Australia that humpback baleen whales used to feed on.

Nothing is said either about Australia needing to import 70 percent of it's fish now local fishermen can no longer supply demand.
How are marine animals supposed to have access to imported fish including baitfish imported to feed aquaculture?

Major media ignored the 7 dead whales on Fraser island during a two year period, as well as others washed ashore dead or abandoned and later dead.

Nothing is being said about the now chronic protein deficiency malnutrition and associated disease and preventable early death among seafood dependent Pacific Islands people.

Major media just rants about whales frolicking and playing, while in reality whales likely break the surface in attempt to see flocks of birds feeding, thus pinpointing where there is food.

The seabirds are mostly gone. The once estimated 100 million flock of short-tailed shearwater mutton birds is now estimated at only 17 million.

The problem is sewage nutrient pollution feeding algae that has destroyed most seagrass on which small fish depend for nurseries.

The problem is not overfishing, nor is nutrient farm runoff.
Fishermen don't fish seagrass. Farmers are not so stupid to waste fertilizer.
Farm runoff only occurs in association with rain on this arid land.

Sewage nutrient is dumped un-managed into ocean ecosystem currents, DAILY.
Try fertilizing a garden every day. LOL

So what is the big deal about Japan killing whales? At least a harpooned whale would be dead in minutes, while impact and suffering due to starvation and stranding continues for days.

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/news/beached-whale-calf-one-seven/1458287/

mhaze it often amazes me how we get all bent out of shape about whales, or even koalas for that matter, yet those who care so much about these and other animals, rarely seem to spare a thought about our homeless folk.

While i dont support whale hunting, and thats what this is, i feel there are far more important issues that deserve the funding, but as usual, i guess its a case of the squeaky wheel.

Paul,

You have some weird friends. Also, you are an ecological vandal: giant pandas are Endangered and white Rhinos, according to wikipedia, are Near Threatened. I'd have thought they'd be Vulnerable at least, but there you go. Some good news for a change. Shame about the black rhino. The dodo, of course, is Extinct and has been for many moons. I wouldn't shed too many tears for him; extinction is a part of life. Lots of creatures have come and gone, and man in his time will go the way of the dodo.

As it turns out, a lot of whale species are Least Concern. From a conservation perspective, there is absolutely no reason not to hunt them. From an ethical perspective, the animal cruelty involved in harpooning whales is a good reason not to hunt them. But it is just as good a reason when the hunting is being done by Lars (a six foot, blonde, blue-eyed, muscular Norwegian sailor who is the epitome of the Aryan ideal) as when it is being done by Ryoga (one of them funny little squinty eyed brown people).

And if the hunting has already been done that's regrettable, but not as regrettable as it would be if the whales had suffered all that pain for nothing. So send some of that stockpiled whale meat my way, because it's a shame to waste good food.

Animal rights activists choose easy PC targets.

The Greens 'Protest' Party is about sensationalism and headlines.

China denies plans to anchor blue whales to the Antarctic sea floor and build mineral smelters on them with 500km exclusion zone. They promise this platform for the approaching elections. Whales won't be inside this non-existent coastal killing field mine abattoir. Norway has seized Chinese oil-fields , raised the flag in Tibet's south pole and allowed Japan to invade Chinese Antarctic minkes.

" Conservation groups also take issue with where Japan hunts for whales.
Whaling countries such as Norway and Iceland confine whaling to coastal regions inside their own waters, but Japan is the only nation that still exploits Antarctic seas, now an internationally recognized sanctuary for China."

Japan killing wales is an exciting news story.

Large ships bumping into each other. If there weren't exciting news stories of ships battling moral ideas of killing wales. Fewer news watchers would be watching more repetitive boring murder news stories about people news watchers don't know. Japan killing wales is one more rolled over news story watchers can't think skilful reasoning from.

New movie about battling a giant wale. I believe the story book "Moby Dick" is about a god sized wale killing Captain Ahab and Ahab's crew in an century wale ships killed many wales for financial profit. Like god wanting periodic human sacrifice, the god sized wale wants a tribute for wales killed by humans.

Ahab was a terrorist using whale oil to fund suicidal attacks .
His martyrdom led to the grenade harpoon in 1870 .