Legality of Whaling

[Ebowed]

AFAIK, it's only legal in Japan and Norway (?) these days.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

No

[bgwah]

Definitely not!

It's also legal in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Some of the Indian Tribes (or maybe just one) in the Northwest can hunt whales, although the environmentalists and hippies usually come out on boats and jet skis and try to stop them.

[??????????]

Sure why not?

[MasterJedi]

Hell no!

[angus]

Japan and Norway are the only two countries that haven't agreed to the international ban on whaling.

It should be noted that, perhaps coincidentally, Japan and Norway have the highest life expectancy rates in the world.  The average Japanese and Norwegian lives 82 and 81 years, respectively.  Compare to mean longevities of 78 in the UK and Germany, 77 in the US and Ireland, 75 in Italy, 71 in Mexico, 66 in China, and 52 in Nigeria, all of whom are signatories of the international whaling moratorium. 

However, Japan does have the third highest female suicide rate in the world after China and Sri Lanka.  Norway has the second highest female suicide rate among OECD countries after Japan.

[opebo]

Japan and Norway are the only two countries that haven't agreed to the international ban on whaling.

It should be noted that, perhaps coincidentally, Japan and Norway have the highest life expectancy rates in the world.  The average Japanese and Norwegian lives 82 and 81 years, respectively.  Compare to mean longevities of 78 in the UK and Germany, 77 in the US and Ireland, 75 in Italy, 71 in Mexico, 66 in China, and 52 in Nigeria, all of whom are signatories of the international whaling moratorium. 

However, Japan does have the third highest female suicide rate in the world after China and Sri Lanka.  Norway has the second highest female suicide rate among OECD countries after Japan.

Only a small minority in those countries eat whale meat, angus, and an even tinier number engage in the sport.  So I doubt that has caused their longevity.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Yes, subject to a moratorium on taking those species that are threatened or endangered.

[Inverted Things]

I straddle the fence on this one. I think whaling should be illegal for people of "civilized" cultures Reason: the term "civilized" simply refers to a culture which is bent on maximizing the amount of harm it does to the planet. Reducing the level of harm by not systematically eliminating a species is an excellent policy.

However, Native American tribes are not bent on destroying the planet. Their way of life worked for them and worked very well for hundreds of thousands of years. Their way of life included whaling, and therefore they should be allowed to continue doing what has worked for them for such a long time.

[Cubby]

I agree with Yaks. It should be illegal for countries to hunt on a mass scale. But if a native tribe wants to hunt 1 or 2 whales a year, in accordance with their traditions, then that should be allowed. The problem is that whales are so endangered, even at that rate, it could be dangerous. Just look what happened to that poor baby whale in London yesterday.

[??????????]

I agree with Yaks. It should be illegal for countries to hunt on a mass scale. But if a native tribe wants to hunt 1 or 2 whales a year, in accordance with their traditions, then that should be allowed. The problem is that whales are so endangered, even at that rate, it could be dangerous. Just look what happened to that poor baby whale in London yesterday.

That "poor" baby whale probably died because it was sick. Not because it was hunted.

[opebo]

I straddle the fence on this one. I think whaling should be illegal for people of "civilized" cultures Reason: the term "civilized" simply refers to a culture which is bent on maximizing the amount of harm it does to the planet. Reducing the level of harm by not systematically eliminating a species is an excellent policy.

However, Native American tribes are not bent on destroying the planet. Their way of life worked for them and worked very well for hundreds of thousands of years. Their way of life included whaling, and therefore they should be allowed to continue doing what has worked for them for such a long time.

I disagree, Yaks.  I think the answer is to ban whaling for everyone, but in order to recognize that it was the destructive cultures that caused the problem, they should be taxed to pay a large compensation to the more traditional ones that have been robbed of their sustainable whaling. 

Monetary compensation isn't always precisely to the point, but it at least admits responsibility and recognizes a loss.  I think given the severe danger of extinction this is preferable to allowing the natives to kill even a few whales.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

I vote legalize it. I'm usually in favor of saving endangered species but since the public is a bunch of idiots who focus on trying to save ones that I don't think should be saveD(the "cute" and 'cuddly" ones like pandas) instead of ones like various kinds of venomous snakes I say to hell with the public.

[opebo]

I vote legalize it. I'm usually in favor of saving endangered species but since the public is a bunch of idiots who focus on trying to save ones that I don't think should be saveD(the "cute" and 'cuddly" ones like pandas) instead of ones like various kinds of venomous snakes I say to hell with the public.

Why would you be in favour of saving endangered species, public-hater?

[Speed of Sound]

Whaling is extremely stupid and inefficient, plus the whale is an endangered species, so no.

[minionofmidas]

I agree with Yaks. It should be illegal for countries to hunt on a mass scale. But if a native tribe wants to hunt 1 or 2 whales a year, in accordance with their traditions, then that should be allowed. The problem is that whales are so endangered, even at that rate, it could be dangerous. Just look what happened to that poor baby whale in London yesterday.

That "poor" baby whale probably died because it was sick. Not because it was hunted.

The poor whale (not a baby) died because it was in a river. Not because it was sick. Not because it was hunted.




Anyways. As long as you keep figures tiny. The Makah are allowed to take, like, 8 whales a year, and not to sell the meat. If you allow the same quota to the Anglos or the Japanese, I don't think anyone would complain.

[MasterJedi]

Whales don't reproduce fast enough for that to be good Lewis.

[minionofmidas]

Whales don't reproduce fast enough for that to be good Lewis.

No, I meant that the whole population of Japan be allowed to kill only 8 whales a year. I didn't mean proportional to population - Whales don't reproduce fast enough for that to be good.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The poor whale (not a baby) died because it was in a river. Not because it was sick. Not because it was hunted.

True; they think it got disorientated by someones sonar or something like that. I got the feeling it was too late when the news said it was as far upstream as Battersea...

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Actually that wouldn't be so bad I guess...

[Cubby]

I agree with Yaks. It should be illegal for countries to hunt on a mass scale. But if a native tribe wants to hunt 1 or 2 whales a year, in accordance with their traditions, then that should be allowed. The problem is that whales are so endangered, even at that rate, it could be dangerous. Just look what happened to that poor baby whale in London yesterday.

That "poor" baby whale probably died because it was sick. Not because it was hunted.

You're right. I wasn't saying it was hunted, I just meant that whales face a lot of threats today.