Save the Whales -- Again?
23/6/10 08:55![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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talkpoliticsWhen I was growing up, the "Save the Whales" campaign was the iconic animal conservation campaign and fueled a growing movement for conservation in general. Humans have, of course, hunted whales ever since we discovered that the ocean held 30 ton cows -- but in open boats and using hand held harpoons, we couldn't do that much damage. But as whaling's purpose went beyond subsistence and into valuable commodities such as oil, fleets of ships hunted the world's oceans. By the 20th century, factory hunting ships armed with explosive harpoons managed to hunt many whale species to the brink of extinction even as modern technologies had supplanted most of the commercial uses for whale products.
With science learning more about whales (the heavily hunted Bowhead Whale may actually live as long as 300 years) and Roger Paynes' release of "Songs of the Humpback Whale" helping to "humanize" the animals for a new generation of conservationists and the general public, sentiment moved against whaling even in former major whaling nations like the United States.
Finally, in 1986, the International Whaling Commission enacted the Whaling Moratorium that has been in effect since. Although the IWC is purely voluntary, the moratorium has been seen largely as a success with world wide catches of whales dropping to roughly 2000 a year from pre-ban highs in the 10s of 1000s. But the success has some limitations --
First, the ban has exemptions. The most notable being indigenous subsistence hunting under quotas and scientific research. Second, a limited number of nations do not adhere to the ban. Iceland and Norway flatly refuse to end whaling, and Japan uses the scientific research exemption to hunt large numbers of whales in the Southern Ocean -- despite accusations that most of their catch is actually destined for the dinner table.
The IWC met this week in Morocco with a controversial proposal on the table -- lift the moratorium and allow whaling under strict quotas. Many conservation groups and scientists opposed lifting the ban and giving even tacit approval to whaling, but some of the strongest opposition came from Japan -- as the move would disallow them from using the "scientific exemption" to hunt virtually unrestricted in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.
As of today, the talks appear to have failed and the IWC goes back to the drawing board with the current status quo in place. So whales will continue to be hunted without oversight from the remaining whaling nations and "Save the Whales -- Again" may become a new slogan for ocean conservation activists.
But the ongoing controversy highlights some interesting questions, especially about conservation in general and national/cultural sovereignty issues:
1) Whales are Popular: Conservationists are sometimes accused of exploiting popular animals at the expense of unpopular ones. Worldwide estimates of Minke Whales put their total population above 750,000 -- likely able to support limited hunting, but activists want all whaling banned. Much of that is based upon our impression of whales as majestic and intelligent. Whales adorn t-shirts. "Songs of the Humpback Whale" was a best seller. A recording of whale song is on the Voyager space craft. Saving the whales was a the topic of a mediocre installment of the Star Trek franchise.
Let's be honest -- we want to save the whales because we LIKE them.
2) Are Some Animals Off Limits to Hunting?: Despite the above questions, it is undeniable that whales are intelligent creatures. Then again, so are octapi and there is no international campaign to end takoyaki. Whales, however, are long lived and do not procreate abundantly -- making wide scale hunting unsustainable in the long term.
3) Are Some Hunts Too Cruel?: Even with modern technology, whales generally suffer greatly when hunted. The animals can take hours to die and others survive with deep, hard to heal wounds.
4) What About Culture?: The indigenous exemptions allow native people who have relied of whales for food to hunt in small quotas. Norway, Iceland and Japan all claim that whaling and whale meat are intrinsic parts of their cultures, and there is something to that. There's also a strange sliding scale of criticism -- the indigenous hunts in open boats, using harpoons are likely to result in more painful deaths for the animals, but after several centuries of colonialism few in the West are willing to criticize native cultural practices.
Norway and Iceland hunt mainly for domestic consumption and in local waters -- nobody in the activist community likes it, but few make a great deal of noise. Japan, on the other hand, is extensively criticized. While the Japanese have whaled for centuries, their current hunt under the scientific research exemption infuriates many. They take many more animals than researchers believe are needed for research purposes. Most of the catch is destined for consumption, but currently, the domestic demand for whale meat falls far short of the amount caught, leading people to speculate that Japan really wants to export whale meat. And finally, they hunt far from Japanese waters in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.
These criticisms are deemed unfair by Japan who are sticking by their research angle -- and who often publically wonder why they are coming under extra scrutiny when Iceland catches the endangered fin whale and when the rest of the world is currently sweeping the ocean clean of numerous species of fish. Suspicions of racism by western activists probably contributes to Japan's insistence of its right to hunt whales.
So -- what's the probable future of whales and whaling? To what degree does a cultural and economic perogative override popular international sentiment and at what point can international organizations attempt to impose restrictions on the practices of other nations?
With science learning more about whales (the heavily hunted Bowhead Whale may actually live as long as 300 years) and Roger Paynes' release of "Songs of the Humpback Whale" helping to "humanize" the animals for a new generation of conservationists and the general public, sentiment moved against whaling even in former major whaling nations like the United States.
Finally, in 1986, the International Whaling Commission enacted the Whaling Moratorium that has been in effect since. Although the IWC is purely voluntary, the moratorium has been seen largely as a success with world wide catches of whales dropping to roughly 2000 a year from pre-ban highs in the 10s of 1000s. But the success has some limitations --
First, the ban has exemptions. The most notable being indigenous subsistence hunting under quotas and scientific research. Second, a limited number of nations do not adhere to the ban. Iceland and Norway flatly refuse to end whaling, and Japan uses the scientific research exemption to hunt large numbers of whales in the Southern Ocean -- despite accusations that most of their catch is actually destined for the dinner table.
The IWC met this week in Morocco with a controversial proposal on the table -- lift the moratorium and allow whaling under strict quotas. Many conservation groups and scientists opposed lifting the ban and giving even tacit approval to whaling, but some of the strongest opposition came from Japan -- as the move would disallow them from using the "scientific exemption" to hunt virtually unrestricted in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.
As of today, the talks appear to have failed and the IWC goes back to the drawing board with the current status quo in place. So whales will continue to be hunted without oversight from the remaining whaling nations and "Save the Whales -- Again" may become a new slogan for ocean conservation activists.
But the ongoing controversy highlights some interesting questions, especially about conservation in general and national/cultural sovereignty issues:
1) Whales are Popular: Conservationists are sometimes accused of exploiting popular animals at the expense of unpopular ones. Worldwide estimates of Minke Whales put their total population above 750,000 -- likely able to support limited hunting, but activists want all whaling banned. Much of that is based upon our impression of whales as majestic and intelligent. Whales adorn t-shirts. "Songs of the Humpback Whale" was a best seller. A recording of whale song is on the Voyager space craft. Saving the whales was a the topic of a mediocre installment of the Star Trek franchise.
Let's be honest -- we want to save the whales because we LIKE them.
2) Are Some Animals Off Limits to Hunting?: Despite the above questions, it is undeniable that whales are intelligent creatures. Then again, so are octapi and there is no international campaign to end takoyaki. Whales, however, are long lived and do not procreate abundantly -- making wide scale hunting unsustainable in the long term.
3) Are Some Hunts Too Cruel?: Even with modern technology, whales generally suffer greatly when hunted. The animals can take hours to die and others survive with deep, hard to heal wounds.
4) What About Culture?: The indigenous exemptions allow native people who have relied of whales for food to hunt in small quotas. Norway, Iceland and Japan all claim that whaling and whale meat are intrinsic parts of their cultures, and there is something to that. There's also a strange sliding scale of criticism -- the indigenous hunts in open boats, using harpoons are likely to result in more painful deaths for the animals, but after several centuries of colonialism few in the West are willing to criticize native cultural practices.
Norway and Iceland hunt mainly for domestic consumption and in local waters -- nobody in the activist community likes it, but few make a great deal of noise. Japan, on the other hand, is extensively criticized. While the Japanese have whaled for centuries, their current hunt under the scientific research exemption infuriates many. They take many more animals than researchers believe are needed for research purposes. Most of the catch is destined for consumption, but currently, the domestic demand for whale meat falls far short of the amount caught, leading people to speculate that Japan really wants to export whale meat. And finally, they hunt far from Japanese waters in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.
These criticisms are deemed unfair by Japan who are sticking by their research angle -- and who often publically wonder why they are coming under extra scrutiny when Iceland catches the endangered fin whale and when the rest of the world is currently sweeping the ocean clean of numerous species of fish. Suspicions of racism by western activists probably contributes to Japan's insistence of its right to hunt whales.
So -- what's the probable future of whales and whaling? To what degree does a cultural and economic perogative override popular international sentiment and at what point can international organizations attempt to impose restrictions on the practices of other nations?
(no subject)
Date: 23/6/10 16:36 (UTC)Not that that's a good viewpoint to hold: ugly as it is, the natural world is important because of, or inspite of, what it is. It shouldn't HAVE to be cute and cuddly for us to want to protect it.
And when it comes to something like dolphin infanticide, which may or may not have some evolutionary purpose far beyond our understanding, it's more likely to turn people off to conservation than help.
But, also, I just think McNinja is funny.
(no subject)
Date: 23/6/10 18:59 (UTC)