DOLPHINS 2

[spiderpig]

Referring to my on the whole dolphin fiasco, Japan Probe has lastest news about Hayden Panettiere's involvement against the Japanese fishermen.

Kudos to Japan Probe for probing (oh pun-nish me please) into whether the hunted dolphins are actually not "in any significant danger". And I love the comparison between Panettiere's statement vs the Japanese Fishemen's statement. Hurrah.

A quick check revealed that none of the species targeted in the Taiji hunt (bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins, Pantropical spotted dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins, false killer whales, and pilot whales) are in any significant danger of going extinct, and it would be almost laughable to suggest that the small scale hunts conducted by the Taiji fishermen are threatening these animals with “annihilation.” It’s one thing to argue against the Taijin hunt on grounds of cruelty or a belief that intelligent animals should not be killed, but to claim Taiji’s fishermen are driving dolphins towards extinction could be considered “condemnation without investigation.”

Teddy-bears in the water? So pretty? .................... okay.

(Note, I really love dolphins but er, descriptions of "teddy bears" and stuff.)

Frankly, I'd be an angry fisherman too. I'm sure that the fishermen don't hate dolphins (well, they might since the dolphins might be threatening their livelihood) but if a bunch of people suddenly rush out and try to do something like that, I'd be fuming.

Why is it cruel? Because it's the killing of dolphins? What about foie gras, what about veal?

Is it not cruel or barbaric simply because they're ducks and cows? Is it because they're domesticated? I mean, what? WHAT? Look at it this way, if it was 'over-hunting' and 'overboard', wouldn't the Japanese fishermen - who depend on it for their livelihood - suffer? If they 'recklessly kill' or 'annihilate' the dolphin/small whale population, where the fuck are they going to get their high-paying paycheques? (For one, dolphin/small whale meat fetches more) My take is that yes, they do kill, but come on, this has been going on for hundreds of years.

The Chinese and Koreans have been killing dogs to eat for hundreds of years (maybe even thousands) and I think we still have a sizable population.

I can't stand it. It's too illogical for me to understand. Or am I the insane one here?

EDIT:
From here:

A 1994 statement [www.furcommission.com/resource/perspect3.htm] by Taiji Mayor S. Hamanaka directly addressed environmentalists in making the case for tradition and the legitimacy of the whale hunt:

We believe we know more about our own sea in Taiji than anyone who lives hundreds or thousands of miles away from us. We also believe we are more concerned with its protection and assume more responsibilities than anybody else in the world. We are sure that the same view is shared by Alaskan Eskimos, Faroese, Greenlanders, Icelanders, Norwegians, and Russians in Chukotka as well. We hope many environmentally concerned people in the industrialized nations will understand our views and trust us as rational and humane people, and stop making whaling a "scape goat" of the environmental crusade and making inhumane attacks on whaling people.”

Found this -

I lived in Taiji for one year as part of the JET program. I'm not for or against the hunting of dolphins. But what I did learn about is the long history of whaling in Taiji and how the whale was the most important resource to this small town for hundreds of years, especially for food. American whalers came in the 1800's and decimated the whale population, only taking oil. Perry opened Japanese trading ports so that American whaling ships could re-supply. I would say that Taiji's cultural history is as close to the whale as Native Americans are to bison. It's just that today, they make a lot of money doing it. The town government is very aware of the environmental concern of hunting too many dolphins, so they are limited by staying within Japan's coastal territory and a self-imposed limit on the number of the catch. But they hate protesters. Some people are trying to convert the industry from hunting to whale tourism. The town is shrinking -- by now the population must be less than 1,000. And all the young people leave for jobs in the city. In another generation or so, they won't be hunting so many dolphins.

HMMM. WHAT SAY YOU HAYDEN?

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/tsu_/]

I just don't like killing. period. I don't really care if it's dolphins or sharks or whatever, I just dislike it. My gripe with the Japanese whaling industry is that they use the excuse of "scientific research" . I'll rather they just admitted to munching on whales.

btw.....you can't really compare dogs to whales, because they breed differently. I think dogs come to heat annually with a brood of 1-5 puppies wheras dolphins mate and breed only once every 4 years? I know they have single children though, or something like that. The foie gras thing is also another misconstruction - the ducks are actually very humanely fattened and cared for........I think you have a valid argument, but your examples are kinda off.

[spiderpig.livejournal.com]

Hahah yeah, I know my examples are all off - I was doing it in a fit of anger against Hayden.

I know where you're coming from - I don't like wholesale killing of things (omg my beautiful sharks) but I just don't like the whole focus on dolphins for purely superficial reasons. Yes the killing is bad, but it should be bad because it is killing - not because it's the death of thousand of cute pretty or other adjectived animals. I just feel sad for like, sharks.

I really really wish that they were arrested. <--- Signs of a weirdo here

[http://users.livejournal.com/tsu_/]

well, I call it: You Can Do The Right Thing The Wrong Way

Their intentions are good, but the way they handled the entire situation left a lot to be desired. I wouldn't mind them getting arrested either I wish people thought sharks were cute though, then maybe more action would be done for them too.