Have Your Say: Should the whaling ban be lifted? (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

Is whale hunting acceptable?

A ban on commercial whaling, in place for the last twenty years, could be lifted if nations which favour whaling successfully gain a majority at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission.

The expected shift comes after years of lobbying by Japan to get smaller developing nations to join the industry’s regulatory body.

Is the current ban workable? What impact would any lifting of the ban have on conservation? Do you think the whaling ban should be lifted? Should whales have special conservation protection?

Published: Friday, 16 June, 2006, 09:41 GMT 10:41 UK

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26 pages of comments so far. They seem to be, um, trending negative.

on edit: related threads http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2344454&mesg_id=2344454
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=57381&mesg_id=57381

[Tom Joad]

1. That depends. Is Rove considered a whale?

[wordpix2]

6. LOL

:rofl:

[AutumnMist]

2. I am still confused

as to why we need whaling. At one time we used whales for fuel and other necessities. But now? I understand that some cultures still depend on whales for certain tribal needs. In terms of the above listed items. But killing them when you go home to electricity and telephones? Isn't it time to move on? Why do we still do this? Its along the same line of clubbing seals and the cubs? Who is using the carcass? And what is it used for?

[LeftyMom]

3. Japan, Iceland and Norway have large scale whaling operations

People do eat some of the meat, but Japan takes more than the population wants (it helps to know that whaling was used to keep the Japanese people fed after WWII, as a result whale meat is seen as somewhat old fashioned and has some negative cultural associations.) As a result, a great deal of whale meat is frozen for long term storage, given to school lunch programs in an effort to revive the market and even made into dog food. Japan also buys whale meat from Norway, though whales are protected under CITES and trade in thier flesh is a violation of the same international laws that protect other endangered species such as the great apes.

[tocqueville]

4. Finland ? you must mean Iceland

anyway it's time to start a mass boycott of products from these nations. The ban was lifted though the help of some Carribean nations. A year with no turists will make them reconsider.

[LeftyMom]

5. You're right. Iceland.

I apologize for the error.

7. why are we going backwards - boycott Japan