Why don't you use sonar or whale distress calls to scare whales away from the Japanese whalers?
Does Greenpeace support sustainable whaling?
Can't someone take the Japanese whalers to court?
Is Japanese whaling illegal?
There
is a global ban on commercial whaling that was established by the
International Whaling Commission (IWC). According to this ban, whales
cannot be killed unless it is for scientific research. Japanese whalers
use this loophole. They hunt under the guise of scientific research and
then sell whale meat for human consumption (ie, commercial purposes).
This is not a real research program but commercial whaling in disguise,
and as a result, it should be considered illegal.
The IWC has judged
that Japan’s scientific whaling does not address critically important
research needs. It has expressed deep concern that the provisions of
its charter providing for research whaling enable countries to hunt
whales for commercial profit.
Why don't you contaminate whale carcasses with poison? You could reduce demand for whale meat in Japan.
Non-violence
is a core value of Greenpeace. Putting people's health at risk, or even
threatening to do so, is not in keeping with our principles.Peaceful
action is having an impact. The financial backers of whaling are pulling out after 100,000 people took online action.
If
the Japanese whaling program was a normal business enterprise, it would
make sense to reduce demand for whale meat. The reality is, however,
that there is very little demand for whale meat in Japan. The Japanese
whaling program is the pipe-dream of the whaling company Kyodo Senpaku
and a government agency, the Fisheries Agency of Japan.
That’s why we pressure the Japanese government and the companies that own the Japanese whaling fleet to stop whaling.
Why don't you use sonar or whale distress calls to scare whales away from the Japanese whalers?
The consequences of using sonar and/or sounds are too unpredictable for us to ensure it would be helpful. According to the cetacean experts we work with, sonar can be quite dangerous for whales. The US military's high powered sonar is believed to cause whale beachings and we don't know what other side effects the use of sonar could have.Also, we can't predict what direction whales will move in. We could inadvertently drive the whales towards other catcher boats in the area. Further, if we were to make whales flee, we could tire and disorientate them, significantly reducing their chances of escape if they are then chased by the whalers.
Does Greenpeace support sustainable whaling?
Greenpeace is campaigning to end all commercial whaling. Commercial whaling has never been sustainable. It has driven nearly every species of hunted whale close to extinction. This is largely because of their high commercial value and slow growth rates. If you add to this all the other factors affecting the health of our oceans (and whales), there is no question that commercial whaling is not sustainable and must end. Greenpeace does not oppose subsistence whaling by indigenous peoples.We promote whale watching as a sustainable and profitable alternative to whaling.
Eating whale meat in Japan is a cultural practice much like eating beef in Australia and America. Isn't it hypocritical to oppose Japanese whaling?
Greenpeace campaigns to end commercial whaling for environmental reasons. Like many other ocean species, the threats whales face could lead to their extinction. They are a part of the ocean ecosystem that is being disrupted by human activity. The consequences of this are difficult to predict. Japan's whaling program is about business and money – not culture or science as Japan's pro-whaling lobbyists would have us believe. You can read more here.
Are minke whales endangered?
Not enough is known about the status of minke whales to make an accurate assessment. Both minke and fin whales where taken by the Japanese whaling fleet during their latest expedition to the Southern Ocean (2005-2006). The hunters want to add humpbacks to their list. Both fin and humpback whales are endangered.You can learn more about endangered whale species by clicking here.
Can't someone take the Japanese whalers to court?
It is possible that Japan could be taken to the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea and the International Court of Justice regarding whaling. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is currently encouraging the Australian government to do this. We are supportive of their work and believe that the Australian government should try every possible measure to end whaling.
