Yes, Ray C. Some protesters were blocking a Japanese whaler in a fancy, space age speedboat and the Japanese intentionally sheared off the speedboat’s bow, leaving it to sink. Rather then rescue the people in the sinking speed boat, Japanese crewmen were spraying the people in the speedboat with fire hoses. I believe that both cutting off the speed boat’s bow and failing to rescue crewmen from the sinking speed boat are serious breeches of international law. It actually does get dangerous out there.
My own take is that whales are not just big fish. They are mammals and very intelligent, sentient creatures. We no longer need whale oil or baleen for ladies corsets and we have other sources for meat. Therefore, there there is no reason to go out an murder them. The Japanese say that they are only doing scientific study, but the whales seem to go directly into Japanese meat markets. Not a whole lot of scientific study going on there.
I’m with you on that, jrbj, we should leave the whales alone.
I just read a couple of articles this morning, this being the more thorough: http://tinyurl.com/ya35b26
I doubt that the Japanese vessel would be cited for not picking up the crew, since Sea Shepherd had another boat standing by which picked them up. Also, the SS boat was apparently threatening the Japanese vessel.
Whaling should be stopped, but I don’t agree with how these people are trying to do it, if the report is accurate.
I see no reason or purpose behind whaling in this day and age, but when the protester’s tactics make me cheer for the whaler, there’s something very wrong going on.
Even though the speed boat was harassing the Japanese whaler, it is against international law for the whaler, or any vessel, to intentionally harm another vessel in international waters. It is also international law that, in international waters, the offending vessel stop and ask if they can assist. If there were other rescuers in the area so be it. But the offending vessel still has to stop and ask. Further, it is not lawful for the offending vessel to spray the stricken vessel with fire hoses once it has struck the other vessel. I know this from years at sea and it is not simply my opinion. I agree that harassing the Japanese whaler, which may also break international law, is not an appropriate thing to do, but who the heck else is there to go out and stop the whalers. We have these international laws of the sea and we have international laws against whaling. What good are any of these laws if the people charged with upholding them are not doing what they were charged to so?
Actually when whaling was banned 2 loopholes were left in the law. Traditional purposes for cultural reasons, Like the Inuit who relied heavily on whaling for their food sources. Japan tried to claim that exemption but their whaling practices were too modern for that to fly. The second is research purposes. Japan’s excuse here is that we can’t discover the “safe” level of harvesting whales without whaling. So it isn’t research on the whale itself, they are “researching” how quickly re-population occurs trying to determine a safe level for whaling to preserve the species. Apparently everyone but a politician can see the hypocrisy there. Still it is being opposed through legitimate means too so there is hope.
Brer_Rabbit10 over 14 years ago
And the life vest locker is .. locked!
Ray_C over 14 years ago
History repeats. Wasn’t there an incident with some whale hunting protesters just a few days ago? A collision, I believe.
Charles Brobst Premium Member over 14 years ago
A fragile little sailboat ‘rammed’ a big metal ship.
jrbj over 14 years ago
Yes, Ray C. Some protesters were blocking a Japanese whaler in a fancy, space age speedboat and the Japanese intentionally sheared off the speedboat’s bow, leaving it to sink. Rather then rescue the people in the sinking speed boat, Japanese crewmen were spraying the people in the speedboat with fire hoses. I believe that both cutting off the speed boat’s bow and failing to rescue crewmen from the sinking speed boat are serious breeches of international law. It actually does get dangerous out there.
My own take is that whales are not just big fish. They are mammals and very intelligent, sentient creatures. We no longer need whale oil or baleen for ladies corsets and we have other sources for meat. Therefore, there there is no reason to go out an murder them. The Japanese say that they are only doing scientific study, but the whales seem to go directly into Japanese meat markets. Not a whole lot of scientific study going on there.
Ray_C over 14 years ago
I’m with you on that, jrbj, we should leave the whales alone. I just read a couple of articles this morning, this being the more thorough: http://tinyurl.com/ya35b26 I doubt that the Japanese vessel would be cited for not picking up the crew, since Sea Shepherd had another boat standing by which picked them up. Also, the SS boat was apparently threatening the Japanese vessel. Whaling should be stopped, but I don’t agree with how these people are trying to do it, if the report is accurate.
MrDangerous over 14 years ago
I see no reason or purpose behind whaling in this day and age, but when the protester’s tactics make me cheer for the whaler, there’s something very wrong going on.
Lani14 over 14 years ago
Totally agree MrDangerous
billdi Premium Member over 14 years ago
what’s wrong is that those tactics seem to be the only way to get anyone’s attention
jrbj over 14 years ago
Even though the speed boat was harassing the Japanese whaler, it is against international law for the whaler, or any vessel, to intentionally harm another vessel in international waters. It is also international law that, in international waters, the offending vessel stop and ask if they can assist. If there were other rescuers in the area so be it. But the offending vessel still has to stop and ask. Further, it is not lawful for the offending vessel to spray the stricken vessel with fire hoses once it has struck the other vessel. I know this from years at sea and it is not simply my opinion. I agree that harassing the Japanese whaler, which may also break international law, is not an appropriate thing to do, but who the heck else is there to go out and stop the whalers. We have these international laws of the sea and we have international laws against whaling. What good are any of these laws if the people charged with upholding them are not doing what they were charged to so?
Kerovan over 14 years ago
Actually when whaling was banned 2 loopholes were left in the law. Traditional purposes for cultural reasons, Like the Inuit who relied heavily on whaling for their food sources. Japan tried to claim that exemption but their whaling practices were too modern for that to fly. The second is research purposes. Japan’s excuse here is that we can’t discover the “safe” level of harvesting whales without whaling. So it isn’t research on the whale itself, they are “researching” how quickly re-population occurs trying to determine a safe level for whaling to preserve the species. Apparently everyone but a politician can see the hypocrisy there. Still it is being opposed through legitimate means too so there is hope.
Sherlock Watson over 14 years ago
If mooning is out, how about “the finger”?