Australia is ready to start on a new research agenda that would prove whales do not have to be slaughtered in the name of science.
The Australian government urged Japan to abandon its yearly whale hunt on Monday, putting $4-million into scientific research that is designed to end Japan’s scientific whaling program. The study would include aerial surveys, genetic analysis, and tagging.
Japanese whalers plan to catch up to 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales, saying there will be no changes to their hunting plans despite international protests and slumping demand for whale meat at home.
Japan, which considers whaling to be a cherished cultural tradition, abandoned commercial whaling in accordance with the international moratorium in 1986 but began what it calls a scientific research whaling program the following year.
The ships are expected to set sail in the coming days, although officials said that for safety reasons no exact date is being made public.
The fleet failed to reach its target catch in last season’s hunt, partly due to a series of protests and disruptions by animal rights activists.
“Australia does not believe that we need to kill whales to understand them,” Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett told reporters. Activists say the research hunt is a front for commercial whaling, outlawed under an internationally agreed moratorium.
If you think it over: Japanese scientists did not find what they were looking for after decades of killing thousands of whales. Does it not make you wonder about Japanese scientists’ lack of expertise in other fields too. Would you buy their Sony, Toyota, Soy sauce, or even a chopstick, considering how inefficient they have to be; or do they think we are morons? It is your decision to support a culture like this and bear the consequences. They soon will have the last tuna for sushi anyway. The only thing they understand is money, if you do not buy Japanese you have got leverage.
