Japanese still killing dolphins in barbaric way.

In Oz last night our 60 minutes showed how the Japanese are still barbarically killing dolphins. I was not sure if they were still doing this to whales because as soon as I saw about 30 seconds of the poor beautiful dolphins and how they were killing them I had to switch it off because it got me too upset.

Not happy, not happy at all, what can we do if the darn politicians cannot do anything. It is not acceptable, I have had it now.

Boycott all Japanese products and foodstuffs. Don't visit Japan, or contribute to their economy in any way.
There is really no way to enforce international fishing laws- the Japanese will just claim they are killing whales and dolphins for research.

I couldn't find a video or anything of the television program you watched, maybe it's not up yet. So I searched around and complied a small bit, not quite sure if it is relevant to the story shown on 60 minutes.

I haven't seen the movie myself, but it does look like something I'll be checking out. Possibly another ATS member who has see it can give their opinion on it. Here's the trailer.


Youtube

The Cove (offcial site)

But in a remote, glistening cove, surrounded by barbed wire and “Keep Out” signs, lies a dark reality. It is here, under cover of night, that the fishermen of Taiji, driven by a multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry and an underhanded market for mercury-tainted dolphin meat, engage in an unseen hunt.

(Quote comes from synopsis from the The Cove site)

savejapanesedolphins.org

It has to do with pest control. As shocking as it sounds, some Japanese government officials view dolphins as pests to be eradicated in huge numbers. During a meeting at Taiji City Hall, the fishermen of Taiji admitted this to us. "We don’t kill the dolphins primarily for their meat. We kill them as a form of pest control," they told us. In other words, killing the competition is their way of preserving the ocean’s fish for themselves.

(Quoted from the savejapanesedolphins Get Educated section)

Killing dolphins as pest control so that you'll be able to have a monopoly on the fish of the sea? That's pretty insane. I couldn't really find anything regarding any Japanese officials stating that they are indeed killing dolphins as a form of pest control.

The site also has a good amount of information about how you can get involved by writing letters to Obama and other representatives locally and to representatives in Japan. I found the movie through this site. It has a decent amount of information for those interested.

I believe that the Japanese whalers, by international law are allowed only to harvest a certain quota amount a year for 'scientific research'. After 'research' is complete, they are obligated by law to utilize what's left of the whale. It's pretty much harvesting the ocean for profit done in the guise of research. I'm loosely paraphrasing from what I remember seeing and reading about whaling, so it may differ when it comes to harvesting dolphins.

As long as there is demand for something, there will be a business or people willing to do something for profit. Money trumps morals and common sense for many people, sadly.



[edit on 10/11/2009 by Forest]