They're not kidding. Honestly, how is this issue getting so much support? Who wants to re-open commercial whaling? (Besides those already doing it, of course)
The 88 member nations of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) are sending a weak message. Essentially they're being lazy and tip-toeing on eggshells for political reasons - not conservational ones.
"The overall reduction in the whale hunt is based on politically negotiated numbers, not on scientifically derived catch limits. Its quotas come close to numbers that these rogue nations probably would catch anyway. That's like the tale in the book 'The Little Prince' involving a monarch who can make the sun set — but only at the time when it would do so anyway."
The article makes a good point - which I'm totally in agreeance with:
"We're not adamantly opposed to the idea of any and all whale hunting. Subsistence whaling by indigenous groups in Alaska and elsewhere kills more than 150 whales a year. Some cultures do not find the use of meat and other whale products any more objectionable than most people find the production of lamb for consumption. It's not the commission's job to pass moral judgment on whether whales are too intelligent or beautiful to hunt; rather, it must take a strong stand on ensuring healthy whale populations, and this proposal fails on several fronts."
Right. I've never been a fan of "the white man" coming into indigenous cultures and saying "Oh hey, we exploited this animal so now you have to stop too, okay?" No. These cultures have been doing this since before we have, and it's part of their subsistence. I love whales - I do. But these aren't the people who are the problem here.
Full article here (LA Times):
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-whale-20100508,0,762400.story
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