Fries with that, Japan?

Link to Original: http://3degree.cci.ecu.edu.au/articles/view/271

Fries with that, Japan?
By Glenn Knight
28 April 2006

New Australian research argues that Japanese scientific whaling is bogus.

The ten week research program reportedly gathered all the data Japan currently obtains using lethal research on whales.

Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell has been highly critical of whaling nations in statements released late last month.

The statements are in response to new Australian research showing that no justification can be found in Japan’s so-called 'scientific' whaling in Antarctic waters.

"Australia remains opposed to commercial and scientific whaling. Both Japan and Iceland continue to conduct whaling under the guise of science while Norway, which will increase its kill of whales this year, simply defies a global ban on commercial whaling" said Campbell.

The ten week survey covered more than 10 million sqkm and according to Campbell: "gives us by far the most comprehensive assessment of the marine ecosystem in the whole eastern Antarctic area."

"Japan claims that the major objectives for its scientific whaling programs are to monitor the Antarctic marine ecosystem and to model possible competition for food among whale species."

The cold hard and very sad reality is that the slaughter of whales by Japan, Norway and Iceland does nothing to assist the quality of non-lethal marine ecosystem science,” he said.

The survey comes as Japan, Iceland and Norway continue to lobby for greater whaling rights. Japan in particular maintains that its position on the management of all marine living resources be based on scientific findings.

Commissioner Minoru Morimoto, Japan's representation at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) defended Japan’s commitment to its scientific research methods at last years whaling conference in Korea.

"We believe that science-based rule making and policy that is the broadly accepted paradigm for the management of living resources must consistently apply to whaling," said Morimoto.

Japan maintains that its objective in Antarctic waters is about the continuing need to monitor ecosystem changes.

The Japanese Whaling Association states that scientific information such as age structure, growth rates, maturity age, reproductive rates, nutrition and levels of contaminants, can unfortunately only be obtained through lethal research.

According to Morimoto, the research will form the basis of a new and improved management system for whales. A system that, based on the ecosystem approach, would allow for conservation, recovery of depleted species and sustainable use of existing abundant stocks.

The Japanese Whaling Association also points out that whaling is a cultural tradition in their country. They maintain that asking Japan to abandon this part of it culture would be akin to asking Australia's to stop eating meat pies.

They point out that attitudes towards animals are part of each nation’s cultures and that no nation has the right to impose their attitudes on others.

Environmentalist groups such as Greenpeace have also criticised Japan over the use of whale meat for human consumption in Japan as a result of the whaling. They point out that research carried out by Japanese newspapers shows that only 4% of the population eats whale meat.

The Japanese defence is that whilst the whale meat is indeed sold in markets, it is in accordance with the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling requirements. Article eight of the convention highlights that no part of the whale be wasted as a result of scientific research.

According to Greenpeace, Japan has secured the support of eight nations by offering fisheries aid to poor coastal countries in exchange for their support. As a result the Japanese have a blocking minority in voting. Last year this minority prevented the establishment of South Pacific Whale Sanctuary.

Campbell has vowed to take the new information to the next IWC meeting in St Kitts and Nevis in June. He aims to convey the research findings to the international whaling community and that whale research need not involve lethal practices.

“Making it very clear that under no circumstances can this continued slaughter of whales in the name of ‘science’ be justified,” Campbell said.

Campbell hopes that the new research will encourage change to an industry he sees as no longer justified.

“If the whaling officials of scientific whaling countries are serious about better understanding the role of whales in the Southern Ocean we encourage them to further develop long-standing scientific collaboration processes,” said Campbell.

The Southern Ocean ecosystem research consisted of visual and acoustic surveys to determine the distribution and abundance of whales. It also analysed krill populations, the main food source for whales. It is hoped that data collected will give scientists a better understanding of whale numbers and their interactions.