Whale Hunting - Killing

Give your views on whale hunting in general.

unnecessary in this day and age

there is NO product from the whale that isnt replaceable in some form or other from other sources or with a modern manufactured product

Given the declining numbers and general scarcity of these animals, hunting them is perverse, and the methods used are inhumane...

I've never wanted to go on a Whale Hunt - won't be planning to go on a Whale Hunt - Hope to see that this is abolished in my life time.

Japanese keep killing them using "research" as an excuse. How many do they need for their fcuking research?

UP UNTIL the late 19th century, whale hunting was worldwide...

THE main products were whale blubber and oils, mostly used for lubrication and fuel oil..   Whalemeat for food and whalebone for Scrimshaw,and needles, corset stays, craft work were secondary products in this industry.

PETROLEUM oils and greases replaced most of the need for whale products from the late 19th century;  and synthetics and plastics developed over the 20th century finally put an end to any legitimate reasons to hunt whales..

UP UNTIL the 20th century, Japanese whalers killed whales for their blubber and whalebone/scrimshaw -- the only Japanese to ever have eaten whale meat, before WWII, were those whalers !

THE WHOLE notion that whale meat is a "traditional" food in Japan is an outright lie promoted by a handful of large whaling companies. In fact, less than 1% of Japanese had even tasted whale meat, until those whaling companies began supplying free whale meat to high schools to include on their lunch menus, only within the last decade !

TODAY, only two countries are involved in commercial whaling of any significance -- Japan harvests over 90% of the worlds current take, Norway far less than 9% these days.
A FEW indigenous tribes in places like Canada, Alaska, Siberia, Greenland, northern Sweden and Finland may take a few each year, but that's less than 1% all up..

JAPAN has been using their faux "research" claims to gain excessive limits each year since the 1990s...
Over the past couple of years Japan has claimed a 'bag limit' of 1000-1100 Minke whales -- however, between bad weather in the Southern Ocean, and seasonal harrassment by Sea Shepherd, they have only managed to kill between 440 and 500 or so each year..
HOWEVER, they still manage to kill hundreds of other whales in the Pacific and Indian oceans, in between times.

DESPITE reputedly spending more than 20 years on their faux "scientific research" those Japanese whaling companies have not as yet even produced one research paper on those supposed "studies" !

FROM AN Economic standpoint, whaling activities are so small that they don't even cause a blip on Japan's or Norway's  economic statistics. The existence of a few rich whaling companies in marginal political seats, though, combined with those countries wanting to "keep face" among the international community, means that their governments keep on supporting this odious industry, even if their own populations don't see any need for it..

nicko wrote:Japanese keep killing them using "research" as an excuse.   How many do they need for their fcuking research?

I have this very well worn tshirt

What were the whales used for?
The chief whale products that were used were whale oil derived from the melted down blubber (a thick layer of fat beneath the skin that helps to insulate the whale from the icy seas) and "whale bone" not bone at all but made from keratin, the same protein that makes skin, nails, hair, hoofs and claws. Baleen comes from the large plates that many whales use to filter small food organisms from the sea.
Uses of whale oil
The uses of whale products changed as time progressed. In the heyday of Yankee whaling from around 1860 to 1890, sperm whales in particular and then right whales were the most sought after. The sperm whale supplied spermaceti, an oily, waxy substance in great quantity and the right whale also supplied large amounts of whale bone. The right gave plenty of blubber too, but the sperm whale less so.
Towards the end of the 1800's, mineral oils from underground deposits and gas started to be used for lighting and so whale oil was no longer needed for these purposes, as a consequence the taking of sperm whales declined in favour of other species. There was still a great demand for whale oil that came from the blubber, but now in the main, this was used for making the finest soaps and also for the manufacture of margarine.
Oil for lighting: Sperm whale oil burned slowly, without an offensive odor. It was considered one of the finest oils for illumination used in an oil lamp. Spermaceti was used to make the finest quality clean and odorless candles.
For lubricating: Whale-oil was processed into fine lubricating oils for industries such as clock making. The oil of the blackfish, a small, toothed whale, was prized for lubricating delicate machinery, such as chronometers on whale ships. The oil remained fluid even at very cold temperatures.
Other uses: Although it was most prized for lighting and lubricating, whale oil was also used to manufacture soaps, varnish, cosmetics ("imparts a rich glossy sheen"), paint, glaze (on photographs), to process textiles and rope and burnt to provide heat.
Whale bone - Baleen

Baleen was used in a variety of nineteenth-century products. Buggy whips, Carriage springs, Corset stays, Fishing rods, Hoops for women's skirts, Umbrella ribs and many other applications where nowadays plastic or steel would be used.
If baleen was not carefully cleaned as soon as removed from the whale's jaw, it developed an unpleasant smell that lowered its value.
[url=http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica fact file/wildlife/whales/whaling2.php]http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/wildlife/whales/whaling2.php[/url]

So many different types of refined oils from so many different species of whales...and the massive amount of slaughter was so unnecessary for the quantities that were being used. 

I saw a film where the Japs fired a harpoon into a female Whale and killed it. While reeling the bleeding body into the factory ship it was followed by the bewildered baby who did not know what had happened. I COULD HAVE CHEERFULLY KILLED EVERY ONE OF THE FCUKING CREW, I have never forgotten it!

Say this very quick,

whale oil beef hooked.

nicko wrote:I saw a film where the Japs fired a harpoon into a female Whale and killed it.   While reeling the bleeding body into the factory ship it was followed by the bewildered baby who did not know what had happened.     I COULD HAVE CHEERFULLY KILLED EVERY ONE OF THE FCUKING CREW,  I have never forgotten it!

Not lumping all the Japanese into the same cruelty bucket are you? That's not allowed on here. I guess not all Japanese eat whale and dolphin meat so they're exempt from condemnation.

HoratioTarr wrote:

nicko wrote:I saw a film where the Japs fired a harpoon into a female Whale and killed it.   While reeling the bleeding body into the factory ship it was followed by the bewildered baby who did not know what had happened.     I COULD HAVE CHEERFULLY KILLED EVERY ONE OF THE FCUKING CREW,  I have never forgotten it!

Not lumping all the Japanese into the same cruelty bucket are you?   That's not allowed on here.  I guess not all Japanese eat whale and dolphin meat so they're exempt from condemnation.

It is allowed on here LT, are youth forum police??????????

nicko wrote:I saw a film where the Japs fired a harpoon into a female Whale and killed it.   While reeling the bleeding body into the factory ship it was followed by the bewildered baby who did not know what had happened.     I COULD HAVE CHEERFULLY KILLED EVERY ONE OF THE FCUKING CREW,  I have never forgotten it!

It's utterly vile Nicho.  

The slaugher of dolphins in the Faroe Islands turns the bay red with blood.  Please don't click on the video if it will upset you, it certainly did me.

The world stands back and watches as they do in most things they do not have the guts to tackle.

Stormee wrote:The world stands back and watches as they do in most things they do not have the guts to tackle.

http://www.seashepherd.org.au/

HT, not too sure what you'r trying to say, I said nothing about "lumping" all Japanese together, just those on the boat that were doing the killing!

nicko wrote:HT,   not too sure what you'r trying to say,   I said nothing about "lumping" all Japanese together,   just those on the boat that were doing the killing!

I was being facetious. I was accused of that in a thread about Thai people. You've taken it the wrong way.

Stormee wrote:

HoratioTarr wrote:

Not lumping all the Japanese into the same cruelty bucket are you?   That's not allowed on here.  I guess not all Japanese eat whale and dolphin meat so they're exempt from condemnation.

It is allowed on here LT, are youth forum police??????????

I was being sarcastic!

HoratioTarr wrote:

Stormee wrote:

It is allowed on here LT, are youth forum police??????????

I was being sarcastic!  

In that case have a pint on me, BTW, I do like a bit of sarky but ya got me that time.