Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Whales

The Moratorium on Whaling as a Reflection of the “Muddled Cosmological Beliefs” of the West

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The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was established in 1948 at the initiative of the United States to establish a new world order in whaling.   Initially 15 governments were party to the IWC with Japan at the time under occupation and without the right to join.   

 

The Commission’s objectives included safeguarding the great natural resources represented by whale stocks and providing for the “orderly development of the whaling industry” recognising that whale stocks will increase if whaling is properly regulated.

 

But by the 1960s an anti-whaling movement had emerged in the West and the IWC focus started to change.  In 1972, at the United Nations Human Environmental Conference held in Stockholm, the United States lobbied for a moratorium on commercial whaling; a moratorium that came into effect ten years later. 

 

Japan initially took action to be exempt from the moratorium in accordance with Article V of the convention.   Japan made the case that the moratorium infringed upon provisions within the convention in particular that decisions of the IWC be based on scientific findings – at the time the scientific recommendation was that the moratorium was unnecessary – and take into consideration the interests of consumers of whale product. 

 

 The United States threatened that unless Japan withdrew its objection it would revoke fishing allocation for Japanese trawlers off the west coast of Alaska.   Japan withdrew its objection, but the US nevertheless phased out its fishing allocation to Japan.

 

In a book, ‘Reviving the Invisible Hand’, by Deepak Lal, a well known economist born in Indian, reference is made to the West’s obsession with promoting its “habits of the heart” including through the propaganda of the NGOs, most of whom espouse various environmental causes (pg. 233).   Lal explains that the bread and butter of environment groups involves arousing the fear of “Apocalypse Now” (an enduring superstition of mankind) along with the “muddled cosmological beliefs of the West” about how one should live.     

 

He refers to organisations such as the International Whaling Commission as transnational institutions created after the Second World War to legislate our Western morality around the world and that the infiltration and use of these institution by NGOs as source of potential serious disorder (pg. 234). 

 

What the West doesn’t seem to understand is that while Japan, to again quote Lal, joined the bandwagon of globalizing capitalism, they have done this without sacrificing their culture or cosmological beliefs and see the demand from countries like Australia that they give up their tradition of eating whale – a tradition that can be traced to the Jomon Period of approximately 5,500 BC – as a form of cultural imperialism.    Masayuki Komatsu and Shigeko Misaki in ‘Whales and the Japanese’ (The Institute of Cetacean Research, 2003) indicate that the Japanese don’t like others to dictate what “our habits should be” and suggest that the anti-whaling lobby is practicing ethnic and cultural discrimination (pg. 103-104). 

 

At a summit of traditional Japanese whaling communities held in March 2002, it was affirmed that “the basis of Japanese whaling tradition and culture, characterised by the total utilization of the whales and a spirit of gratitude, should be maintained and perpetuated”.   

 

The Japanese have a strong connection to the Shinto and Buddhist religions and believe that deep respect should be afforded animals that are killed so we may eat.   This respect involves not wasting any of the animal and so the Japanese have made a virtue out of utilizing every part of the whale.    There is also a cemetery for whales in the Koganji Buddhist Temple in Nagato City where the fetuses of whales that “did not live to swim in the sea” are buried and kakochos (books of the dead) dedicated to the whales that gave their lives for the well-being of humans.  A service is held once a year in the temple to pray for the souls of the whales.   

 

The Japanese want an end to the moratorium on commercial whaling and the right to continue to harvest whales.  They see the moratorium as reflecting Western arrogance and believe that they will prevail, simply because “we are right”.

 

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This is my fourth blog post on whaling following my recent visit to Japan.  

 

 

Deepak Lal was elected President of the Mont Pelerin Society at its 60th Anniversary Meeting in Tokyo.  

 

The picture was taken in the garden of the Orion Hotel, Chinzanso, on September 12, 2008.

 

 

International Whaling Commission Faces Revolt from North Atlantic

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The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is facing a revolt.   The whaling nations of the North Atlantic, in defiance of the IWC, recently approved a quota of 10 humpback whales for Greenland.

 

The North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO), established in 1992 to provide international competence on conservation and management of whale and seal stocks in the region, normally makes recommendations to the IWC. 

 

But after the IWC rejected Greenland’s request for a quota of 10 humpback whales at the meeting in Chile earlier this year, the countries of the North Atlantic decided enough was enough in particular because the quota had been approved by the IWC science committee and the aboriginal subsistence committee. 

 

The quota was refused at a plenary session with Australia, New Zealand and the European Union key protagonists.

 

Opening statements from Norway at the meeting of NAMMCO on 2-4 September included:

 

“The debate about management of marine mammals today is mostly emotional.  It is disturbing that the attitude towards science as the basis for managing whale stocks is vanishing.  This is especially important as we have based our management of wildlife in general on science.  Also, we have to solve international conflicts in the environmental field (global warming, biological diversity, fishing, effects of pollution, etcetera) on a scientific basis.  Whaling and sealing is not a major issue in this context, but the actions of governments in this matter may create an international precedent for similar actions in more important issues.  We cannot accept that a legal activity conducted with the best practice in one country is not accepted in another country because of emotions.”

 

The decision by the IWC to block the request by Greenland for a quota of 10 humpback whales, a decision spearheaded by Australia and New Zealand, is indeed seen by many as irrational with comment that, “So, whales are not only considered special by Australians, but humpback are even more special.  How is this?”

 

Fed-up, Greenland, a Danish Protectorate, has reportedly written to its government asking that it withdraw from the IWC.

 

 

  

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You read it first at JenniferMarohasy.com/blog.

I’m leaving Tokyo for Sydney later today.  

Eating Whale in Tokyo

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Some people worry about whether a particular food tastes good, others whether it is healthy, while some concern themselves with the ethics of food production and consumption. 

 

There are two criteria that I consider valid when it comes to ethical food choice: 1. Is the harvest of the animal sustainable, and 2. Is the killing humane.   

 

Whaling by the Japanese is undertaken in accordance with a strict quota system to ensure populations are not depleted and every effort is made to get a quick and painless kill including through the use of a grenade tipped harpoon. 

 

So I had no problems with the ethics of eating whale when I visited a restaurant that specializes in whale in downtown Tokyo recently with well known blogger, David.

 

 

 

 

Furthermore, whale tastes good, at least when it is cooked. 

 

Our meal started with a green salad containing crunchy whale blubber. 

 

 

My favourite dish though comprised lightly peppered whale steaks.

 

 

 

But several of the dishes comprised elegantly presented raw whale meat including cold raw morsels of heart and tail.   

 

 

 

 

I didn’t enjoy these at all.

 

Later in the meal we were provided with our own cooking pot which we filled with whale tongue and an assortment of vegetables.

 

 

 

 

 

Later David added some raw egg and noodles.

 

 

 

All in all it was a fun evening and I can recommend whale – but it’s definitely best cooked.

 

 

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This is my second post on whales and whaling from Tokyo, the first is here.  

Whale Meat as a Western Taboo

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It’s free-range, organic and tastes like an exceptionally tender eye fillet.  I am referring to the whale meat, lightly roasted in black pepper, I enjoyed Tuesday night in Tokyo.       

 

The Japanese delegates at the conference I am attending here in Tokyo thought it unusual I was keen to try whale. 

 

“Its taboo for Westerners,” was one remark.  

 

Of course whale is not on the menu here at the New Otani Hotel, but it is available downtown.    It was a New Zealand friend, David, a computer programmer who has lived in Tokyo five years now, who took me to the restaurant that served whale.  

 

Like me he has no respect for the high profile anti-whaling positions of our respective countries or the idea that some food should be taboo.

 

The word taboo was a discovery and addition to the English language from Captain James Cook.  Visiting the Pacific island of Tonga in 1777, the Captain noted in his journal that ‘taboo’ signifies a thing is forbidden.   

 

The emergence of whale meat as taboo is a hallmark of the arbitary and religious nature of modern environmentalism.  

  

 

 

Little Whale Steaks, Tokyo, September 9, 2008
Little Whale Steaks, Tokyo, September 9, 2008

 

Skinny Whales, Claim Japanese

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“Australian scientists have expressed serious doubts about a Japanese study which claims whales are losing blubber because more of them are competing for food,” according to a recent article at ABC Online. It continues,”The Japanese Government-backed study, published in the Polar Biology survey, examined more than 6,000 dead whales. It concluded that the amount of blubber on Antarctic Minke whales had declined over the past 18 years because increased numbers of whales were competing for krill and other fish.”

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This blog is a gathering place for people with a common interest in politics and the environment. I strive for tolerance and respect. I don’t always agree with what I publish, but I believe in giving people an opportunity to be heard. I take no responsibility for comments and hyperlinks that follow each blog post. Some content may be considered offensive by some people.

Humpback Whales Off Endangered List

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“FORTY years ago conservationists feared that humpback whales were being hunted to extinction. Now numbers have returned to such a level that they have been taken off the danger list.”

At least that is one of the good news stories in yesterday’s The Australian. It continues:

“The latest count stands at 40,000 mature individuals, meaning that, for now at least, the humpback is safe from the threat of extinction.

Several other whales, such as the blue whale, the biggest animal on earth, and the sei and southern right whales, are also growing in number after similar scares.”