Danielle Renze
Philosophy 110
March 27, 2015
Whaling and Dolphin Hunting
Most people do not have knowledge of the illegal killing of dolphins and scores of whales occurring in many different countries. The killing of whales and dolphins by these fishermen is illegal and is seen as disturbing by most. The line between necessary fishing and the inhumane killing of an excessive amount of wildlife has not been clearly established. While laws introduced by the International Whaling Commission have been put into effect, many whales and dolphins have been killed since then by numerous countries using loopholes to do so. In this essay I will argue why whaling and dolphin hunting is wrong and why more restrictions should be put into place
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These animals were used for oil lamps, candles, to lubricate machinery, margarine, lipsticks, and other things in the past. The baleen these mammals was used for tennis rackets and corsets. The advancement of modern day technology had eliminated the need to use whales and dolphins for these purposes. In present day most whales and dolphins are killed for their meat, which is seen as a luxury to some populations. However, the market for cetacean meat is declining rapidly. The decline had led to large frozen stockpiles of whale and dolphin meat that becomes unused and therefore is a waste.
The last evidence to support my claim is that whaling and dolphin hunting has previously been banned and is actually illegal. In 1986 the International Whaling Commission imposed a moratorium on whaling for commercial purposes. Many countries have found loopholes or simply ignore this ban resulting in over 30,000 whales being killed since the ban was put into action. Japan states that they are killing whales for scientific research. Other loopholes include hunting for cultural reasons and Norway is permitted to hunt under an objection to the
In the past twenty years a large amount of bottlenose dolphin have been killed due to the tuna fishery. In the Eastern Pacific swim large schools of tuna, these shoals tend to be under herds of dolphins, for some unexplained reason. Because of this, fishermen can easily find schools of tuna. The tuna are being caught under purse seine nets, which encircles the shoals of tuna and then is pulled back on board the fishing vessel, catching both tuna and dolphin. Initially the mortality rate was 500,000 each year for dolphins alone. Although some efforts are made to encourage the dolphins to leave the net by backing down part of the net, which allows the dolphins to escape, there are still a large number of mortalities (Bryant). On the other hand, in the last few years there has been dramatic progress in stopping the fishing industries from using purse sine nets. It has been found that dolphins are in immediate danger of extinction if these fishing techniques don’t stop.
Commercial whaling has essentially seized on the clear claims of such, but Japan and other nations are ever so slightly getting closer to that boundary. “We should remember in our dealings with animals that they are a sacred trust to us.
Some countries (for example Canada) allow the clubbing of seals to be taken place every year, for entertainment and their fur. And what about the elephants, did we really have to wait until they were nearly extinct before abolishing the ivory trade, just a few years ago?
In Japan, although the government appears to operate under international law, it is often found to use the "scientific research" loophole. This includes whaling in Antarctica. There are also government subsidies in place to promote this "scientific research". I understand a little about subsidies, in America we have subsidies on milk so prices are kept low enough for people with low incomes to buy milk. I am starting to see why the anti-whale people are a bit put out by Japan. If this is so important to their culture, why does this industry need subsidies to survive?
In the 1970’s and 1980’s, when people began to catch orcas, they herded the whales into coves. They then had fishing boats with large nets that will capture the whales, to where they can pick out the younger ones (Hoyt). If any whales are killed at the scene of the hunt, the fishermen would then cut the whales open and fill them with rocks and tie anchors to them, so that way they will sink to the bottom of the ocean. People do not realize how large of a crime this is committing.
How would you feel if your mother was murdered directly in front of you and you were only a few weeks old and you did not know how to fend for yourself? That's what these poacher are doing of these whales. They look for mother with fairly new calves because it means they have more fat on them. The more fat the more oil they produce which makes for more money. In Greenland they kill at most ten whales a year. While in Japan they kill five hundred and thirty to seven hundred
Imagine being at home enjoying quality time with your family when all of a sudden someone comes into your home and takes you to prison for the rest of your life. No explanation, no warning, and no communication with your family, ever again. In a single moment you have lost your family, your home, and your freedom. That is a very scary thought, yet that is exactly what is happening to killer whales. We, as a society, are going to the ocean, and taking killer whales away from their home, and their families for the sole purpose entertaining us. These beautiful, majestic animals are suffering physically, mentally, emotionally, and they are dying prematurely because of our selfish actions. Mahatma Gandhi said “The greatness of a society
middle of paper ... ... Whales are beautiful creatures and they don’t deserve to suffer the way they do. Also, there are many other meats available to eat. The population of other animals is much higher than a whale’s population.
Looking at Figure C, we can say more than 200,000 blue whales has been killed as results of overhunting. In 1966, the International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling for blue whales, but illegal hunting still occurs (NOAA). While blue whales are no longer being threatened by overhunting, their population is drastically depleted. Like many other marine species, blue whales are being harm by many others factors today. This include collisions of ships, chemical pollution such as oil spills, and noise pollution from vessels (Eco). The population of blue whales is known to be around “10,000 to 25,000 ” (World Wild Life).
The latest animal rights issue to hit the public is a whale of a controversy. For decades, the public has enjoyed visiting SeaWorld and taking in mesmerizing displays of aquatic performance by orcas, the largest species of dolphins, and their trainers. Recent events have stirred up a media uproar over the safety of these creatures and their trainers. Much of what the public knows about the maltreatment of these creatures comes from a documentary released in 2013 called “Blackfish”. The breeding and captivity of killer whales for entertainment purposes poses a threat not only to the whales, but also the trainers who interact with them.
One of the most prominent marine hunting nations in the world is the Japanese. Commercial Whaling has been a big part of Japan’s industry and economy, since the 17th century, it has been one of the main sources of food for the Japanese people. During the 1900s, whales became an important part of the Japanese diet because it provided a lot of protein and was accessible to Japan during World War II when food was scarce. The year with the highest number of whales caught by Japan was in 1962 when 226,000 tons of whale meat was sold nationwide. In 1982 a decision was made by the International Whaling Commission that would ban commercial whaling in Japan, this was known as the moratorium that was finally enforced in 1986. Unfortunately the moratorium was only successful for a couple of years; shortly after Japan was able to hunt whales for :scientific research” which did not violate...
Commercial whaling is a serious world issue that has always been difficult for those who are in support and those who are against it. Each group defends their side with convincing arguments. Morally, whaling is wrong, but do the reasons for whaling outweigh the reasons to cease the primitive hunts? By studying the effects of whaling,realizing how culture has changed over time, and taking note of the money that would be saved, it can clearly be seen that there is no longer a current need for whaling to continue. Efforts have been made to try to stop whaling, but with no help from any authoritative figure,nothing has been done to regulate the whaling. The famous sea shepherd, known for its strikes against whaling, can even be seen on the popular television show, Whale Wars. The continuation of whaling can only have negative effects on everyone. All practices of whaling should cease.
There are many people who wish to tear down many different food sectors. The whaling industry is gone, cats and dogs are protected, and tags are in place to prevent over hunting of wild animals. However, many of these only apply to non domestic and untamed beasts of the land, air, and sea. Nevertheless, even as these people criticize, and as long as they are not vegetarian, they are hypocritical. Right in front of them, they miss the slaughter of thousands of intelligent and self-aware beasts. All because they are used to it. To us the Taiji dolphin slaughter seems cruel, to those is in their culture, it is simply a fact of life. I believe the dolphin slaughter should be allowed to continue, because we all have our quirks, our individual cruelties,
In the early history of whaling (before 1900), whaling efforts were focused on Right, Bowhead, and Atlantic Gray Whales. The Right and Bowhead Whales became severely endangered during that time period, while the Atlantic Gray Whale even became extinct (“Whales and Whaling” 1948). As stated above, when the grenade-tipped harpoon was invented in 1900, the whaling game was changed. Whalers could now hunt bigger and better whales, such as the hulking Blue Whale. The year 1900 was also really the turning point in whaling history.
The definition of whaling is the practice or industry of hunting and killing whales for their oil, meat, or whalebone. The act of hunting and killing whales is starting to affect the opinions of a portion of the citizens in the countries where whaling is practiced where others support whaling because of the huge role it plays in the history and culture of their country. Whaling was once considered a business for countries including Canada, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, and the United States. The whale populations as a whole have severely decreased due to the hunting of these species that began around 3000 BC.