Quote:
Originally Posted by MMM
I don't think it has anything to do with money. It is a cultural thing. In parts of Japan whale has been a common staple. I am not sure what "money" you are talking about.
|
If it is a cultural thing then why do they not just do whaling in traditional whaling areas around the coast of Japan? Modern whaling using factory ships did not start in Japan until around the 1930's so let's not talk BS that the modern whaling fleets that head down to Antarctica have anything whatsoever to do with some long lasting traditional heritage of the Japanese.
I certainly don't think it's just about money either though. As I said previously the industry only currently survives due to government subsidies. The government has attempted to stimulate the industry by bringing whale back on the diet in many schools but the actual commercial demand for whale is very limited and certainly doesn't justify the current size of the catch they take each year. But of course you need to kill over 800 whales a year to further scienftific research!
I have nothing against whaling as part of a traditional and cultural practice like that done by the Inuit in Canada. It is carried out within traditional hunting grounds and often using traditional methods. It is not done on a large commercial scale in some far away ocean for reasons that are little more than laughable.