Japan is at it again

[Echidna]

You do realize that even an average Japanese person has never heard of that right?

How do you know?
Personally, I'm aquainted with only 2 Japanese, but both of them have heard of it.

As to the rest, no I didn't say it that way, you READ it that way.

[Mermaid Momo]

I know because I've attended a Japanese school. I know because I've been to Japan.

[Echidna]

And you asked everyone if they heard of it, and they all said no?
Whatever.

[SeaGlass Siren]

a friend of mine just came back from living in japan. seems like most japanese are clueless. the one that i do personally know lives here in toronto and she really doesn't care :\

[MerMel]

if only i had merpowers... id join The "eco pirates" and do something about it.

[Capt Nemo]

Those that live by the sword get killed by the swords of those who don't!

[Lucinda]

Now if everyone who cares about dolphins would sign the following petition, there's a fair chance the slaughter might end:
http://stopthebloodbath.afd.org.au/petition

It's not long until it starts again (beginning of September). But it won't happen if the local governor decides not to issue a permit for the hunt. This is why he needs convincing and that's why they have been collecting signatures to deliver to him. I believe that this petition has a lot of potential seeing that it's aimed at the person making the actual decision. He's already been getting updates about the signatures, so please sign and let yourself be counted!

[Echidna]

Signed.
I just hope that a petition is enough.

Why are there no financial and economical embargos?
I'm sure that'd impress them way more.

[Princess Anouk]

Signed it and shared it at my facebook page.
I really love dolphins, I really don't understand why people would kill these sweet, beautiful animals!

[Lucinda]

Why are there no financial and economical embargos?
I'm sure that'd impress them way more.

Actually, I think embargos would only highten the tension. I read somewhere that the dolphin and whale hunting was Japan's way of getting back at the international community after Japan had been promised the fishing rights for an area out in the ocean somewhere but ultimately didn't get the rights. If only I could remember where I read that. But basically, their hunting of cetaceans would be their way of saying to other countries "you don't tell us what to do and how to handle our business". If only they'd realise that this isn't about other countries versus Japan, it's about humans versus other living creatures.

[Echidna]

I just wish there would be more one could do.

I shared the petition on FB.
Some of the mers with a huge followerbase, please share it too, we still need many more signatures and it's less than 2 weeks before it's too late.

[Lucinda]

There are currently 62 000 signatures. Thank you Echidna and Anouk for sharing the petition. Only eight days left to reach the goal of 100 000 signatures.

[Echidna]

I hope they turn it in regardless if they don't manage the 100.000.
It's an arbitrary number anyway.

[Lucinda]

Actually, I think embargos would only highten the tension. I read somewhere that the dolphin and whale hunting was Japan's way of getting back at the international community after Japan had been promised the fishing rights for an area out in the ocean somewhere but ultimately didn't get the rights. If only I could remember where I read that. But basically, their hunting of cetaceans would be their way of saying to other countries "you don't tell us what to do and how to handle our business". If only they'd realise that this isn't about other countries versus Japan, it's about humans versus other living creatures.

OK. It think this is where I read it: http://www.csun.edu/~kh246690/whaling.pdf
Having re-read it now, I think I might have gotten my facts a bit wrong. The US was at one point trying to coax Japan into accepting the IWC moratorium on whaling. The US was in exchange offerering Japan fishing rights within the US Exclusive Economic Zone. But Japan was pretty much into whaling before this, and afterwards, despite making this deal with the US, Japan kept on whaling under the guise of "scientific research".

This article also brings up a few interesting things: Environmental organizations in Japan excert very little influence on the desicion-makers within the country (unlike in most western countries). Most of the people making these desicions seem to be bureaucrats as opposed to poticians (who by contrast can be swayed by public opinion). Other things that seem to be hampering conservation efforts is the fact that they seem to be equating whales (and presumably dolphins too) with fish. If you think fish are stupid creatures, and think whales are like fish... then ergo whales must be stupid too and not worth saving. A third problem seems to be that far too many Japanese seem to see whaling as an integral part of their culture, and therefore the practice must be protected regardless of whether it's actually meaningful (it's not even profitable).

Petition update: 73 000 signatures with six days to go.

[Lucinda]

Petition update: Now at 99 600 signatures (only one day left).

[Echidna]

We made it- it's over 101.000 now.

Thanks all who signed and shared!
Let's hope it will be good for something.

Update Edit:
They haven't closed the petition yet, their new goal is 120.000.

[Princess Anouk]

Damnit! Those horrible @$$-holes are killing dolphins anyway! I guess the petition didn't work...

[Echidna]

Yea, I didn't hold my breath since I know how petitions (also called paper-maché here) are handled by most people:
read, laugh, throw in garbage bin.

There is only one thing that is stronger in humans than greed, btw.
And it's not paper.

[Lucinda]

Oh well. At least we tried.

At least someone in Japan gives a toss about doplhins:
http://www.japantoday.com/category/n...lphin-hunt-ban
http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...-dolphins-hunt

The country's aquarium body had put a ban on aquariums accepting live dolphins captured from the hunts like these. Unfortunately, Taiji's musuem went and withdrew from this institution just so that the can ignore the ban.
But this proves that there are at least some decision makers in the country who are for banning these kinds of practises.

[MerMel]

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Captain Nemo
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