Who Is The Real Victim?

We have learned that the broader thoughts of the countries that participate in whaling are unanimous in that they believe it is not at all wrong and the quotas and restrictions should be alleviated. But how do the individuals that take part in hunting these large mammals feel about regulations and pressure from foreign countries? In an older article published by Red Orbit the life, thoughts and feelings of a man who had spent all of his life whaling are showcased. The story frames whaling to be a treasured past time that filled the man, Tameo Ryono, with happy memories. They describe him as proud to be catching whales and how whalers were stars in his town of Taiji, that he had gotten what he had dreamed of ever since he was a little boy. These positive words reflect whaling and its participants as those of any other respectable hobby. The story, compassionately titled Whaling Community Struggles Through Bans and Conservation, gives the reader a look at the hard ships these everyday whalers are having to endure. 

The article goes on to tell how Ryono is displeased to believe he may be the last man of his family to take part in whaling. Restrictions, quotes, regulations and pressure from foreign countries are blamed for putting a halt and possible end to the countries most treasured past time. These people claim to whales lives they take out in international waters are not for commercial purposes, but to carry out tradition, and that laws from foreign conservationists are tainting their culture. They also blame them for an economic down turn, stating that when they joined the IWC moratorium many jobs were lost. Along with a loss of jobs Taiji people say loss of whales means a loss of food. Whale meat is eaten there as a staple and used for cultural practices.  

Tameo and his fellow whalers of Taiji claim that they are able to survive because of their local governments quota on annual whale kill. This quota is set at 2,000 mainly because of pressure from conservationists, which the Taiji people resent because there is no real restriction by the IWC. The mayor of Taiji, Kazutaka Sangen, feels for his people and is quoted saying. "Despite various tragedies and hardship, our ancestors did not cut their ties to whales". It seems as though these whalers and there leaders feel they are the victims of the controversial issue but will not stand down in the name of their culture. 

Daunting Descriptions.

When I first began this blog I realized the use of harsh and gruesome words about the subject gave off a negative bias on the issue of whaling. To keep a neutral standpoint and only talk about the coverage of the topic, I found it was best to use objective terms and discourse. An article published by MSNBC did not seem to see eye to eye with me on this concept. The descriptive story titled, "Sea turned red with blood as Faroe Islanders hunt pilot whales" showcases it's bias on the controversial issue in the title alone. This gory depiction of the scene at hand does not put a pleasant initial image in the readers mind. 

They then come to the warning portion of the article. MSNBC places a warning label at the top of the article stating: 

This post contains graphic images which some viewers may find disturbing. 

The choice to choose these particular images and then proceed to describe them in this manner shows the news outlet has some what of a negative bias on the issue. 

The real indication of MSNBC's tilt on whaling is the word choices and discourse they use throughout the article. Words like herd, hunt, slaughter and kill are all used throughout the story. The decision to use these kinds of gruesome words put them on the right wing of the contention in a very outright manner.

Along with their words MSNBC's images, held true to their warning, also do not shed a positive or even neutral light on whaling. A lot of blood and guts are included in the photographs along with graphic depictions of the scenes. The photos are grim and do not shed a neutral or positive light on the issue whatsoever. 

The content of MSNBC's article on the Faroe Island's recent whaling resembles that of a People's Daily Online article. Although this particular story does not have the gory discourse behind it, it mimics MSNBC's piece with a bold and repelling title, "Cruel Scenes of Whaling", and numerous graphic photos that very much deter the reader from any positive thoughts. There is no article, but the first bold word of the title gives off the outlets opinion on the issue of whaling.

A View From The East.

I have yet to find many articles on this issue coming out the territory it is occurring in, that is except for Australia, but they are about the only country in their area that are whale advocates instead of hunters. I thought it would be interesting to see what a media outlet from a whaling country has to say about the controversial issue. An article out Japan blames the West in the fight over the whales inhabiting our international waters. 

This story highlights the 1982 Whaling Moratorium and how it is something the Japanese have been up in arms for for quite some time. The Moratorium states that “This provision will be kept under review, based upon the best scientific advice, and by 1990 at the latest, the Commission will undertake a comprehensive assessment of the effects of this decision on whale stocks and consider modification of this provision.” The Japanese see this agreement as unjust. The story frames the West as seeing the moratorium as "a moral victory for the protection of whales". The author goes off on a sarcastic side note stating, "(How ironic that the IWC Scientific Committee was stifled by anti-whaling nations in the formulation of the moratorium and Japan was forced to comply through intimidation.)" 

The Japanese clearly ill-receiving our messages just as we are their motives.

The article goes on toexplain how even though the Japanese government was forced to call off their scientific whaling program in the Southern Ocean earlier this year because of attacks from the Sea Shepherds Society, they will continue to resume the program soon. When they relaunch their mission they will also be sending extra ships to defend against the Seas Shepherds. The Japanese are pulling out the forces they need to to complete there mission, and it will not be hard to calling in reinforcements. In a recent poll of Japanese people 52% are in favor of whaling, 35% are neutral to the idea and only 13% oppose it.

Through this article we learn that in the eyes of the Japanese whaling truly is research. The authors states that "Ignorance (and denial) about the actual function of the IWC and the scientifically unfounded rejection of sustainable whaling in the form of the 1982 moratorium shapes the West’s justification for fervent criticism against Japanese scientific whaling." Japan truly believes that they are out to do a good deed in the name of science and are being made a fool of by the Western states. They feel that they have been backed into a corner and are a victim of this international phenomenon. 

A Not So Solid Assumption.

I have yet to blog on the popular Animal Planet show Whale Wars, the one that got me interested in this topic in the first place. The shows highlights The Sea Shepherd Conservation Societies efforts to put an end to the whale hunting carried out by various foreign economies. Whale Wars does a good job at giving viewers an in depth look at the fight that really goes on in our international waters. But do the media outlets that cover the show do a good job of portraying the true outcome of their efforts? An article published by Fox News online carried and extremely deduced title on the subject with even more watered down information to back up their claims.

The story casually titled Did "Whale Wars" End Whaling? Sure Sounds Like It, makes a huge assumption right off the bat in its synopsis of the popular show. Along with this assumptive title came their assumptive first claim that Whale Wars "has become so successful at harassing whaling ships at sea that activist groups are saying the TV show is at last partially responsible for ending whaling as a modern industry." The statements in this introduction are not only untrue but the discourse is also all wrong. The whale activists goal is not to "harass" the hunters, but to put a stop to something that they believe is wrong.

Fox then goes on to quote Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano saying, "Sea Shepherd's repeated sabotage is. . .deplorable", not exactly serious evidence for their cease fire claim against Japan.

The news outlets use of a graphic image is not very settling to the reader either.

Fox then backtracks even more quoting the animal planet producers themselves saying that the conservation group "doesn't fully believe that whaling operations are over". I am sure readers everywhere are now confused as to if the show surely put an end to it, only kind of or really not at all. The readers deduction is probably not at all because after Fox is done quoting their sources they go on to tell us how a Sea Shepherd Ship The Bob Barker is back in the waters following the actions of Japanese Whalers.

The bold assumptions and lack of empirical evidence in this article make it extremely hard to be taken seriously. To use an in-your-face title only to grab readers attention and then have nothing relatable to it in the story itself is poor journalism and calls for a lack of credibility.

If Fox thinks Whale Wars is doing such a great job out there, they should take a note from TIME magazine and cover the story fairly with a real thesis and serious facts to back it up.

What is the Government's roll in International Whaling?

The issue of whaling is extremely political. The governments of both sides of the issue are very involved in terms of policy, reform and action. A recent article out of Australia, the world's biggest anti-whaling advocate, took a direct stab at their own government. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, although now a national organization, was founded and run by a man named Paul Watson out of Australia. Watson's life revolves around the protection of these massive mammals and he has recently been standing up for them more than ever. 

In regards to their next whaling mission, the Japanese Government granted their whalers $28 million to strengthen the whaling program's security. This security hopes to break the Sea Shepherds efforts to interfere with their hunt. In regards to the Japanese governments allocations, Watson believes his own government is failing in terms of it's moral and legal 

responsibilities.

The article goes on to detail some discrepancies The Sea Shepherd founder had with the Australian government concerning similar matters. 

"When Uruguayan fishermen go into these waters to catch Patagonian toothfish, Australia arrests them,"

 "Why is that Uruguay can't fish, but Japan can kill whales in these same waters?"                            "Japan is operating like an outlaw, renegade nation, but nobody has the guts to do anything about it."

Although not fully reliant on their government for support, the Australian whale advocates  and Sea Shepherd members turn to them for help in times of financial and political need. The article explains how Watson is also a cofounder of Greenpeace and how him and his followers once treasured the Australian Government but they are now extremely let down. This article frames the government in a very negative light in regards to helping their peoples cause. But is poses the question of how much of the issue is really the governments responsibility and how much of it is truly in their hands? Although this extreme activist group is in their country, what obligations do they hold?

The people believe they hold a huge obligation to these mammals and claim they would step out of the way, "all the Australian Government has to do is send a navy vessel down there and do the job they're supposed to be doing." To the people and these advocates, it is the governments duty.

Regardless of government backing, two Sea Shepherd ships The Steve Irwin and the Brigitte Bardot will take on the seas on what they hope will be their last attempt to fight the Japanese hunters near the end of November. They plan to catch the whalers in the middle before they are able to reach the whales.

Inside The Mind Of A Whaler.

Although it is a clearly disputed and controversial issue, especially looked down upon by those of our own nation, there is still some coverage on Whaling coming out of the United States that does not portray it in a negative light. An article published just this week in the New York Times reflects the daily thoughts and motions of those whalers in a neutral tone.

In Barrow, Alaska it is not deer or dove hunting season, it is prime time Fall Whaling season. Loaders and forklifts are as common of sights as bows and guns to the Inupiat Eskimos that hunt these large mammals. This years season started the latest of them all on October 8, 2011. The NY times describes how the city made another record by receiving it's largest allowed quota of 22 strikes, but without any bias. According to the head of the Barrow Whaling Captains Association, Eugene Brower, “Fall whaling is for lazy whalers”. The whales migrate to the West and then down South before the brute of the Winter arrives in the Fall Season. This factor has made hunting this time of year more popular. The articles relays these facts as right out information, not shedding a negative light upon the activity.

They go on to inform us of how in the Spring, hunting is a bit more difficult as the ice has begun to thin from climate change. Because of this reason more traditional practices are executed such moving across the ice and rowing towards the whales in boats made of sealskin.

The most brow raising part of the article is how they objectively describe the rituals of the first catch of the season. When the first successful hunt of the season occurs, the people of Barrow celebrate as though it were a state fair. The whole community comes out to support, watch and execute the kill, young and old. The family and members of the crew that capture the whale are genuinely congratulated. This joyful and happy scene goes on to explain the next step in the process. Although many Americans may find it far from a celebration, the  New York Times maintains neutrality in its description. 

"By lunchtime, children were tossing rocks at the animal’s blowhole while its limp body swayed in the shore break like so much seaweed. Blood seeped through its baleen as a bulldozer dragged all 28 feet of it across the rocky beach."

Although many would find it a sight of sadness, the NY times describes it in a way that brings prosperity and happiness to Barrow, Alaska's economy. Once large machinery gets the whale out of the water, into the snow, and cut into satisfactory pieces, people immediately begin pitching in to reap it's benefits. 

The Times also brings attention to Alaska own forms of culture. Traditional Alaskan drums are made from the liver membrane of the whale. Children use the large bones of the animal as a playground. The lenses of their eyes are used to determine their age. 

Most importantly, and only within a matter of hours, the whales meat - muktuk - is divided up and offered to the townspeople. 

The muktuk is the prime advantage of the whale kill. Once a hunt as been executed, the fisherman are busy in their homes distributing the meat. This is a tradition carried on from the early 1900's when Barrow had no other source of food. People even used whale bones as the frames of their houses and as gravestones. The following video shows a brief and very interesting synopsis of the energy present in the town during whaling season: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjZqf_SUYQM

(embedding was disable by request) 

One cultural traditions are humored, the Times goes on to listen to the whalers side of the issue. The people of Barrow love these mammals because they rely so greatly on them. Although they have a need for them, they are still extinct because of their hunting, critics main point against the activity. Whalers of Alaska and other countries know the harsh feelings opposing view points have against their actions and are weary of the media in their town. Although they do not necessarily like to publicize their hunting for fear of criticism and scrutiny, they say they will never stop whaling. A candidate for mayor of the North Slope Borough, Fenton Rexford said:

“No one can stop what our fathers and forefathers have done for thousands of years. But we’re highly adaptable people. We use what tools are available to us to make life easier.”

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"With  Powerboat and Forklift, a Sacred Whale Hunt Endures"

William Yardley, New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/17/us/in-sacred-whale-hunt-eskimos-use-modern-tools.html

Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission

http://www.alaska-aewc.com/aboutus.asp

North Slope Borough

http://www.north-slope.org/

US: A Sacred Whale Hunt Endures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjZqf_SUYQM

Political Action On Whaling In Iceland.

Imagine fishing for a 90 foot mammal like you would an everyday blue gill. That is how the fisherman of Iceland approach the lives of whales in their oceans. The ancient sport dates back to the late 1800's where whales were caught for the sale of frozen meat and meat meal.  

Now, in the twenty-first century there is more controversy of the issue than ever. In October of 2006, Iceland launched a global hunt on whales, violating the global moratorium on whaling. Their Ministry of Fisheries, a cabinet-level ministry regulating agriculture and fishing, granted fisherman permission to catch thirty piked whales and nine endangered fin whales a year. Iceland now takes a seat with Japan and Norway as one of the worlds largest whaling nations. One of Iceland's biggest assailants is the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS), who hope to end the hunting of our oceans wildlife and stop the destruction of habitat.

The SSCS is pushing for the International Whaling Commission to enforce economic authority on Iceland for their illegal hunting.

Another advocacy group on the side of the mammals is the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). This Group has made headlines, and history in some minds, in regards to bringing sanctions against Iceland. In July, WSPA and another group, Care2, urged President Obama to consider bringing this ratification against Iceland. 

They signed and filed a petition along with 18 other groups in 2010 for the Department of Commerce (DOC) to analyze the whaling activities in Iceland. The DOC determined their activities to undermine to global conservation agreement and left the President with two months to decided where or not to take action. A month later, September 2011, he made his decision. Obama agreed to use diplomatic means to deter Iceland's commercial whaling business. Although President Obama did not agree to bring trade sanctions against Iceland, he promised to take other actions. Karen Vale of the WSPA describes them to include:

- The U.S. will raise concerns about whaling at meetings with Icelandic officials;

- U.S. officials will evaluate the appropriateness of visits to Iceland;

- Arctic cooperation projects will be reviewed and the U.S.’s involvement will be linked to whether Iceland abides by the IWC’s moratorium on whaling;

- The U.S. will monitor activities of Icelandic companies that engage in commercial whaling; and

- Under a reporting requirement, the Departments of State and Commerce must keep the situation under review and report back to the President.

Although it is not a full set of sanctions to completely end whaling in Iceland, whale advocates hope this move by President Obama is a step in the right direction towards stopping whale violence. It also instills hope in people that the Government still has a goal of protecting our environment, despite other agenda issues. 

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Victory! The U.S. Takes Action Against Icelandic Whaling - Karen Vale

http://www.care2.com/causes/victory-the-u-s-takes-action-against-icelandic-whaling.html

www.seashepherd.com 

Obama Waives Sanctions on Icelandic Whaling- Agence France-Presse

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/09/15/obama-waives-sanctions-on-iceland-whaling/