In 1986, The International Whaling Commission (IWC) implemented a moratorium to stop commercial whaling. Many people believe that this would save the whales and end forever the industrial slaughter that had decimated the many different species. Being an animal lover and just getting back from Florida for over a year, I realized how beautiful and important the ocean and the animals that live in it are. In Florida I saw many different types of ocean species, but I have never seen a whale in real life. And that made me think. How protected are these animals? I have watched television programs about entire fleets of ships, and even a helicopter, out following whaling ships trying to sabotage their efforts in order to save as many whales as possible. What are the loopholes that these whalers are slipping through to still be able to kill these majestic creatures?
For the exploratory paper I knew I wanted to explore this issue further, such as what the United States is doing to prevent this, what countries still practice whaling for financial gain, what makes them so sought after and how many do you really need to harvest for scientific research?
While looking through articles on the Academic Search Premier on D2L, I found an International Whaling Commission article by Mark Simmonds that caught my eye. The article comments on the practice of whaling and a proposal before the IWC that could possibly lead to the resumption of commercial whaling, if this proposal passes it will mean the time and millions of dollars spent over the years on conservation will be thrown out. Simmonds states, “Even with the memorandum, hundreds of whales are killed every year” (22). This is because the IWC allows nations to grant special permits to themselves ...
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Family therapy is often needed when families go through transitions such as separations between parents and divorce. According to research, “the power of family therapy derives from bringing parents and children together to transform their interactions” (Nichols, & Davis, p.18), as problems need to be addressed at their source. The children who are the most vulnerable, when parents decide to separate, exhibit symptoms which are exaggerations of their parent’s problems (Nichols, & Davis, p.18). Frank and Walt Berkman are the examples of how children cope and adapt to the stressors of family separations such as marital separations and
The most effective piece of this documentary, however, was neither the structure of the film nor the specific questions that one is forced to answer regarding the ethical treatment of these killer whales, but the overall questions of whether or not these corporations should be allowed to continue their cycle of abuse toward the animals and whether or not we, as patrons, should encourage their behavior by giving them a monetary profit every day, every month, and every year. Ignorance is forgivable, but with the knowledge given in this documentary: the final two questions raised should be able to answer themselves.
“Whales provide us with the food for our bodies, bones for our tools and implements and spirits for our souls.” “We haven’t hunted the whale for 70 years but have hunted them in our hearts and in our minds.” “Whales are a central focus of our culture today as they have been from the beginning of time.”
“… building a tank the size of Rhode Island wouldn’t be large enough for a six-ton male killer whale such as Tilikum, an animal capable of swimming 100 miles a day,” states an anonymous whale expert. Whales have been in captivity since 1861 when P.T. Barnum displayed the first live whale that was captured in Canada. However, Barnum had no idea how to care for the mammal and it died after only a week in captivity. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Being up close with killer whales could give us some clues about how they interact with each other, including physical behavior, their dialect, and how their pods work together as a family unit. However, what we are finding is that whales who belong in the wild are suffering in captivity. Killer whales have no record of ever harming a human being in the wild. In captivity, there have been many incidents of killer whales harming or even killing their trainers. What would cause them to do this in captivity, but not in the wild? They have been known to resort to aggression toward themselves and each other, in what scientist believe to be a stress induced behavior. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Evidence against having these wild animals in captivity is increasing and we need reevaluate the value of capturing and holding killer whales for our educational purposes, enjoyment, and profit.
While I personally still feel there is no need to ever kill a whale, I have been persuaded to be a little more open minded about the feelings of other people and other cultures. The same year the Star Trek movie came out, the US government passed a law mandating turtle exclusion
The Makah’s seemingly domestic issue of whaling has and is taking on a larger international problem. The United States plays a large part in policing the hunting of whales, one of the most recent examples being the U.S.’s ...
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.
I agree with the Norwegian and Japanese positions on permitting the hunting of non-endangered species of whales as a cultural exemption. Both of these cultures have been whaling for thousands of years. One stipulation that I would add in order to qualify for a cultural exemption is that the hunting should take place in a historically accurate manner. For the Japanese, this would mean using nets to catch the whales.
The quest to gain international agreement on ethical and legal norms for regulation of whaling has had a long and troubled history. The modern phase of global concern over whaling ethics and conservationist management originated in 1946, when the International Convention on Regulation of Whaling was signed. Thus, the International Whaling Commission was created. The International Whaling Commission was designed to control and mandate the whaling industry. From it’s beginning as simply a whalers club with scientific guidance, to the current day conservationist body, the IWC has undergone many revisions and transformations since the start.
Francis, David R. “Communities of Killer Whales.” The Christian Science Monitor. National Newspapers Core, 15
For almost 400 years, whales have been chased to near extinction. Vessels have travelled the globe to find and extract precious oil and gather whale meat to eat. This has resulted in over 10,000 whales being executed since the moratorium in 1986. A moratorium is a delay or suspension of an activity or a law and in this case a suspension of whaling. Also a ...
Both the Makah tribe and the people who oppose the hunt have very real and valid concerns about whether or not the hunt should be continued. Disallowing it could step on the rights of native tribes and create a negative rapport between the government and native peoples, but allowing it to happen could have possibly serious effects on the environment and and set a precedent for tolerance of whale hunting. I do not believe there is one right answer that is satisfying for all groups. Creating a positive dialogue between people and allowing native cultures to flourish and come into the modern world and not be oppressed by governments is something that should be encouraged. In order for this, the hunt would probably have to happen. I also believe that the Makah should be limited in how many and how frequently they may hunt gray whales and that assistance should be given in choosing a whale, to avoid choosing one from a specific pod that is limited in number or one from a migrating pod that might affect the environment. Helping the Makah tribe to pick out a whale would also prevent the social ramifications of the Makah accidentally hunting a whale that people living near the coast would have become familiar with and would protest the killing of. The Makah tribe technically only requires one whale a year to satisfy their traditions and keeping the number of whales they are allowed to kill low would discourage
"Oceans." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2014. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 8 May 2014.
Bowermaster, Jon. Oceans: The Threats to Our Seas and What You Can Do to Turn the Tide: A Participant Media Guide. New York: PublicAffairs, 2010. Print.