Fiddling while Rome burns
So, whilst Iceland launches a quota for 150 fin whales, and Norway is stockpiling whale meat for pet food it seems the rest of the so-called conservation countries are kneeling at the alter of the all powerful Japan, as their seek to out compete with each other to give Japan more and more concessions. Its a drive from the USA but other countries are helping. So what's going on? Where did this all go wrong?
Is it time that these nations had a wake up call? Iceland's move seems to be a selfish political act to boost an unpopular government, but of course makes a mockery of Japan saying that its may reduce its Fin whale quota. Where does the USA and others think that those Icelandic kiled Fin whales will be going? To Japan on the quickest aircraft their can muster. And Norway has never indicated that its going to abide by any new agreement that the USA makes with Japan, I am not sure anyone even bothered to speak to them!
So, for the benefit of a few ‘diplomats’ who are tired of the whaling issue, and no longer want to travel the world making the same old arguments, we could see commercial whaling back with a vengeance. Yes we have heard the arguments about 'less whales will die', but I am sorry - YOU ARE WRONG, ITS A CON!
So how did the whalers do it? Well the truth is that they stuck to their strategy of blackmailing the rest of the world by increasing their quotas – (even though they could not use all the whale meat – WDCS has exposed the fact that both Japan and Norway have used whale meat for pet food (though the Norwegian situation is still under investigation by the Norwegian authorities)). So the whalers have not had to do anything. They have just sat back and waited for the ‘mushy minded’ countries to come to them. Seems that you can be in the wrong, be a bully, wave a big stick (or a big purse), and eventually you will win.
Great lesson for future generations
You can see WDCS comments on the original Irish Proposal of over ten years ago. Seems the Governments of the world have very short memories
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