Japan’s whaling fleet on the run
January 22, 2011
Hunted … the anti-whaling vessel Steve Irwin pursues the Japanese whaling fleet earlier this month. The future of Japan’s Antarctic industry hangs in the balance, writes Andrew Darby.
IN THE shadows of intent, somewhere between harmless fireworks and deadly force, lies the whaling conflict in the Antarctic. At one end of this spectrum are the stink bombs thrown against water jets. At the other is the near fatal collision involving the Ady Gil. Among all this piratical colour
A report from fisheries newspaper Minato Shinbun on Monday, January 24, 2011 discussed a press conference held on January 20 by Kyodo Senpaku, the Japan Whaling Association, and the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), where the three bodies outlined the many serious problems facing the whaling industry. Kazuo Murayama, the CEO of Kyodo Senpaku and the head of the Japan Whaling Association said “annual sales have decreased 30% during the first half of [2010] (fiscal year)” and mentioned that the JWA’s activities may be decreased as a result. The ICR announced that it has reduced the number of its executive directors to one. Yoshihiro Fujise, who was appointed as the first “proper” (he is a scientist promoted from within the ICR, not a retired FAJ executive) Executive Director of ICR since Nov 30 2010, also explained that the financial model of covering the research costs by selling whale meat as a “byproduct” of the research no longer worked.
Lloyd’s Seaweb lists the status of the Hiyo Maru, the ship used to refuel the fleet and offload whale meat at sea, as “broken up” as of 2 September 2010. A document given to the International Whaling Commission’s Scientific Committee (SC/62/O17) lists the Yushin-Maru 3 as being dedicated to the sightings survey. Another document (SC/62/O3) reported that in the 2009-10 season, the Yushin-Maru 3 was used only for sightings and did not hunt. The 2009-10 season was the first in which only two catchers were used since the programme began in 1987.
Whale meat storage figures:
2010: http://www.market.jafic.or.jp/suisan/
2009 & earlier:
http://www.maff.go.jp/j/tokei/kouhyou/suisan_ryutu/reizou_ryutu/index.html#m
Friday, January 28, 2011 | By Science
(Greenpeace International)
Japanese whaling will come to an end – the question is simply when
Blogpost by Junichi Sato – January 28, 2011 at 16:01
On December 22, 2010 – the Fisheries Agency of Japan (FAJ) acknowledged and publicly apologised for embezzlement within the whaling industry. An official from the powerful agency gave a 90 degree bow of apology on national television and explained that five officers were being punished for accepting around 272,000 Yen (approximately $3,000 USD) worth of whale meat `gifts’.
This is hard evidence that Read More
Icelandic whaling company Hvalur has exported 500-600 tons of fin whale meat to Japan this year, according to the Japanese news agency Kyodo. The reports from Kyodo or estimations and claimed to be inaccurate by Iceland’s Statistics Agency.
According to information from the Japanese Ministry of Finance, Read More
‘Mr Whale’ wearing his Kyodo Senpaku whaling fleet uniform. Photograph: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert/Greenpeace
He once wielded a knife on the deck of a Japanese whaling ship, slicing apart the behemoths of the ocean in the name of “scientific research”, while much of the rest of the world looked on in horror. Read More
According to Statistics Iceland, no Fin Whales meat was exported during June, 2010. Hence, Mr. Loftsson’s whaling company Hvalur, still has some 1130 tons of fin whale meat in their freezers in Iceland. He has added to the inventory by killing some 70 more fin whales, which is about 850 tons, making the total close to 2000 tons. Compare that with the 2046 tons harvested by the Japanese in Antarctic waters last season and we quickly realize that Mr. Loftsson has an enormously heavy marketing challenge in Japan.
Visit this link for more information on this subject: http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/search/news/Default.asp?ew_0_a_id=364703
From The Sunday Times
June 13, 2010
Japan is attempting to break the 24-year moratorium on commercial whaling
A SUNDAY TIMES investigation has exposed Japan for bribing small nations with cash and prostitutes to gain their support for the mass slaughter of whales. Read More