In a statement released on Thursday the United States has expressed their deep “regrets that Japan has decided to continue its controversial whaling in the Southern Ocean.”
The statement also went on to state that “the United States also expresses its deep concern about the possibility of violence in connection with such whaling.”
This sort of nonaction and pussy-footing around an issue such as this is one of the reasons why individual nutjobs like Paul Watson and his Sea Shepherd Conservation Society are out on the seas trying to protect animals who have as much right to live as anything else, especially given how close to endangered many species of whale are getting.
“We are very concerned about Japan continuing its whaling program in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary,” said Monica Medina, U.S. commissioner to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and principal deputy under secretary of commerce for NOAA. “These catches will only increase the growing friction within the IWC over how to deal with the large number of whales that continue to be killed while a moratorium remains in place. There is no reason to kill these creatures in order to learn about them. All the necessary science that we need for the management of whales can be achieved using non-lethal techniques.”
Additionally, and somewhat passive-aggressively, the statement noted that “the United States is also concerned by statements by anti-whaling activists that suggest life-threatening tactics would be employed during protest activities in the Southern Ocean.”
“The safety of vessels and life at sea is the highest priority for the United States.” said Medina. “I ask all parties to respect the Commission’s wishes and immediately refrain from any acts at sea that risk human life or safety. These dangerous confrontations in the Southern Ocean must stop before someone gets seriously hurt or even killed.”
In July of this year an International Whaling Commission resolution was passed by consensus that disapproves of actions that risk human life and property of vessels engaged in whaling and whale research-related activities (which in almost every instance is just a front for whaling).
So yeah … well done United States in taking a soggy stance on such an important issue. It does you proud!
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Image Source: Takver on Flickr
Hey Japan, do you know what the civilized world thinks of you. Do you know what your own youth think of you? You eat anything that crawls, you smoke yourselves into oblivian and you continue to kill whales and put them in plastic containers with smiling whales on them and put them in vending machines that you can pay for with your freeking Ipad.