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Whale story's deadly new turn
Latest: 13 Sept 2000:
US takes first step toward sanctions against Japan for whaling programThe ocean's gentle giants have no defence against the deadly harpoons of a newly expanded Japanese whale hunt. Already a number of Minke, Bryde's and Sperm whales have been killed by a recently-launched Japanese whaling fleet. Their hunt continues in the Northwest Pacific.
Learn more about Japanese whaling here and how Japan ignored IWC scientists, world leaders and others who told them to stop.
Read on to learn how more great whale species are being targeted, and what you can do to help.
Sperm whales
The world's largest carnivore, sperm whales reach sizes of up to 20 metres, and weights of 60 tons. This whale of Moby Dick fame is also the largest of the toothed whales. Their surprisingly thin lower jaws contain 16-30 peg-like teeth. Their huge, blunt heads make up almost a third of their body length. Sperm whales can dive for up to two hours to depths of more than 1.6 km to hunt cuttlefish and squid. They also eat some fish, such as rays and sharks.Sperm whales have been hunted for hundreds of years. But their numbers really plunged during the 1950s to 1980s, when modern factory ships targeted them.
Sperm whales were listed as endangered species in the USA in 1972. Two hundred years ago they were thought to number 2.4 million, but now they are only thought to number a few hundred thousand. But its deep diving habits make Sperm whales especially difficult to count. A 1998 survey found only one-tenth the expected number in the Pacific between mainland USA and Hawaii.
Weighing up to 20 tonnes and reaching up to 15 metres in length, Bryde's whale prefers water temperatures above 20°C. Coastal tropical and subtropical waters of all seas are where it makes its home. It's one of the ten baleen whales and it feeds mainly on small schooling fish, diving as deep as 300 metres. Bryde's whales live for about 50 years.
Whaling depleted Bryde's whale populations when it was hunted along with Sei whales in the North Pacific. Japan continued killing Bryde's whales until 1986, taking 306 Bryde's whales in that final year. Bryde's whales are still killed illegally by several nations, including the Philippines and Taiwan.
The Bryde's whale has been protected since 1986 by the worldwide Moratorium on Whaling. Population estimates are very uncertain, especially since Bryde's whale is often confused with the Sei whale, with its similiar shape and colour. Its decline from original numbers can't be guessed, because unknown numbers were killed by pirate whalers in the 1960s-1970s. Scientists are unsure how quickly Bryde's whales reproduce, or whether the numbers are now growing or shrinking.
The graceful Minke is also a baleen whale, and as well as the Bryde's whale one of the six members of the rorqual family, which are baleen whales with grooved throats. The smallest rorqual, the Minke is about 8.5 metres and weighs about eight tonnes. The upper surface of the body is bluish-gray, and the undersides are white. They also carry a very distinctive large white spot on their flippers. Small schools of Minkes frequently swim into bays and estuaries or close to coasts. Calves come into the world at about 3 metres, and weigh 0.5 tonne.
Minkes are found in most oceans. They are a protected species, but Japan kills about 540 minke whales in the Antarctic and North Pacific each year. As with all whales, Minke populations are hard to estimate.
However, in July the IWC scientific committee said they thought the true number of Minke whales was much lower than previous estimates of 760,000. The IWC could not rule out the possibility that Minke numbers in the Antarctic were falling.
Japanese harpoons widen their targetJapan's plan to hunt two new whale species this year is turning the tide against protection for great whales.
This summer, Japan told the world it would add two new species to its hit list: 50 Bryde's and 10 sperm whales. It's the first time these species have been hunted since commercial whaling was banned in 1986. Both species were hunted heavily in the past and little is known about their current numbers. Japan will also continue its annual catch of 540 minke whales. All three are protected species.
But Japan had built a new whaling vessel, and would not be stopped. Its whaling fleet launched on July 29. The slaughter has begun: 6 minkes, 4 Bryde's and 1 sperm whales have been killed already (possibly with new numbers.
Japan's plans to re-open commercial whaling were voted down at CITES and attacked at IWC meetings this years. Japan excuses the slaughter as scientific research. In fact, the two new larger species will provide more meat and bigger profits for an illegal whale food market.
Japan argues that it needs to kill the whales to study their population structure to estimate quotas from each population and stomach contents. But IWC scientists state this research is not necessary because the Southern Ocean where the Japanes kill most whales are a whales sanctuary, and that even if it was, it could be done without killing whales. Japan also says that whales are destroying valuable fish stocks. Again, this is untrue. Fish, not whales, are the major predators of the fish we humans eat. And killing whales will not halt overfishing, which is the major cause of fishery decline.
Japan has a long history of defying international whaling laws. Though an IWC member, Japan illegally bought whale meat from other nations that caught whales outside IWC rules.
Japan also managed and controlled whaling operations in such non-IWC countries. Japan even illegally bought meat from pirate whaling boats. One example was the infamous Sierra whaler, which killed endangered whale species, including nursing mothers, and juvenile whales. Illegal activities like these made commercial whaling impossible to control. Plummeting whale numbers in the 70s and 80s led to the complete ban of commercial whaling.
Today Japan is the only nation that continues to slaughter whales in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary. And this July, Japan and Norway led the defeat of a proposal for a new whale sanctuary in the South Pacific buy buying off small island states.
The IWC - toothless whale protector
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) called on Japan to cancel its hunt for sperm and Bryde's whales. It also urged Japan to stop whaling minkes because their stocks could be far lower than previously thought. Yet once again, Japan defied them and the IWC was unable to stop the slaughter.
The IWC was set up in 1949 to preserve whale stocks. But its efforts were doomed to failure. Over the next 30 years the IWC looked on as one great whale species after another brushed with extinction.
It became clear that the management of commercial whaling was impossible. So, in 1986 the IWC voted to end commercial whaling. Norway disagreed with the ban and continued whaling. Japan agreed to the ban, but continues whaling for "scientific" whaling programmes. This is a loophole in the law IWC statutes that states unlimited numbers of whales may be caught for research purposes. Either way, the whale meat finds its way to dinner tables, despite the IWC's calls for Japan to stop this whaling. Under the International Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Japan is bound to cooperate with the IWC. By continuing whaling, Japan is not cooperating with the IWC's demands.
Japan's push this year to re-open commercial whaling failed. Other nations rightly argue that even a small commercial industry will lead to devastation of whale populations. History shows that whaling quotas and restrictions are impossible to enforce. And unlike fish, whales reproduce extremely slowly. Once markets are opened, whalers will once again over-exploit them.
Take a stand with Greenpeace and stop this illegal slaughter
Greenpeace has stood between whales and their killers for more than 20 years. We've sailed into the sights of harpoons, told the world about "pirate" whalers, and fought for whales at international meetings. Greenpeace will keep fighting until all whaling stops. We also know that worsening pollution, climate change and ozone depletion is making whales vulnerable in new ways.
We're not alone in our fight against Japan's expanding whale kill. The IWC condemned the kill, along with US President Bill Clinton and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. So far, more than 6,000 people have sent messages condemning the whale hunt to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
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