Taiji Dolphin Drive Hunt

[Kris]

Alright, so as I'm sure you guys know, in Taiji, Japan, around 23,000 dolphins are killed every year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiji_dolphin_drive_hunt

This slaughtering is highly controversial, and rather revolting to some.

There's a movie/documentary on it, if you're interested.

My Personal Thoughts: I personally don't understand what gets people so worked up... People in my class were crying when we watched the documentary... I don't understand. It doesn't break any international laws or anything. International Law>Your silly morals and feelings. If this is such a terrible thing, then it's not Japan that's to blame, it's the International Whaling Commission (which Japan IS a member of), that is to blame for not protecting dolphins.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this practice.

 

[Tai_K_Yagami]

Well, first of all, it is an impulsive thing to feel emotional about the feelings for the killing of marine mammals or any animal by that matter. Thus, it is logical to them, that they feel pity for the so-called crisis and with that, disregard any laws about the situation. Humans feel first before they think a great deal, I swear :\

In any case, there seems to be major criticism with the levels of mercury in the dolphin, and the ways that the dolphins are hunted. Furthermore, it seems that by the method the fishermen use has been contested and monitored by the government, so there is more reason to be more wary of how they hunt the dolphins.

In my opinion, if it causes so much trouble, then either an alternative is imperative to the problem, or just have them carefully continue with their practice as it is because it seems to be beneficial to the people that live there locally.

 

[Kris]

In any case, there seems to be major criticism with the levels of mercury in the dolphin

This bothered me too at first, however it should be noted that Dolphin Meat is NOT a common thing in Japan, and it is usually only eaten at festivals in the Taiji area. The documentary showed an activist asking Japanese people in Tokyo and Osaka about their "Dolphin consumption", on the streets, and they didn't even know Dolphins were even eaten anywhere.

Furthermore, it seems that by the method the fishermen use has been contested and monitored by the government, so there is more reason to be more wary of how they hunt the dolphins.

I don't know, a dead dolphin is a dead dolphin. It wont remember the pain when it's dead.

This is probably the most "pressing" issue, considering that this is a PRIVATE business, and even though the government is monitoring it, things will still go unnoticed.
I still can't consider this whole deal an "atrocity."

 

[StTheo]

That's pretty fucked up, man. These are incredibly intelligent creatures. The bottlenose dolphin has one of the highest encephalization quotients of any animal, second only to humans. This isn't like fishing, where you're killing stupid creatures that barely understand their own existence. This is as close to killing humans as you can get without the victim being a human. It's completely senseless and unnecessary: they can fish without intentionally rounding up tens of thousands of dolphins to be killed in a single day, and it's even possible to fish by cooperating with dolphins, as was done in Laguna, Brazil. If aliens had come to Earth and slaughtered the ancient ancestors of humans, the "silly morals" of "they're still not as smart as us, but they might one day be, so we shouldn't kill them" would be the only thing that allowed us to become the species we are today.

 

[Tai_K_Yagami]

This bothered me too at first, however it should be noted that Dolphin Meat is NOT a common thing in Japan, and it is usually only eaten at festivals in the Taiji area. The documentary showed an activist asking Japanese people in Tokyo and Osaka about their "Dolphin consumption", on the streets, and they didn't even know Dolphins were even eaten anywhere.



I don't know, a dead dolphin is a dead dolphin. It wont remember the pain when it's dead.

This is probably the most "pressing" issue, considering that this is a PRIVATE business, and even though the government is monitoring it, things will still go unnoticed.
I still can't consider this whole deal an "atrocity."

That is true, however, there are others that are concerned about the dangers, that they are minute but still prevalent. With mercury levels at a risk within the meat itself, it still brings upon a slight problem for possible poisoning. Now, whether or not the method by which these marine mammals are hunted is ethical, is for their community and government to decide. But even with this, the regards about the hunting should only arouse concerns to their population as the wiki stated itself that it is for local purposes mainly. Not a huge deal to the rest of the population. I'm not sure lol. My opinions are highly entitled to contradictory thoughts. I also have no primary knowledge or experience with the practices there in Taiji, but it's still raises awareness about these isolated issues either way. Interesting you brought it up

 

[Kris]

That's pretty fucked up, man. These are incredibly intelligent creatures. The bottlenose dolphin has one of the highest encephalization quotients of any animal, second only to humans. This isn't like fishing, where you're killing stupid creatures that barely understand their own existence. This is as close to killing humans as you can get without the victim being a human. It's completely senseless and unnecessary: they can fish without intentionally rounding up tens of thousands of dolphins to be killed in a single day, and it's even possible to fish by cooperating with dolphins, as was done in Laguna, Brazil. If aliens had come to Earth and slaughtered the ancient ancestors of humans, the "silly morals" of "they're still not as smart as us, but they might one day be, so we shouldn't kill them" would be the only thing that allowed us to become the species we are today.

Animals are still animals.

That's like judging humans, and saying we should only kill the ones that are unintelligent, or aren't as privileged as the next.

 

[StTheo]

Animals are still animals.

Irrelevant, as humans are also animals.

 

[Kris]

Irrelevant, as humans are also animals.

Not on a social/moral level, we aren't. Only on a scientific level.

And this is more of a moral discussion.

 

[StTheo]

Not on a social/moral level, we aren't. Only on a scientific level.

And this is more of a moral discussion.

That made absolutely no sense.

 

[TheGurw]

Not on a social/moral level, we aren't. Only on a scientific level.

And this is more of a moral discussion.

On a social/moral level, the fact remains we are still animals - and even moreso in that case than from a scientific standpoint.

I feel like you're failing to realize that the reason -most- humans feel empathy towards animals is because we have morals. Also, I'm not opposed to the complete banning of living meat products for the advancement of our race - meat is bad for you, and is a horrible strain on our environment and economy.

 

[Crogenitor_Mario]

I don't know, a dead dolphin is a dead dolphin. It wont remember the pain when it's dead.

A dead person is a dead person. They won't remember the pain when the're dead. By that logic, going around, killing thousands of people is a fine thing.

 

[Nordiclovepotion]

This bothered me too at first, however it should be noted that Dolphin Meat is NOT a common thing in Japan, and it is usually only eaten at festivals in the Taiji area. The documentary showed an activist asking Japanese people in Tokyo and Osaka about their "Dolphin consumption", on the streets, and they didn't even know Dolphins were even eaten anywhere.

So... Why do they kill so many dolphins then if no one is even eating them?
Where do they all go?
*Looks at dolphin skin bedroom set*
Eh, I guess we'll never know.

 

[Kris]

A dead person is a dead person. They won't remember the pain when the're dead. By that logic, going around, killing thousands of people is a fine thing.

That's because there are laws against this... Not against the hunting of these dolphins.

So... Why do they kill so many dolphins then if no one is even eating them?
Where do they all go?
*Looks at dolphin skin bedroom set*
Eh, I guess we'll never know.

Because people do actually buy them... What happens to them, I don't even know. But that doesn't matter to the fisherman, because they're getting money.

 

[Skryter]

I've never seen the problem with killing Dolphins to be honest with you. Sure, some may find it morally questionable due to the level of intelligence a dolphin holds but when it boils down to it we're both animals, and animals tend to hunt and eat one another, with the obvious exception of herbivores.

However, slaughtering dolphins in the masses due to "scientific study" and other bullshit reasons is both pointless and stupid, and I in no way condone the practice when carried under the aforementioned excuses.

 

[Crogenitor_Mario]

That's because there are laws against this... Not against the hunting of these dolphins.

Implying that at this age, the only reason law exists isn't because of money

and animals tend to hunt and eat one another, with the obvious exception of herbivores.

Animals kill animals because they need food to survive.
Humans kill animals for their own amusement.

 

[Kris]

Implying that at this age, the only reason law exists isn't because of money

Exactly, the world revolves around money. The fishermen get money because they do this, and there are no laws against it.

What more is there to it?

 

[Crogenitor_Mario]

Exactly, the world revolves around money. The fishermen get money because they do this, and there are no laws against it.

What more is there to it?

That's exactly the problem:
There aren't laws against such horrible things. The treatments of animals in law is just disgusting.

 

[Skryter]

Implying that at this age, the only reason law exists isn't because of money



Animals kill animals because they need food to survive.
Humans kill animals for their own amusement.

I'm not going to deny that Humans kill animals for our own enjoyment as it is a valid point, however you simply cannot ignore the fact that we also kill animals as a form of sustenance because we are also omnivorous animals if you hadn't already noticed.

 

[Kris]

That's exactly the problem:
There aren't laws against such horrible things. The treatments of animals in law is just disgusting.

If this is such a terrible thing, then it's not Japan that's to blame, it's the International Whaling Commission (which Japan IS a member of), that is to blame for not protecting dolphins.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this practice.

If this were upsetting the ecosystem, I think the IWC would jump on it. But it isn't, so they aren't. Or perhaps it isn't enough of a problem, becuase every time (and there have been MANY times) it's been shot down when it's been brought up.

We raise animals to kill in FAR more vast numbers (Around 40 million cows a year just in the US), and people think that this is different, simply because the animals are wild and more intelligent. That's very superficial. There needs to be a concrete line (also known as a law). Oh, that's right, there is a law. And dolphins aren't protected by it.

 

[Crogenitor_Mario]

I'm not going to deny that Humans kill animals for our own enjoyment as it is a valid point, however you simply cannot ignore the fact that we also kill animals as a form of sustenance because we are also omnivorous animals if you hadn't already noticed.

I never said anything against killing animals for food. In fact, most of my favorite foods are from animal meat.
What I'm against is killing them for no reason at all.
If they were killing dolphins for their meat, I wouldn't say a thing.
But they aren't.