The Cove Coming To Animal Planet This Summer

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by Michael dEstries January 13, 2010
Categories: Film/TV.

cove

Animal Planet executives officially announced today that the critically-acclaimed documentary The Cove will hit the network this summer. “The Cove is just the type of groundbreaking, provocative film that belongs on Animal Planet,” says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet. “The film exposed an ugly reality that was veiled from the world for too long a time. We’re honored to bring this remarkable film and the issue of dolphin conservation to television audiences.”

Winner of the 2010 Academy Award® for Best Documentary, The Cove is an astounding piece of investigative journalism with the heart of an action thriller. Led by Louie Psihoyos, co-founder of the Ocean Preservation Society, and Richard O’Barry, an internationally recognized authority on dolphin training who is best known for his work on the 1960′s TV show “Flipper,” the film follows a high-tech dive team on a mission to discover the truth about the international dolphin capture trade as practiced in Taiji, Japan. Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide.

In addition to winning the Audience Award at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, the film has also earned the prestigious National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary and has been listed on many critic’s “best films for 2009″ lists. It currently enjoy an incredible 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The premiere will happen Sunday, August 29th at 9PM/ET on Animal Planet.

For more information — and to view a trailer of the film — jump here.


Categories: Film/TV.

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • orcalove

    this is fabulous news!! This film will win an Oscar. No doubt.
    Truly an amazing message and an amazing film!

    • come si come ca

      This whole thing is nuts.

      THe IWC allows scientific whaling (which we know is all BS) and Japan exploits and absuses that (no one can argue against that.) So the IWC needs some reform too.

      Now, the fact Japan spends so much money on a dead industry in which there is no demand for whale meat is beyong me. Especially since theres so much what meat in the deep freeze. (Reports of it being peddled to schools, nursing homes and dog food have surfaced). This is an absolute national disgrace.

      Not to mention their tactics and environmental crimes (factory ship, refuelling, dumping of waste etc) in and around Anatartica.

      The the ICR / PR machine keeps repeating the same things…”Research”,”Cultural Tradition”,”Same as killing cows”,”Depleting fish stocks”,”Minke’s inhibit recovery of larger whales”… Truly a propaganda machine hard at work.

      Im sure their citizens woudl agree – theres more important domestic issues that could do with those funds? Suicide rates, uemployment problems etc etc.

  • Enola Gay

    Japan kills over 1,000 whales and 24,000 dolphins every year. They are driving the overfishing of bluefin tuna. It’s just a resource to them and when its gone they’ll move on to the next one.

    Sea Shepherd is doing important, urgent work.

    Do some reading and look at what is going on with the IWC. While most countries want to turn it into a conservation organization to deal with real threats like sonar, ship strikes, decreasing food supply, plastic and chemical pollution, etc. Japan is going everything it can to overturn the ban on commercial whaling. They have bought countries votes by paying their IWC dues and providing money so they will join the IWC and vote with Japan.

  • bockscar

    The Japanese lied to the world on December 6, 1941

    In 1945, an appropriate and justified response was made to these lies [ending WW2]

    It feels like a response like this is needed again.

    Somebody should have painted ‘Research’ onto the Enola Gay & Bockscar ahead of their scientific research.

  • ddpalmer

    You realize the moratorium was passed because anti-whalers bought countries votes by paying their IWC dues and providing money so they will join the IWC and vote for the moratorium? But if Japan does the same thing it somehow becomes wrong?

    Also did you know that the Australians have a higher quota and take more bluefin tuna than the Japanese do? The Japanese voluntarily reduced their quota in part to compensate for tuna they buy from other countries.

    The population of the whales and dolphins the Japanese take have not shown a decrease in decades of hunting and by using a resource that seems to be able to handle the levels at which it is harvested they don’t use as much of a critically endangered species like the bluefin tuna.

    Since the population of Japan are not all going to become vegans. Isn’t it better to use non-endangered sources than critically endangered species?

    • Defiant

      The Japanese only “voluntarily” reduced their quota on bluefin tuna as a concession to keep their JARPA programs going.

      • ddpalmer

        Sorry but you are wrong. I know Paul Watson says to make up facts if you don’t know something, but the problem is when people who do know the answer prove you lied.

        As per the IWC charter Article VIII, when performing research whaling the government of the country involved sets there own quota.

        So Japan could have maintained their tuna quota and raised their whale quota to any number they wanted.

        Better luck with your lies next time.

      • bbrunner

        You’re really wrong on Japans “research whaling” not decreasing whale populations, but many people are ignorant and will say something before the do genuine research into it. Japan has severely reduced two whale populations, the first being the Antarctic minke, the species which was 950 for their quota this year, and according to the IUCNredlist the Antarctic Minke has had a suspected reduction in population by 60% in the last 40 years, if these finds are true the Antarctic minke for the first time will qualify as an endangered species. Japan has also been proven to hunt the North Eastern Right whales of which less then 40 are known to exist.

        Better luck with your lies next time.

    • http://jimaden.tripod.com Jim Aden

      You might be sorta right except for one rather big thing, all the research being done on whales and dolphins is proving that THEY ARE INTELLIGENT ! . I know its hard for some people to accept that there is another sapient species on this planet but there it is. We are NOT chosen, Cetaceans and to a lesser degree ALL the Great Apes are sapient. Humans are the top dog animal but we have a duty to recognise that whales and dolphins have the right to be recognised as beings.

      I am no vegan animal PETA nut…I’m a carnavore but truth is truth and the Japs should stop killing Cetaceans to eat. They disgust me.

    • Jill

      The fact remains that they are poisioning these people with Mercury, and mislabeling the meat. If that’s not enough, they don’t just kill them…they go so far as to cut one or more – in order to lure others. They KNOW that they will not leave a family member, under any circumstances. Then, they spear them and leave them to suffer an slow, agonizing, horrific death!
      Is that called “harvesting”???

  • Hideyoshi Toyotomi

    Enola, the IWC should be disbanded immediately. It is a corrupt organisation that has been overrun by ideologically driven prohibitionists. For an international body designed to regulate commercial whaling, it has an awful lot of landlocked countries which have no interest in whaling – Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Switzerland and San Marino to name a few. Furthermore, conservation groups have been bribing anti-whaling nations to join the IWC to further bastardise its composition.

    The IWC is failing in its mandated purpose of regulating commercial whaling. It is a travesty that must be relegated to the dust bin of history.

    Japan should withdraw from the IWC immediately and form a new organisation constituted by whaling nations to regulate commercial whaling and to ensure the proper conservation of cetacean species.

    • Ian Scott Field

      It honestly seems like Japan is pushing the same type of arrogant exceptionalism that required the devastation of 1945. I used to feel this was a mistake on our part, indefensible. I am now beginning to change my mind, and I am not alone in the US, or the world.

      Don’t you see whales mean something to us?

  • rick

    ast season the Japanese fleet captured over 300 female whales, 63 percent of which were pregnant.

  • fanta

    There is nothing cultural about steel spring loaded harpoons. What if a country had a custom of eating people? Should we respect their culture??

    Funny how Japan signed the Antarctic agreement which outlines that no commerical activites can be conducted on or around the continent. No waste jumping, no refuelling etc.

    Wow – what the hell, they are down there doing just that. Illegally whaling in a sanctuary, refuelling and dumping offal etc into the ocean.

  • willy wonka

    It is a national disgrace that Japan foists meat that is basically toxic waste on its own populace in the form of school lunches and meals at public facilities such as old age homes and hospitals as a means of subsidizing its national policy on whaling. This is nothing less than a repeat of the Minamata disaster perpetrated by Chisso chemical and abetted by the national bureaucracy in Japan.

    A couple of torpedoes will take the fleet down.

  • Glenn Inwood

    Japan’s flotilla of ships (2 Naval / Coast guard escorts as well?) is just an absolute environment disgrace. They dump tons of waste into the ocean down there. They refuel inside the Antartic Exclusion zone and not to mention the butchering of whales in a whale sanctuary. We do not even know if they only take Minke whales. They could be slaughtering all sorts, even endangered whales for all we know. Since they probably under report and cook the books. Remember that DNS testing they did (under cover buyers of various whale meat samples from markets in Japan) ?? They found Blue, Right, Fin, Bow Head, Sperm and Humpback whale species. That says they are harvesting any whale they come across.

  • Glenn Inwood

    ddpalmer,

    sure – whatever you reckon. Except guess what? They barely eat it:

    Theres an over supply of frozen whale meat going back years. So now they are feeding the meat to their dogs. yeah – dog food. Kill whales for dog food!

    I’m sure thats in the history books. Whaling is a cherished Japanese tradition, it’s in our heritage! YEAH right scum bags. It’s in our culture to hunt whales for dog food. A cherished tradition.

    Hideyoshi, We see you posting propaganda almost daily. I don’t know what the heck for? Perhaps you giggle at your posts like a little boy? Anyways, Japan should leave the IWC, in fact they should leave the southern ocean altogether.

    They are brutal killers and their economy is heading for the next lost decade once the world starts boycotting their products… Feels like one huge chip on their shoulders ever since 1945.

    • ddpalmer

      Then given time they will stop whaling because there is no market and the actions of the SSCS will have no effect. Or worse they will get more Japanese to eat whale and actually increase the demand.

      • nick

        Japanese whalers are operating illegally by targeting endangered and protected whales in an established international whale sanctuary in violation of a global moratorium on commercial whaling, in violation of the Antarctic Treaty and in contempt of an Australian Federal Court order.

      • bbrunner

        If the actions of SSCS is having no affect then why did ICR have a full press conference to say thee complete opposite of what you’re saying? It was because of SSCS that Japan did not catch half of their quota(this notion is fully supported by ICR). Also there weren’t half of the pressures by gov. before the show whale wars, because no one knew about this, and the people weren’t pressuring the gov. so nothing was done, but now because of SSCS Australia has a legal injunction of which NZ is considering to follow.

  • OH Yeah it’s 1945

    The clear cut facts:

    - Japanese whalers are defying a global moratorium on whaling
    - They are commericially whaling under the guise of science
    - They are in the Australian Antarctic Territory without permission
    - They are illegally taking whales from a declared whale sanctuary
    - They are in the Antarctic zone operating illegally because they are carrying weapons and are refuelling & dumping waste into the ocean
    - They are in contempt of an Australian Federal court injunction on whaling in the Whale sanctuary
    - The killing methods are slow, brutal and highly cruel
    - They are taking threatended and endangered whales. Minke numbers are an estimate – no one really knows how many of them there are. Fin and Humpbacks are still on the threatened/endangered lists.
    - And now the Japanese are arming their ships with military grade weapons, using security escorts and deliberately ramming ships. what is next? Gun fire (oh we had that last year from Nippon Coast guard snipers)
    - Taiji is a national disgrace for Japan

  • Billy Jean is my lover

    “With well over 9,000 minke whales killed in 22 years and no useful data produced, Japan’s so-called ‘research’ in the Antarctic is an international embarrassment.”

    Got you on that one Japan.

    Now, let’s hope that captain and crew get arrested for ramming the Ady Gil. Leaving the scene of a maritime accident which they caused.

    Lets hope another fire happens on the Nisshin Maru 2 years ago. They left a man behind last year (made no effort to find him).

    How many millions are they spending on this expedition this year? All beefed up for research? Yah right, they are ready for a fight. Naval vessels in disguise?

    • Also a Democrat

      Also, to back up the top point in this comment, the IUCN states that the Antarctic Minke Whale has gone through a decline of approximately 60% over the 60 years, much of which has happened since 1991. If proven not to be a data artifact (not sure how it could be), this would classify the Antarctic Minke Whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) as endangered.

      • rising sun

        They are taking threatended and endangered whales. Minke numbers are an estimate – no one really knows how many of them there are.

        Sounds like Japan view everything as a resource and once gone will move onto the next one regardless.

        I’m sure thats in the history books. Whaling is a Japanese tradition, it’s in our heritage! YEAH right scum bags. Its in our culture to hunt whales for dog food. A cherished tradition.

  • ddpalmer

    I get it. A lot of you emotionally don’t like the fact that whales are hunted for food. That is your right and I have no problem with that. I also have no problem with peaceful protesting and trying to change the laws.

    But the facts are that Japan, Iceland and Norway are all legally allowed to hunt whales. And until the international community changes the laws they all will continue to hunt whales.

    If you don’t like it then work to change the laws and/or convince people to stop eating whale.

    But repeating the same lies over and over will get you nowhere. Violence will get you nowhere. Claiming moral superiority will get you nowhere. In fact all of those tactics will very likely just harden the resolve of the other side to never give up.

  • http://vegan--japan.blogspot.com/ herwin

    I never did hear that Japan simply said that whales are hunted for food. Most of the times what you can read in interviews by japanese prowhaling politicians in foreign media is the “culture” argument ; “whaling is a tradition of Japan”. In fact, thats a very emotional argument. In contrast environmentalist want to stop the whale hunt because whale hunting has made all its victim endangered animals. Thats not an emotional but a rational argument, because this line of reasoning has saved many animals from exctinction.
    Mink Whales arent endangered yet, simply because they never were commercially interesting and werent hunted on a massive scale.
    Its pure logic not to wait until they are endangered but to protect them now.
    Killing whales isnt legally anymore. Japan only does killing whales through a legal loophole that no other countrie even believes but its hard to stand up against a economically strong country.
    The ones that feel they are superior are the prowhalers, firstly you feel superior to whales and other animals who you think can kill without a thaught, and secondly you feel superior and you feel you dont have to obey international whaling rules that is set up by many countries and obeyed by most countries except some superior feeling “we-do-what-we-want-to-do” countries.
    If it was up to these countries, most whale species such as the Blue Whale and the Humpback would have literally been whiped out by now just as so many other animals that have been whiped out by overhunting.
    These are facts. Its mostly the prowhalers who come with the lies and the emotional arguments.
    Anyway, the last days of whale killing in the Antarctic are almost over, these are historical days !! :-)

    • ddpalmer

      Minke whales are in no danger of becoming endangered. The low estimate is 300,000. Over half the females bear a calf every year. That means a very low estimate would be 20,000 born every year. The Japanese take less than 1,000. So that logic you keep mentioning would indicate no danger of becoming endangered.

      Nobody currently hunts Blue whales.

      Humpback whales have been removed from endangered status because their numbers have increased to a safe level and continue to increase. In recent years the Japanese have never taken more the 5 or 10 Humpbacks in a year.

      The Japanese are not using a loophole and no matter how many times and how many people repeat it, it still won’t become a loophole. It is a perfectly legal and spelled out international process that allows them to hunt whales.

      I don’t know where you get that they have a superior “we-do-what-we-want-to-do” . All the whaling countries follow the applicable international laws and continue to do what they have done for well over 100 years. It is all the anti-whaling countries that say “we have decided that we were wrong for hunting huge numbers of whales for oil for over 200 years so we are going to force you to stop hunting many fewer whales for food.”

  • depp

    1. The Japanese are whaling in violation of the International Whaling Commission’s global moratorium on commercial whaling. The IWC scientific committee does not recognize the research that the Japanese are using as an excuse.
    2. The Japanese are killing whales in the internationally recognised Southern Ocean Sanctuary for whales.
    3. The Japanese are killing whales unlawfully in the Australian Antarctic Territory (Australian Law – Federal Court judgement January 2008 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999)
    4. The Japanese are targeting fin whales and humpback whales. One is listed as an endangered species and the other listed as a threatened species. This is a violation of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, of which both Japan and Australia are signatories.
    5. The Japanese are in violation of IWC regulation 19. (a) The IWC regulations in the Schedule to the Convention forbid the use of factory ships to process any protected stock: 19. (a) It is forbidden to use a factory ship or a land station for the purpose of treating any whales which are classified as Protection Stocks in paragraph 10. Paragraph 10(c) provides a definition of Protection Stocks and states that Protection Stocks are listed in the Tables of the Schedule. Table 1 lists all the baleen whales, including minke, fin and humpback whales and states that all of them are Protection Stocks.
    6. The IWC regulations specifically ban the use of factory ships to processy any whales except minke whales: Paragraph 10(d) provides: “(d) Notwithstanding the other provisions of paragraph 10 there shall be a moratorium on the taking, killing or treating of whales, except minke whales, by factory ships or whale catchers attached to factory ships. This moratorium applies to sperm whales, killer whales and baleen whales, except minke whales.”
    7. the presence of military/ security forces breaches the Antarctic treaty
    8. the whaling fleet regularly refuels in the treaty zone below 60 degrees south in breach of the Antarctic treaty. In October 2008 the whaling fleet’s refueling and cargo vessel, Oriental Bluebird, was deflagged following a ruling by Panamian Authorities. The maximum fine of 10,000 Balboas (US$10,000) was imposed on the owners of the ship, Hiyo Shipping Co. Ltd, in Japan who on October 8th removed its Panamanian registration and flag. Japan has ratified an international treaty which seeks to end the practice of ‘re-flagging’ vessels in order to circumvent international environmental law.
    9. the Whaling fleet fails to submit Environmental Management Plans in case of a maritime disaster in the Treaty zone which breaches the Antarctic treaty. The Nisshin Maru factory ship caught fire in 2007 losing all power including to its engines. One crew member died. An environmental disaster was threatened, but did not eventuate.

  • teeth

    ddpalmer – you are obviously on the ICR payroll – just like Hideyoshi.

    Why else would you dedicate so much energy to a lost argument?

    It’s like repeatedly saying the earth is flat – even though everyone knows it isnt. Eventually the odd person might believe you – but it’s beyond ludicrious what you go on with.

    • ddpalmer

      No sorry I don’t work for the ICR, but if they need a good marine diesel engineer I am willing to look at their offer.

      I have lots of free time because I make sure the engines I am responsible for are properly maintained. And as long as they don’t break I just have to sit here and listen to them hum while I surf the internet.

      Why do you have so much free time?

      And thanks for letting me know I have won the arguement, at least against you. When you start with the ad hominem attacks it just shows you have nothing left to give and basically concede defeat.

  • Deborah Bassett

    Finally a step in the right direction for positive media! -Deborah Bassett

  • dogs out

    lol

    ddpalmer. Man – you are a comedian – no?

    Not one piece of interesting text from you.

    You can slip away now – no one will miss you.

    • ddpalmer

      No sorry dogs out. If you had the ability to read you would have read what I do for a living.

      Do you have anything to add to the discussion or are you just going to act like a 10 year old and insult people?

      • teeth

        ddpalmer?

        Maybe you should use this forum/comment facility properly and stop piling on the attacks. Can you not read?

        - They dump tons of whale offal and refuel illegally
        - They force feed mecury ridden dolphion and whale meat to their own children
        - They are great at propaganda, up there with hitler if you ask me
        - a WW2 style effort is required because diplomacy won’t stop a damn thing
        - They have huge stockpiles of unwanted meat in the deep freeze that they can’t give away
        - Security ships now with weapons? come on. Whats next? gun fire (oh wait we had that didnt we?)
        - the financial cost of this ‘research’ must be enormous. How can they afford it with so many domestic issues…
        - 9000 whales killed over 22 years for research with nothing to show for it? Gosh

        Now, you want to argue. Addresses each point.

  • ddpalmer

    Sure teeth. But before you answer you may want to read the all the comments. I wasn’t piling on anybody, I was make comments based on facts when I was attacked by a new poster who never posted anything but attacks. So maybe you should get that fact straight before you make a fool of yourself.

    1. dumping offal and refueling isn’t illegal even in the waters around antarctica. The ATS Annex I says “The environmental impacts of proposed activities referred to in Article 8 of the Protocol shall, before their commencement, be considered in accordance with appropriate national procedures.” See the word national? That means the nation a vessel is registered in assess the impact.

    2. could you provide some actual proof that this was ever done? And just as an aside whale meat from the Antarctic has some of the lowest levels of mercury of any seafood.

    3. this is an opinion so I don’t see how you expect me to address it

    4. another opinion, but do you really believe that the US, UK, Australia, etc should join together and declare war on Japan?

    5. the stockpile increases doing the months when whaling is taking place and decreases the rest of the year, to be replenished the next season. this way whale meat is available all year round not just in the winter. Otherwise why would the import large quantities of whale meat from Iceland and Norway?

    6. do you mean Paul Watson’s fake bullet? weapons like thrown glass bottles and prop foulers? Get the SSCS to answer this one first since they were the first ones to introduce weapons. And what is wrong with security ships? Most businesses that is being harrassed by protesters would at least consider adding security to protect their empoyees and equipment.

    7. you will have to ask the Japanese how they can afford it, but the cost isn’t enormous about $5 million a year and Japans GDP in 2008 was $4.91 Trillion, so 0.001% of their economy.

    8. there is plenty of research to show for it. The IWC has received and has listed at their website all the research that the Japanese have submitted to them, since the IWC is the major reason the research is being done. And a more complete list, including peer reviewed papers, is at the ICR website. In fact there was just a research paper from the Univ. of Oregon that used data from the Japanese whaling. Using DNA samples they determine that the Antarctic Minke population is and has been stable at about 670,000 for an extended period and did not increase due to less competition for krill when the larger baleen whales were over hunted by the US, USSR and Australians.

    Now some questions for you. And facts not opinion please.
    - what country gave the SSCS police/enforcement powers?
    - why doesn’t the SSCS protest/harass the whaling by Iceland and Norway?
    - why does the SSCS, who profess to want to protect all endangered sea life, protest and harass the hunting of a species that is not endangered but the don’t protest the hunting of Bluefin Tuna which are critically endangered.

    • Enola Gay

      Always rubbishing on SS aren’t we?

      1. The Japanese are whaling in violation of the International Whaling Commission’s global moratorium on commercial whaling. The IWC scientific committee does not recognize the research that the Japanese are using as an excuse.
      2. The Japanese are killing whales in the internationally recognised Southern Ocean Sanctuary for whales.
      3. The Japanese are killing whales unlawfully in the Australian Antarctic Territory (Australian Law – Federal Court judgement January 2008 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999)
      4. The Japanese are targeting fin whales and humpback whales. One is listed as an endangered species and the other listed as a threatened species. This is a violation of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, of which both Japan and Australia are signatories.
      5. The Japanese are in violation of IWC regulation 19. (a) The IWC regulations in the Schedule to the Convention forbid the use of factory ships to process any protected stock: 19. (a) It is forbidden to use a factory ship or a land station for the purpose of treating any whales which are classified as Protection Stocks in paragraph 10. Paragraph 10(c) provides a definition of Protection Stocks and states that Protection Stocks are listed in the Tables of the Schedule. Table 1 lists all the baleen whales, including minke, fin and humpback whales and states that all of them are Protection Stocks.
      6. The IWC regulations specifically ban the use of factory ships to processy any whales except minke whales: Paragraph 10(d) provides: “(d) Notwithstanding the other provisions of paragraph 10 there shall be a moratorium on the taking, killing or treating of whales, except minke whales, by factory ships or whale catchers attached to factory ships. This moratorium applies to sperm whales, killer whales and baleen whales, except minke whales.”
      7. the presence of military / security forces breaches the Antarctic treaty
      8. the whaling fleet regularly refuels in the treaty zone below 60 degrees south in breach of the Antarctic treaty. In October 2008 the whaling fleet’s refueling and cargo vessel, Oriental Bluebird, was deflagged following a ruling by Panamian Authorities. The maximum fine of 10,000 Balboas (US$10,000) was imposed on the owners of the ship, Hiyo Shipping Co. Ltd, in Japan who on October 8th removed its Panamanian registration and flag. Japan has ratified an international treaty which seeks to end the practice of ‘re-flagging’ vessels in order to circumvent international environmental law.
      9. the Whaling fleet fails to submit Environmental Management Plans in case of a maritime disaster in the Treaty zone which breaches the Antarctic treaty. The Nisshin Maru factory ship caught fire in 2007 losing all power including to its engines. One crew member died. An environmental disaster was threatened, but did not eventuate.

      Japan kills over 1,500 whales and 24,000 dolphins every year. They are driving the overfishing of bluefin tuna. It’s just a resource to them and when its gone they’ll move on to the next one.

      Sea Shepherd is doing important, urgent work.

  • teeth

    Nice post Enola, that sums it up. Can’t really refute that can you ddNapalm?

    Thought not. Good night xoxo

  • ddpalmer

    All of Enola’s points have already been refuted. I do see that you have gone to the name calling argument style of 10 year olds. Why do so many anti-whales go to that level when confronted with facts?

    To answer Enola.

    1. The Japanese are legally whaling under IWC Article VIII. The scientific committee receives and comments on all the research that is submitted to them, they have never not recognized the research.
    2. Yes they do. And it is legal within the framework of international agreements/treaties that apply.
    3. No they don’t. The AAT borders stop at 12nm from shore because that was the recognized border when the Australians signed the Antarctic treaty, and the treaty forbids expanding of any claims.
    4. The IWC charter overrides CITES in regard to whales, so see answer 1.
    5. Article VIII if the IWC charter specific states that it overrides the other articles. “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Convention any Contracting Government may grant to any of its nationals a special permit authorizing that national to kill, take and treat whales for purposes of scientific research subject to such restrictions as to number and subject to such other conditions as the Contracting Government thinks fit, and the killing, taking, and treating of whales in accordance with the provisions of this Article shall be exempt from the operation of this Convention.”
    6. See answer 5.
    7. No it doesn’t. The US Air Force resupplies the US base at McMurdo which is run by the US Navy. The treaty prohibits military actions it doesn’t prohibit the presence of military personnel or equipment. Plus the Japanese military isn’t present with the whaling fleet, it is the Japanese Coast Guard.
    8. I answer the refuel question in my previous post. As far as the fine on the Oriental Bluebird, yes it occurred and it had nothing to do with refueling in Antarctica.
    9. I refuted this one in my last post also.

    Yes they do kill whales and dolphins every year. I believe your numbers are a bit high but even so the numbers of the species that are taken have not been seen to decrease. So just like the regulated hunting of kangaroo, deer, elk, duck, etc. it is sustainable and can continue forever without causing extinction.

    Gee teeth I guess I could refute that. Trying to make it look like I couldn’t by posting 3 minutes after Enola at almost midnight is kind of underhanded. Claim you won an argument when the opponent wasn’t there and didn’t even know there was an argument going on isn’t winning.

    Now how about answering some of my questions?
    - what country gave the SSCS police/enforcement powers?
    - why doesn’t the SSCS protest/harass the whaling by Iceland and Norway?
    - why does the SSCS, who profess to want to protect all endangered sea life, protest and harass the hunting of a species that is not endangered but the don’t protest the hunting of Bluefin Tuna which are critically endangered.

    Why do you have so much free time? This one is from 3 days ago.

    • Enola Gay

      - No country did. They do good hard work that governments should be doing. They are not doing anything illegal and you know it.

      - They do protest the whaling done by iceland and norway. Several norwegian whaling boats have been scuttled in the past (check history)

      - They do protest against blue-fin tuna fishing. The global blue-fin tuna industry spans many countries and is made up of thousands and thousands of fishing boats.

      - I don’t have a lot of time. But when I see you posting blatantly in support of Japan it irks me and a lot of others on here by the looks of it.

      - What the are doing is wrong and you know it.

      - How is it they constantly change their “story”. First it was scientific whaling, then they admitted it is sold at markets for food. Then they say that whales eat into valuable fish stocks, now they are saying the minke whales prevent the recovery of larger whales because they eat too much krill. Like WTF?

      It’s ICR propaganda out of control.

      You say it’s midnight? maybe if the entire world lived in your time zone. Perhaps you could think outside the square for a moment. Oh hey wait! Theres a lot of different time zones around the world. Perhaps it’s 10 am somewhere? All these late night posters might actually be just waking up to sunshine.

      • ddpalmer

        They haven’t done anything in Norway or Iceland for decades.

        The Japanese have never ‘changed their story’. The IWC regulations require use of the whales after the research. They have been doing this since day one of research whaling. The fish stock and krill ‘theories’ were just that, theories of what may be affecting fish stocks and the recovery of large baleen whales. their research hopes to determine if these theories are correct.

        I don’t know it is wrong. I fact I n=know legally it is perfectly OK.

        I said it was midnight where I was because your buddy claimed you all won because I didn’t answer your post within 3 minutes. I happen to know that there are many time zones but anyone that reads the comments I have made knows what time zone I am in.

        Try citing some facts in your next post.

  • dogs out

    Yah hell its 9:07 AM here, and the sun is shining.

    So where are we at? Still bagging watson? lamo’s

    I’d like to see you stand up for what you believe in. The whalers are brutal defiant killers and they must be stopped!

  • fanta

    It’s not hard to see the ‘recent blogs’ section and then come have a look and see what’s going on.

    I mean this article is about the terrible cruel slaughter the Japanese do to all those dolphins. Another terrible thing they do. Unfortunately the Japanese see them as resources and will move onto the next one once one has been exhausted.

    Ever played Age of Empires or the like? You know what happens when resources start running low.

    It’s a question of selfish pride Japan, Norway and Iceland simply feel they have the right to kill these endangered mammals who already
    face the perils of ship collisions, polluted seas and climate change

    • ddpalmer

      Yes I have played Age of Empires and I know what happens when resources start running low. But whales and dolphins are renewable. New ones are born as the old ones die and if you monitor and regulate how many you take you can make sure the resource doesn’t run low. And this is what true conservation is, the responsible use of a resource. In the US states put quotas on how many of various animals can be taken each year and this assures that the animal population remains at a scientifically based level. Every year for decades over 100,000 deer are taken in the state of Ohio and yet the level of deer remains fairly constant. This is what the whaling nations believe is possible with the whale species that aren’t endangered.

      • bitter old man

        Tadahiko Nakamura stated at the 1997 IWC conference in Monaco that the purpose of the Japanese “scientific” program was to “Realize maximum profit from the resource before they go extinct”. In other words, to “harvest” as many whales as possible before they are all gone. They have no interest in conservation whatsoever. By their own admission, in public documents.

      • ernie

        Exactly which is why they are putting them into the deep freeze.

        Which is why they are buying up as much blue fin as possible and freezing that too.

        Call it selfish greed or hoarding on a massive scale.

        They wont stop looking out for their own selfish interests.

      • Hideyoshi Toyotomi

        Ah… remember when your man Paul Watson instructed his agents to lie if ever they found themselves without factual support?

        That little quotation there is a fine example of a Sea Shepherd lie.

        Simple, and when presented to a feeble mind, very effective.

        Paul Watson is a criminal, a terrorist, a liar and a crook but he sure knows how to play the publicity game. I’ll give him that.

      • bitter old man

        So now every public document that isn’t on Omeka letterhead is a Sea Shepherd lie? Good Timmy, very good. That’s definitely the pot calling the kettle black!

    • ben

      The weasels have nothing more to say on the matter.

      Capitulation at last.

      Lets not forget the original article highlights how brutal the Japanese are. I’m sure glad Paul Watson and co are standing up to the empire 2.0

  • hermin

    Why keep arguing with a paid blogger whose only job is to write nonsense.

    To hire fake paid bloggers or fake paid customers is nothing new for japanese companies, one classic example is mcdonalds who hires 1000+ customers to line up at the opening of a new branch in Tokyo :
    http://www.tokyomango.com/tokyo_mango/2008/12/mcdonalds-hired-1000-people-to-line-up-for-quarter-pounder-campaign.html

    Brutal dolphin & whale killers all in the name of tradition. Well it was tradition to hang african american slaves upside down outside if they misbehaved right?! Well countries move on and progress – except for JAPAN!

  • Billy Jean is my lover

    True hermy, and lets not forget this:

    The Japanese lied to Americans on December 6, 1941.

    So, what else is new?

    • ddpalmer

      No they didn’t. They gave the US a formal declaration of war.

      And the date was December 7th 1941.

      • Billy Jean is my lover

        Heard of the international date line – We’re talking Japan time zone.

        Sigh – another well informed spammer.

      • bitter old man

        AFTER they had already attacked Pearl Harbor. And on December 6th, 1941, their ministers, in conference with the American Secretary of State, assured the American Secretary of State that Japan had NO intention of going to war with the United States, and that they were anxious to find a peaceful resolution to the two countries’ differences. The attacking aircraft had already left Japanese carriers bound for Hawaii BEFORE this meeting took place.

        I think that qualifies as “lying to Americans on December 6th, 1941″. We were certainly pretty angry about it at the time.

        But Japan has yet to address any of its crimes against the rest of the world in the 1930s and 1940s, so I don’t expect them to be getting all contrite over anything wrong that they’ve done since then, either. I’m just waiting for China to grow to the point that they can settle some of their old scores with Japan. Now THAT will be pay-back!

      • Hideyoshi Toyotomi

        You’re right. Japan should have just been honest and claimed America was developing weapons of mass destruction to justify the pre-emptive strike.

      • bitter old man

        Well they justified it by saying that the entire Pacific Ocean belonged to them and only them, and they had the right to kill anybody that didn’t see it that way.

        Sounds pretty familiar, doesn’t it? Same argument they (and you) are using now.

      • abacus

        a pre-emptive strike?

        In case you miss the last 70 years, Japan was attacking asia. They pretty much invaded every country across asia, even bombed Australia.

        Not once has Japan apologised for this and moved on. They have removed things from their history books.

        Look what it took to stop them, 2 Atomic Bombs by the Americans. The way they are carrying on with this armada of whaling vessels reminds me of WW2. I wouldn’t put anything past them, let alone trust them one bit.

        It will take many many years for Asians to start to forget what Japan did. Probably never be forgiven though…

      • From MN, with hope…

        The Manhatten Project started after the bombing of Peal Harbor. But why are we bringing WWII back up? Seriously guys, stop using WWII references when it comes to whaling. America is pretty good friends with Japan now, and I gaurantee most of you happen to have a Toyota in your driveway.

        I personally am against nuclear weapons. America used them as a last resort to save thousands of Americans. But we are now haunted by them. I sometimes think the world would be a better place if we had just sent in the troops.

      • ddpalmer

        Yes Billy Jean I have heard of the international date line, I have crossed it many times. Do you realize that Japan is 19 hours ahead of Hawaii? So if it was the morning of December 7th in Honolulu then in Japan it would have been late evening of the 7th or possibly early morning of the 8th, but not the 6th. So maybe you should learn a little more about how time zones work and next time you wont look so foolish.

      • abacus

        I think troops would have been exterminated on Japanese soil. There would have been a terrible American death toll. It was a last resort against the might empire which was attacking the world.

        We are just drawing a comparison. Im not saying Japan needs another H-Bomb dropped on it. But the way shee is carrying on with its huge whaling fleet, with Coast guard etc… Feels like asking them to stop, taking pictures, whatever won’t do a damn thing. A Radical approach is sometimes required to get things done.

      • Hideyoshi Toyotomi

        Sure, the Manhattan Project started after the pre-emptive strike. But let’s face it – when you’re making claims about weapons of mass destruction to justify attacking another country, you needn’t be telling the truth. Recent history shows that. And the magic of it is, there is apparently no apology required either.

        I’m aware that it is silly to be discussing WWII. The anti-whaling rabble often raise it to distract from the fact that they’ve no factual basis for their anti-whaling argument. I’ve objecting to anti-whaling types raising the issue, but this has been to no avail.

        I believe it is also often raised due to a considerable portion of the anti-whaling sentiment being fuelled by an underlying anti-Japanese sentiment. One need only witness the lack of criticism of Norwegian and Icelandic whaling to see this. Sea Shepherd is doing a booming trade and gaining huge donations by exploiting the bias.

        I’m not against anti-Japanese sentiment, mind you. As I’ve said before, we’re not here to please you or to try to seek your favour. You’re free to hate us as you wish. But we are merely minding our own business and sustainably harvesting oceanic resources on the high seas as everyone is entitled to do. So don’t tell us what we can and can’t eat based on sentimental and hypocritical grounds.

        That’s all.

      • ben

        Hideyoshi,

        I love how you cherry pick posts to reply too. Shows great moral character.

        Repeating an earlier post: Japan is the global whaling engine room driving whaling in Norway and Iceland. Their whaling is also strongly opposed.

        Japan has 2 hunts. North Pacific and The Southern ocean hunt. The reason the Southern ocean hunt is target it because they are in a whale sanctuary in contempt of an Australian Federal Court order in the australian / NZ antartic territories WITHOUT permission. It is a blatant slap in the face of those nations.

      • bitter old man

        Pretending to be Shogun doesn’t make you Japanese, Tim.

      • Mick

        This is for the historians such as Abacus and Bitter Old Man.
        First, let’s look at those “Asian countries” Abacus mentioned. Let’s see, FRENCH indochina, DUTCH east indies, AMERICAN phillipines and BRITISH Hong Kong, Malaysia, Burma and India. Strange, there sure are a LOT of Caucasians in control of “asian countries”.
        Bitter old man, America moved the Pacific fleet to Pearl Harbor in May 1940. They had developed long range STRATEGIC bombers (B-17s) well BEFORE the war began. B-17s were high-level bombers only good for bombing STRATEGIC targets, such as CITIES. Looks like the U.S. was spoiling for a war.
        In addition, the U.S. imposed an oil embargo on Japan in July 1941. An embargo that they knew was serious threat to Japan. On November 26, 1941 the HULL NOTE was delivered to the Japanese embassy. Which was an ultimatum to Japan.
        All of these things, taken together, indicates that the U.S. wanted and was preparing for war.

      • Gummy Bear

        Thanks Mick for the noise and distraction from the Japanese slaughter of cetaceans.

      • Mick

        Gummy bear,

        You’re welcome. However I don’t deserve the credit. That honor goes to Billy Jean is my lover, Abacus and Bitter old man. And many other SS supporters. They do not have anything relevant to say about whaling, so they have to bring up WW II.
        Now, in regards to dolphin hunting. It is legal and being carried out in the coastal waters of Japan. In other words, it’s no one’s business but Japan’s.
        In regards to whaling; it is legal and being carried out in international waters under the regulations set by the IWC. SS has not been granted the authority, by anyone, to interfere in any way.

      • b r o k e n

        Hi Mick,

        How are you?

        Are you ddpalmers / hideyoshi’s reinforcments??

        Sure sounds like it from what I can gather as you are purporting just as much poisonous propaganda as they do.

        Refrain and bugger off. Thanks Mick

        You’re the best.

      • Mick

        Hello b r o k e n,

        I’m fine, thank you.

        “Reinforcements”? No, not at all.

        “Poisonous propaganda”??? You mean historical fact?
        Or is it your contention that Hong Kong, Burma, Malaysia and India were not colonies of the British Empire?

        Thanks for your concern. However, I believe I will continue to exercise my right to post my views.

        Have a better one.

      • El Toro

        Ola Mick,
        Whether or not they were occupied by the west don’t matter now does it? The Japanese certainly we’re not liberating them. In fact, they murdered and tortured their way across Asia. Can’t really hide that fact. Eh Micko?

      • Mick

        Hello El Torro,

        “doesn’t matter”? Maybe it doesn’t matter to you. Perhaps the people who where slaves in their own countries would disagree with you.
        No, Japan’s primary purpose was not to liberate them. However, that was an unintentional result of the war.
        “Murdered and tortured their way across Asia”? I would say they fought their way across Asia. It was a war, remember? I’m sure Japanese soldiers commited crimes during the war. However, I would not say that they were worse than anyone else. Every country’s soldiers commit crimes during wartime.
        Have a good day.

  • whiplash

    Remember when the Australian customs and fisheries vessel went down there to ‘monitor’ the whale slaughter? Remember how they discovered

    Japan was taking pregant whales, baby whales (calves) etc etc?

    Their response was to get good data a range of ages and sexes was needed in their study.

    Just like the banners they hold up “We’re examining the stomach contents”, “We’re doing research”

    What about the study that found they hasd been harpooning Blue, Sperm and Humpback whales…

    Complete and utter scumbags. Boycott Japanese products.

  • ddpalmer

    Just as an interesting aside.

    The ‘Australian’ customs ship Oceanic Viking is actually owned by a Norwegian company that leases it to the Australian government.

    • whiplash

      Thanks for that useful information. BTW the earth is round and the Japanese whaling industry is destroying Japans image as a peaceful nation. The cove shows this with Dolphins.

  • ddpalmer

    Sorry if you can’t see the hypocrisy in people calling for a boycott of all Japanese products because of whaling and they want Australia to send a customs ship to stop the Japanese whalers, but no one calls for a boycott of all Norwegian products and the ship they want used to stop the Japanese whalers actually belongs to a Norwegian company.

    Also the Earth isn’t round, it is very close to an oblate spheroid.

    And according to a majority of the posters here the Japanese have never had an image as a peaceful nation, so there is no image to destroy.

    Better luck next time.

    • whiplash

      LOL DDpalmer. Wow – talk about muddying up the waters. Japanese whaling is a national disgrace for Japan. Thanks for clarifying the shape of the earth. When you don’t have a strong argument, pick on the other person in a personal way or fault them on pedantics, syntax, semantics and grammar!

      Japans whaling is the engine room for the worlds whaling.

      The Tool academy has a spot for you.

      • ddpalmer

        Well when someone refuses to post any facts I have to work with what is there. Of course you following suit kind of shoots down your fake outrage.

        So where does this “Japans whaling is the engine room for the worlds whaling.” come from? Are you implying that there is some worldwide whaling syndicate that the Japanese are running?

        Also where do you get the cojones to decide what the Japanese consider a national disgrace?

      • b r o k e n

        Hi DDPalmer,

        Why are you pro-whaling again? I’m lost with your anti-anti-whaling comments and insults.

        Thanks

      • ddpalmer

        I am pro-doing -legal-activities-without -being-harrassed.

        I am anti-vigilante.

        Does that clear it up for you?

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