Controversial whale meat sent back to Iceland

No one is disrespectful of endo.

Not capitalizing his name and not calling him Professor is certainly disrespectful.

U said if it is not in the article it is irrelevant

No I said if it is not in the article it is irrelevant to a comment that specifically is about the article.

Fact is Evergreen said Sanskip was trying to deceive by not writing in English FIN WHALES but instead writing frozen foods in English and FIN WHALES in Latin.

Why would companies from countries that don't speak English write in English? And technically it isn't Latin, it is the proper scientific name in EVERY language and thus is the best choice for international shipments.

Mike O'BrienJUL. 29, 2013 - 05:33PM JST

I know, I have facts.

hahaha facts are reality facts are : they are/were Fin Whales and fact is they are listed as ENDANGERED. Facts are Germany sent them back from their own independent decision and independent laws. Fact is Evergreen said Sanskip was trying to deceive by not writing in English FIN WHALES but instead writing frozen foods in English and FIN WHALES in Latin. Hoping none would see the difference and hoping like Japan that they didn't break the law technically but stretched it, as they did write Fin Whales but just in another language - Japam killing and eating whales for science to see if they get indigestion or not?? Well Sanskip needs a panadol and asprin to go

Mike O'BrienJUL. 18, 2013 - 05:29PM JST

And that information was where in this article? Oh, that is right, it wasn't in this article. So as I have said all along the information provided here did not say FIN WHALE. No it is a fact. Try reading the article and showing where it it is Fin whale meat.

and again

Mike O'BrienJUL. 18, 2013 - 01:59AM JST

Well for comments on this article all that matters IS this article, especially comments made before any other article was even mentioned. An article which clearly DOES NOT say Fin whale meat is what was shipped. That is merely an assumption you have made.

Well Endos name doesnt appear in this article - so by your own terms he is irelevant

By all of the other peoples terms, normal people, he is ofcourse as all information is - very relevant but as you just choose to cherry pick then the same laws have to apply to you also. His name was not in the article and if someone else mentioned him or not makes no difference he becomes irrelevant!

No one is disrespectful of endo. U said if it is not in the article it is irrelevant Endo is not mentioned in the article

So that means endo is irrelevant.

Why do you believe Professor Endo is irrelevant and why are you so disrespectful of him?

You have no argument.

I know, I have facts.

That is merely an assumption you have made.

No it is a fact. Try reading the article and showing where it it is Fin whale meat.

Latin or English it says Fin Whale.

Exactly, that is what I said. It is your fellow anti-whalers who claim that it didn't or was questionable.

So that means endo is irrelevant. You have no argument. And An article which clearly DOES NOT say Fin whale meat is what was shipped. That is merely an assumption you have made. Latin or English it says Fin Whale. And written here or not the contents are Fin Whale

So does that mean that anything you have said that is not written in this article is also irrelevant or only for the rest of us? Such as you just quoted Mr Endo -

No what it means is that when someone is commenting on what is in this article other articles are irrelevant.

Oh, and someone else brought Dr Endo into the conversation with reference to another article. So since Dr Endo isn't mentioned in this article the only way I could respond was to go outside this article.

FIN WHALE in Latin - so as we have said all along there contents were FiN WHALE

And that information was where in this article? Oh, that is right, it wasn't in this article.

So as I have said all along the information provided here did not say FIN WHALE.

even the packing documents were deceptive and up to interpretation - According to Evergreen Line, the labeling read: Frozen Edible Produce (Balaenoptera Physalus) - the words in brackets are the Latin term for fin whale.

That is not deceptive at all. It is plainly and clearly what was being shipped. And using the correct biological name is appropriate since the name may be different in different languages while the biological name is the same everywhere.

anyone read Latin? haha

Anybody who deals with biology reads lots of it as ALL biological names are in Latin. It is how biologist speaking in many different languages can be sure that their audience knows what species they actually mean.

And what's shipped too

FIN WHALE in Latin - so as we have said all along there contents were FiN WHALE

Clearly most say FIN WHALE and even this article too if you really must argue about it

Well for comments on this article all that matters IS this article, especially comments made before any other article was even mentioned. An article which clearly DOES NOT say Fin whale meat is what was shipped. That is merely an assumption you have made.

even the packing documents were deceptive and up to interpretation - According to Evergreen Line, the labeling read: Frozen Edible Produce (Balaenoptera Physalus) - the words in brackets are the Latin term for fin whale.

That is not deceptive at all. It is plainly and clearly what was being shipped. And using the correct biological name is appropriate since the name may be different in different languages while the biological name is the same everywhere.

anyone read Latin? haha

Anybody who deals with biology reads lots of it as ALL biological names are in Latin. It is how biologist speaking in many different languages can be sure that their audience knows what species they actually mean.

might not appear immediately.

And the fact they have been eating it for decades would make that statement specious.

Seems all whales are generally infected with some type of pollutants

Well actually ALL sea food is generally infected with some type of pollutants. For it to get into the whole food chain it has to start at the bottom.

Easy to not see it when you are not looking. Blinkers I think someone said earlier.....

Clearly most say FIN WHALE and even this article too if you really must argue about it - although not directly it refers to the FIn Whale catch numbers as to a reference as to what the article is about but you have to understand English and how it is written but it doesnt say directly as the other articles do and no not just greenpeace but many articles.........

Have to use some common sence = even the packing documents were deceptive and up to interpretation - According to Evergreen Line, the labeling read: Frozen Edible Produce (Balaenoptera Physalus) - the words in brackets are the Latin term for fin whale.

anyone read Latin? haha

Machigai Nai they are not lieing hey Mike probably was frozen edible yes and produce - whale in chunks yes they told the truth. Latin classes expensive too Ill bet.....

and toxicology it says that Mike - it also says

Joanna Tempowski, a scientist who works on chemical safety at the World Health Organization in Switzerland, said the Minamata institute was a respected institution that was trusted to provide technical assistance. Without seeing the Taiji results, she said that some damage from mercury might not appear immediately.

At some point in the future they might start to show health effects, she said.

from your same article

http://www.japanprobe.com/2010/05/10/researchers-find-taiji-residents-have-no-mercury-related-health-problems/

Depends on how long they have been studying them, I guess not long enough?

In 2008, Faroe Islands Chief Medical Officer Høgni Debes Joensen and Pál Weihe of the Department of Public and Occupational Health recommended that pilot whales no longer be considered fit for human consumption due to the presence of DDT derivatives, PCBs and mercury in the meat.[31] Their recommendation was based on research suggesting a correlation between mercury intake and the high rate of Parkinson's disease on the islands.

Extreme mercury levels revealed in whalemeat

But that is wrong Wayne, despite the people who keep repeating it. The tests where on dolphin meat. And dolphins being predators at the top of the food chain naturally accumulate toxins. While baleen whales, feeding much much lower on the food chain, do not accumulate as high levels.

And the National Institute for Minamata Disease has found higher than average mercury levels in hair samples from Taiji residents, but not a single person tested was found to have any mercury-related health problems.

Researchers have found extremely high methyl mercury concentrations in the hair of some residents of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, where people have a tradition of eating whale and dolphin, but none have developed any related illnesses.

The researchers said Sunday that of 1,137 residents tested, the methyl mercury density in 43 exceeded the level recognized by the World Health Organization as capable of causing neurological damage. The tests covered roughly a third of the town’s residents.

Of that tiny portion of residents who had mercury levels above the WHO warning level, none were found to have mercury-related health programs.

Robert RooJUL. 13, 2013 - 07:53PM JST 'The International Whaling Commission imposed a global moratorium on whaling in 1986 amid alarm at the declining stock of the marine mammals.' People like OssanAmerica Nigel and mike Are you Just here to keep the fight going? I guess with irrelevant statements about other claims. Read the article again and one can see what the world can see. 1. Declining stocks and 2. Germany stopped the shipment not Australia 'German authorities removed the controversial cargo from a ship bound for Japan' and 3. Antarctic claims are as relevant as Japan claims to sengakus or other southern islands. Another issue entirely. 4. 'killed 148 fin whales in 2010, but none in 2011 and 2012 due to the disintegration of its only market in quake- and tsunami-hit Japan.' Key word being 'only' Perhaps that's why you guys are a little quiet of late hey?

Points being the reason the moratorium was made was because of declining stocks and so to conserve nature. Germany stopped the cargo mentioned for those who think it is a racist thing and Australia alone - it is the majority of the world trying to preserve nature. Main point being 0 kills for 2 years due to Japanese market disintegration. Meaning as I said if no market no kills. And the market you mentioned mike is a local one and as cited in many documents it is mostly Minke whales that are consumed locally and the market is very limited also it seems. Some aborigine rights there it seems as to Icelandic history. Later Robert mentioned endangered species as that is what it is and yes Iceland exports FIN whales?? Economy I think his statement was about Japan and the fact the government subsidises the industry at tax payers expence. Iceland perhaps makes a profit from the tourists>? As only 5% of the locals eat it? Then pollution was mentioned by wtfjapanJUL. 05, 2013 - 09:21AM JST Pollution seems to have limited studies and only on pilot whales which are a dolphin species yes but called whales I wonder how they sell it, as dolphin which is also sold in Japan or labelled as whale, that which it is called by name??? And the Mercury accumulated especially in the whales liver definately would cause some damage or there wouldnt be a recomended consumption limit. Your own statement says that Mike.

Extreme mercury levels revealed in whalemeat

Tests on whalemeat on sale in Japan have revealed astonishing levels of mercury. While it has long been known that the animals accumulate heavy metals such as mercury in their tissues, the levels discovered have surprised even the experts. Two of the 26 liver samples examined contained over 1970 micrograms of mercury per gram of liver. That is nearly 5000 times the Japanese government's limit for mercury contamination, 0.4 micrograms per gram.

thats from pilot whale studies again I believe but yes very toxic it seems with an advisory for it not to be consumed by pregnant women and ??/

http://www.anglojapanese.com/mercury.html

Does anyone know about other whale species toxicology please?

Sure they do they almost all say FIN WHALE

As my quotes show, and as anybody who reads this article can plainly see, NONE of them say the meat is Fin Whale. And Greenpeace is not really a good source now is it?

which only exports Fin whale meat to Japan.

Where does this fact come from? Although it still doesn't change the fact that this article never says what type of whale the meat came from.

Mike O'BrienJUL. 16, 2013 - 09:16AM JST

''Do you mean the article that says:

Six containers of whale meat...

...it would not ship any more whale meat...

cease transit of whale meat...

Every time, 'Whale meat' not 'fin whale meat'.

Nowhere does the article say what type or types of whale meat the containers being shipped contained.'''

Sure they do they almost all say FIN WHALE

Posted 10 July 2013 - 10:02 PM http://www.greenpeac...ked/blog/45891/

Quote This morning, Greenpeace Germany activists boarded a ship docked in Hamburg, and prevented it from leaving with a cargo of meat from endangered fin whales.

Germany doesn't hunt whales of course. Like almost every country in the world, the German government agrees that commercial whaling should be banned. Iceland allows whale hunting, but fin whale meat isn't popular there either. So the fin whales killed in the Iceland hunt are for export to Japan, which has a small, dwindling market for the meat.

By the time it reached Hamburg, the meat from roughly 10 fin whales whale was packed into six (presumably refrigerated) cargo containers.

So yes they are 10 - 20 times over the limit and yes it can definately cause nerve damage

But you forget to mention that Dr Endo found no evidence of nerve damage.

So it is not just one pilot whale but all pilot whales

Who said it was one pilot whale? But even more important where did you get the 'fact' that it is all pilot whales?

keep eating that tripe and you may start goind numb in your extremities.

And as I answered to wftjapan at the time he made that comment, that tripe has been being eaten for decades and there is still no indication of any damage.

0 Wayne Robinson Endos tests revealed that one Taiji man in his 50s had a mercury level of 67.2 parts per million. The average mercury level of all 50 subjects was 21.6 ppm for the men and 11.9 ppm for the women.

The average level of mercury present in Japanese people as a whole is only 2.55 ppm for men and 1.43 ppm for women, which means Taiji residents had mercury levels about 10 times the national average.

Faroe islanders told to stop eating 'toxic' whales

12:36 28 November 2008 by Debora MacKenzie For similar stories, visit the Endangered Species Topic Guide Chief medical officers of the Faroe Islands have recommended that pilot whales no longer be considered fit for human consumption, because they are toxic - as revealed by research on the Faroes themselves.

So it is not just one pilot whale but all pilot whales and yes Mike they are a species of dolphin - related to the whale.

Dolphin and whale meat is high in mercury, and Endo, one of the worlds foremost authorities on mercury levels in dolphins and whales caught off Japans coastal waters, has discovered Taiji residents who eat the meat sold in local stores have extremely high concentrations in their bodies.

Between December 2007 and July 2008, myself and a team of scientists and researchers took hair samples from 30 male and 20 female residents of the Taiji area. In three cases, the levels of mercury present were more than 50 parts per million, high enough that it was possible nerve damage, like that seen in victims of Minamata disease, could occur, Endo told The Japan Times in an interview last week. Said by Endo in his words as reported I believe..........

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/09/23/national/mercury-danger-in-dolphin-meat/#.UeZhEtJmjPo

So yes they are 10 - 20 times over the limit and yes it can definately cause nerve damage In work not yet published, Endo's team has shown that rats suffered acute kidney poisoning after a single mouthful of the most highly contaminated liver. While levels were lower in muscle, Endo told New Scientist that on average it still contained 2.5 to 25 times the limit.

http://www.anglojapanese.com/mercury.html

Endos work there is on dolphins and pilot whales so it is relevant or not I am not sure but it is probably sold as whale as that is the common reference word used? wtfjapanJUL. 05, 2013 - 09:21AM JST was still correct wtfjapanJUL. 05, 2013 - 09:21AM JST "Consumption of whale and dolphin meat, as is the practice in Japan, is a source of high levels of mercury poisoning. Tetsuya Endo, a professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, has tested whale meat purchased in the whaling town of Taiji and found mercury levels more than 20 times the acceptable Japanese standard" keep eating that tripe and you may start goind numb in your extremities.

I get my facts directly from quotes of Dr Endo. Like in this article;

"“The tests showed that the average levels of mercury and methyl mercury in the pilot whale meat bought in Taiji were 9.6 ppm and 5.9 ppm, respectively. Given that Japan’s standards are 0.4 ppm and 0.3 ppm, respectively, these are extremely high levels,” Endo said."

While the article you reference isn't a quote but the words of the articles writer, a writer who calls pilot whales 'whales' when actually they are dolphins.

So the words of the actual researcher trumps the words of a journalist.

0 Wayne Robinson Mike O'BrienJUL. 05, 2013 - 08:36PM JST ''Tetsuya Endo, a professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, has tested whale meat purchased in the whaling town of Taiji and found mercury levels more than 20 times the acceptable Japanese standard

Well actually he tested meat from one species of dolphin. And one sample, the highest one, was at that level.''

Well Mike again your statement is not true is not true.............. Read the article before commenting please Here is the article

Last June, laboratory tests showed high levels of mercury in dolphin and pilot whale, a small whale that resembles a dolphin, that were caught and sold here. Schools stopped serving pilot whale meat for lunch, and some local markets removed it as well as dolphin from their shelves.

There is a real danger in whale and dolphin meat, but word is not getting out, said Tetsuya Endo, a professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido and an expert on mercury in sea animals.

Despite the public awareness of mercury poisoning in Japan because of the Minamata disaster, the health and agriculture ministries have done little to inform people about mercury levels in whale and dolphin meat, Professor Endo and other biologists say. While the health ministry has conducted surveys of dolphins and pilot whales that show levels of 10 to 50 times the advisory level, the only warning it has issued is for pregnant women.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/world/asia/21dolphin.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0

wtfjapanJUL. 05, 2013 - 09:21AM JST "Consumption of whale and dolphin meat, as is the practice in Japan, is a source of high levels of mercury poisoning. Tetsuya Endo, a professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, has tested whale meat purchased in the whaling town of Taiji and found mercury levels more than 20 times the acceptable Japanese standard" keep eating that tripe and you may start goind numb in your extremities.

So again wtfjapanJUL. 05, 2013 - 09:21AM JST was correct and someone else by the name Mike was wrong. Again I will ask u were do u get your 'facts' from Mike cause they arnt facts./////////////////

' zichi at Jul. 16, 2013 - 10:27AM JST Kristjan Loftsson will have to come up with another, probably more expensive way of exporting his Fin Whale meat.' Mike can u fly over and bring back your backpack full please. Back and forth you should be able to get good mileage points, maybe even a free ticket once in a while! hehe hi Zichi how r u mate! Good to hear from you! Cheers! Lucky it's only 2 countries hey I see land and no way - fin land didn't get in on it yet? Guess cause they sent all the fins to Japan?

Do you mean the article that says:

Six containers of whale meat...

...it would not ship any more whale meat...

cease transit of whale meat...

Every time, 'Whale meat' not 'fin whale meat'.

Nowhere does the article say what type or types of whale meat the containers being shipped contained.

no originaly it was a direct copy as I have just copied from the article above

But none of your copying refernces the shipped meat with the word 'fin' does it?

The first mention of fin whales is that they resumed the hunt in June and then that there was no hunt in 2011 or 2012 because there was no market in Japan. then it says they also hunt Minke whales.

So nowhere does the article claim that only fin whale meat is exported or that the containers only had fin whale meat.

And if you had read the comment I originally responed to, like I suggested, you would have seen it said:

Well here's something I didn't know. Evidently there's little or no market for whale meat in Iceland. And their exports depend only on Japan. Very revealing, isn't it?

'Whale meat' not 'fin whale meat'. So my response was to the comment, as I stated.

Yes thank you

Readers, please stop bickering.

Mike O'Brien at Jul. 16, 2013 - 08:11AM JST Robert didnt change anything. Fin whales are an endangered species and the article clearly says Fin whales.

Yes he did. No Mike he didnt the original statement comes as a copy from the article itself. At the top of the page. The article we are all commenting about says FIN WHALE and Roberts statement was and is a direct copy of the article at the top of the page. You are wrong. Controversial whale meat sent back to Iceland Jul. 13, 2013 - 06:02AM JST Iceland “will now consider how to react to the transport of whale products being stopped and will stand firmly on Icelandic interests in this matter,” he added.

Iceland resumed its disputed commercial fin whale hunt in June. [Percy it says FIN WHALE][Percy it says FIN WHALE]

Hvalur, the only company that hunts the giant mammals, killed 148 fin whales [Percy again it says FIN WHALE] [Percy it says FIN WHALE] in 2010, but none in 2011 and 2012 due to the disintegration of its only market in quake- and tsunami-hit Japan.

The country also hunts minke whales, a smaller species.

The International Whaling Commission imposed a global moratorium on whaling in 1986 amid alarm at the declining stock of the marine mammals.

Iceland and Norway are the only two countries still openly practising commercial whaling in defiance of the moratorium.

Japan also hunts whales but insists this is only for scientific purposes even if most of the meat ends up on the market for consumption.

Yes you should Please read the comments before making incorrect claims.

Then you rudely said again something strange. ''Then Robert decided to stick his nose into the discussion, ultimately changing to 'endangered whale meat'.'' Strange as yes Robert is right again Fin whale is an endangered species. Just admit you are wrong Mike and be done with it! He didnt originaly say endangered no originaly it was a direct copy as I have just copied from the article above but after posting more information from other sites he proved that without the Japanese market the FIN whale hunt doesnt appear to happen and the other sites clearly state that FIN whale is endangered?

http://ika-net.jp/en/our-actions/whaling-issue/210-whale-meat-rapidly-increasing-stocks-and-a-huge-potential-stock-excluded-icelands-fin-whale-in-the-japanese-national-survey

Iceland resumes fin whale hunting after two-year break - The Guardian ►► www.guardian.co.uk › Environment › Whaling‎ Jun 19, 2013 Undercover pictures taken by Greenpeace show a harpooned whale being cut up for meat likely to be exported ... More videos for fin whale » http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jun/19/iceland-fin-whale-hunting-greenpeace

Iceland's fin whales are endangered. Stop this bloody cull | Philip ... http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/17/iceland-fin-whales-endangered-stop-cull

Jun 17, 2013 - Philip Hoare: We know so little about fin whales. The resumption of whaling shows the global market prevailing over common sense.

Mike O'Brien at Jul. 15, 2013 - 05:48PM JST So the locals don't eat the endangered species but send it all to japan

And as I keep explaining to you the locals and tourists eat about 400 tons per year of whale meat and now you have changed your claim to "endangered" species. Nice move, just change your claim and then claim your opponent is wrong.

Robert didnt change anything. Fin whales are an endangered species and the article clearly says Fin whales.

So the locals don't eat the endangered species but send it all to japan

And as I keep explaining to you the locals and tourists eat about 400 tons per year of whale meat and now you have changed your claim to "endangered" species. Nice move, just change your claim and then claim your opponent is wrong.

and tell us where all your 'facts' come from

They come from the article and links you and your buddies post.

really not necessary to continue a loss making enterprise

Yet from your post.

"Icelandic whalers insist their financials are sound

So your claim is it is failing financially, yet the articles you quote and rely on say it is financially sound.

I'm sure the destination must have been a lab where it would undergo testing...or a restaurant ...

Of course it is headed to restaurants. Why would it go anywhere else?

I'm sure the destination must have been a lab where it would undergo testing...or a restaurant ...

Mike O'Brien at Jul. 14, 2013 - 07:57PM JST 'Nope. There is a market in Iceland and Norway.'

Iceland - Hvalur, the only company that hunts the giant mammals, killed 148 fin whales in 2010, but none in 2011 and 2012 due to the disintegration of its only market in quake- and tsunami-hit Japan. (Only) not my words but theirs ....so the locals don't eat the endangered species but send it all to japan. The country also hunts minke whales, yes a smaller species which is eaten locally but they admit to it being a tiny and limited market....... ."Icelandic whalers insist their financials are sound, but admit they are serving a tiny market comprising only a fraction of the country's 320,000 inhabitants as well as some customers in Japan." (saying tiny and fraction meaning very small) again their words not mine.... Taken from the article we are all commenting from above. Perhaps u should read it again mike and tell us where all your 'facts' come from..... And from before @Mike O'Brien: From a "Discovery News" article "Whale Wars in Iceland", July 20th, 2011 "40 percent of tourists try whale thinking it's a traditional Icelandic dish whereas only five percent of Icelanders regularly eat whale," Only 5% and some tourists and the rest is sent to Japan. Put in the freezer storage, fed to the dogs and even used as manure. http://ika-net.jp/en/our-actions/whaling-issue/210-whale-meat-rapidly-increasing-stocks-and-a-huge-potential-stock-excluded-icelands-fin-whale-in-the-japanese-national-survey So yes as has been said many times over, the market is very limited and really not necessary to continue a loss making enterprise that is not making any money and not winning any friends. I am sure it won't stop anyways as Abe was the agriculture minister that pushed to keep it going all those years ago...

Yes because of the moratorium of course.

No actually because most countries stopped whaling long before the moratorium and the increases started before the moratorium.

And the increases continue even with the Japanese, Icelandic, etc. whaling. So obviously the current whaling is sustainable and thus under the moratorium those species should be removed from the moratorium.

That is the general idea of the moratorium. To produce more whales.

And the general idea of the IWC is to produce more whales so whaling hunting can continue.

wether pigs can fly or not.islands and territorial claims are irrelevant.

You are the one who brought it up.

If they were relevant then Japan should only be fishing in their own waters - there are no whales left in there own waters as they have eaten them all already!!!

Well they do hunt whales in their own waters, so you are wrong that they have eaten all of them!!!

And International law allows EVERY country to hunt and fish in international waters. So why shouldn't Japan avail themselves of their rights?

Doesn't confirm your facts at all mike

Yes it does. I claimed that tourists and Icelanders eat significant amounts of whales. The quotes show that they do eat whale and records show that about 60 Minke whales a year are caught. that is about 400 tons of whale that isn't exported but is eaten locally.

Japan is the only real market

Nope. There is a market in Iceland and Norway.

Mike O'Brien at Jul. 13, 2013 - 09:44PM JST 'Stocks are stable or increasing, depending on which species you mean.' Yes because of the moratorium of course. That is the general idea of the moratorium. To produce more whales. . 2 'Germany stopped the shipment not Australia' yes meaning not only Australia wants japan to stop whaling as per your previous claims. 3 'Japan's claim is recognized by most of the world while Australia's isn't' still irrelevant to the argument about whales wether pigs can fly or not.islands and territorial claims are irrelevant. If they were relevant then Japan should only be fishing in their own waters - there are no whales left in there own waters as they have eaten them all already!!!'

entirely. 4. 'killed 148 fin whales in 2010, but none in 2011 and 2012 due to the disintegration of its only market in quake- and tsunami-hit Japan.' Key word being 'only' - makes perfect sence - the only market is Japan - as paulintheusa said "40 percent of tourists try whale thinking it's a traditional Icelandic dish whereas only five percent of Icelanders regularly eat whale," Doesn't confirm your facts at all mike as the tourists only try it and they are very few and the locals only 5% of a very small population. Japan is the only real market and Germany stopped the shipment. Good on em! The world has to work together. Not eat everything and then cry there are none left.

If Greenpeace told Germany about the shipment, and if the ship-ping (why does JT have such an illogical spell-checker? Grrr...) company thought the contents to be fish products, then there is the immediate cause for the German interception and halt. Nothing to do with eco-friendliness.

Whales are not fish. Mislabelling, possible intent to deceive.

Somehow it will arrive in Japan and it wont be news

Silvana Kaji, what was the reason for putting your question in Japanese? The whale meat you saw in the shops would have come from the huge frozen stockpile Japan has, that it cannot sell despite lowering the price and trying to offload it on schools, hospitals, old people's homes, dogs and other 'captive audiences'. It comes from the annual hunts in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific (carried out for purposes of 'scientific research' or 'because it's our culture', depending on how how many times the question is asked) and the stockpile is growing year by year, despite the reduced take due to interference by Sea Shepherd - stocks increased between two- and three-fold 1997-2010.

http://ika-net.jp/en/our-actions/whaling-issue/210-whale-meat-rapidly-increasing-stocks-and-a-huge-potential-stock-excluded-icelands-fin-whale-in-the-japanese-national-survey

Hvalur, the only company that hunts the giant mammals, killed 148 fin whales in 2010, but none in 2011 and 2012 due to the disintegration of its only market in quake- and tsunami-hit Japan. 昨年スーパーで私は鯨肉を見た , 誰がその鯨を捕まえた？

Hey ossan, with regards to Australia's claims in the Antarctic, have a read of this;

http://www.antarctica.gov.au/law-and-treaty/our-treaty-obligations/antarctic-territorial-claims

@paulinusa: Thank you for provide proof of the truth of my claim.

"No your wrong. Iceland, and tourists to Iceland, eat a lot of whale meat it is just mostly Minke whale. They have killed a fairly constant 60 Minke whales a year."

@Mike O'Brien: From a "Discovery News" article "Whale Wars in Iceland", July 20th, 2011

"40 percent of tourists try whale thinking it's a traditional Icelandic dish whereas only five percent of Icelanders regularly eat whale,"

."Icelandic whalers insist their financials are sound, but admit they are serving a tiny market comprising only a fraction of the country's 320,000 inhabitants as well as some customers in Japan."

cleoJul. 13, 2013 - 10:31AM JST "Last I checked neither Germany nor Netherlands had a claim to the Antarctic waters. So yes, it still is "only" Australia and New Zealand as far as the Southern Ocean goes which is the only issue anyone cares about."

Mmm, looks like some customs officials in Germany care about something other than the Southern Ocean.

Yes I agree. They care about enforcing German customs laws, also known as "doing their job". How they feel about whaling or even if they do at all isn't relevant to their job.

On a separate note, it appears the people ship-ping the whale meat are now claiming they didn't know it was whale >meat; they thought they were carrying 'frozen fish'. Greenpeace is claiming credit for getting the ship-ment stopped, >which is good, but the whales are still dead. Maybe Iceland needs to smell a bit of rotten butter.

Again, I fully agree with you. As we say in my country, "Bring it on!". http://www.grapevine.is/News/ReadArticle/Iceland-Calls-Sea-Shepherd-Terrorist-Organisation

The International Whaling Commission imposed a global moratorium on whaling in 1986 amid alarm at the declining stock of the marine mammals.

The IWC also allows objections to the moratorium and research whaling.

Then there is the fact that the moratorium contained a REQUIREMENT for the IWC to conduct a review of the status of whale species by 1990 (which they have yet to do) and to continually monitor whale species status so that when a species has recovered enough commercial whaling of that species may be restarted.

Declining stocks

Stocks are stable or increasing, depending on which species you mean.

Germany stopped the shipment not Australia

So? "I guess with irrelevant statements about other claims."

Antarctic claims are as relevant as Japan claims to sengakus or other southern islands

But Japan's claim is recognized by most of the world while Australia's isn't. "I guess with irrelevant statements about other claims."

Key word being 'only' Perhaps that's why you guys are a little quiet of late hey?

This staement makes no sense. Who has been quiet of late?"I guess with irrelevant statements..."

smithinjapanJul. 13, 2013 - 08:58AM JST OssanAmerica: "So yes, it still is "only" Australia and New Zealand as far as the Southern Ocean goes which is the only issue anyone cares about. I haven't seen your heroes SSCS attacking the Icelandic ships." It obviously is NOT the only issue anyone cares about, despite the lame attempt at deflection. Or do you always come >onto threads involving controversy (hence the issues are cared about A LOT) you 'don't care about' and post? :) "I haven't seen your heroes SSCS attacking the Icelandic ships" Hard to see with those thick blinders on.

SMITH PLEASE STOP POSTING MEANINGLESS PERSONAL INSULTS

Yes Iceland should consider exporting Ice Blocks instead of Whale Meat.

'The International Whaling Commission imposed a global moratorium on whaling in 1986 amid alarm at the declining stock of the marine mammals.' People like OssanAmerica Nigel and mike Are you Just here to keep the fight going? I guess with irrelevant statements about other claims. Read the article again and one can see what the world can see. 1. Declining stocks and 2. Germany stopped the shipment not Australia 'German authorities removed the controversial cargo from a ship bound for Japan' and 3. Antarctic claims are as relevant as Japan claims to sengakus or other southern islands. Another issue entirely. 4. 'killed 148 fin whales in 2010, but none in 2011 and 2012 due to the disintegration of its only market in quake- and tsunami-hit Japan.' Key word being 'only' Perhaps that's why you guys are a little quiet of late hey?

Hard to see with those thick blinders on.

Also hard to see when it is true. Sea Shepherd hasn't even attenmpted to interfere with Icelandic whaling in almost 30 years.

Evidently there's little or no market for whale meat in Iceland.

No your wrong. Iceland, and tourists to Iceland, eat a lot of whale meat it is just mostly Minke whale. They have killed a fairly constant 60 Minke whales a year.

But...wait... whales meat aren't also"studied for scientific" purpose in Japan LOL

What?

Japan also hunts whales but insists this is only for scientific purposes even if most of the meat ends up on the market for consumption.

Processing of the meat is required by international law.

this is very wrong Japan was supposed to use this meat as research

No that would be the whales they catch, not the whales Iceland legally hunts commercially.

action speaks louder than words, thats twice Germany has trumped Japan!

What would the other time you are talking about be?

action speaks louder than words, thats twice Germany has trumped Japan!

Germany did a good job

this is very wrong Japan was supposed to use this meat as research, they want to research how much whale meat a dog can eat before in mercury levels become unhealthy high!

I'll eat it

Japan also hunts whales but insists this is only for scientific purposes even if most of the meat ends up on the market for consumption.

admitted as written.

Waxman: Just to add on what I and spudman already said, while the whals are already dead (as Cleo also touched on), the fact remains that both the ship-ping company and the importers have lost a lot of money on this deal, and it will therefore hurt them and force them to rethink things. It is therefore not a loss in that respect. When this kind of thing increases and the governments of said country FINALLY stop subsidizing such rubbish and the nations realize it's unfeasable, they'll largely stop the killing.

Considering how much unsold whale meat there is in Japan, from last years whale hunt, why is there any need to import it from Iceland, or Norway?

Waxman, stop the supply and demand dries up. No way in hell this meat should be sold for profit. And that is all anyone cares about. Props to Germany.

Well this is not a victory for people thinking it as a victory, the shipment should be sent to Japan or the meat should be consumed as those whales are dead already and this means they died for nothing. Victory can only be used when no more whales or sharks are killed which looks pretty impossible for the time being.

But...wait... whales meat aren't also"studied for scientific" purpose in Japan LOL

what will happen to Japanese importer(s) must be in tears (!)

Alike drug dealers, when a path is compromised they'll find another route to continue the importation.

Last I checked neither Germany nor Netherlands had a claim to the Antarctic waters. So yes, it still is "only" Australia and New Zealand as far as the Southern Ocean goes which is the only issue anyone cares about.

Mmm, looks like some customs officials in Germany care about something other than the Southern Ocean.

On a separate note, it appears the people ship-ping the whale meat are now claiming they didn't know it was whale meat; they thought they were carrying 'frozen fish'. Greenpeace is claiming credit for getting the ship-ment stopped, which is good, but the whales are still dead. Maybe Iceland needs to smell a bit of rotten butter.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1307/S00298/ship-ping-companies-commit-to-send-whale-meat-back-to-sender.htm

http://blog.greenpeace.de/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Evergreen-Line-statement-whale-1.pdf

(Remove the dash from ship-ping in the link , JT thinks it's a naughty word)

Leave the whales alone.

Hope whatever company placed the order for the whale meat lost all the money they spent on that shipment.

Here is a good Conspiracy to think of; Iceland is being squeezed not because anyone really cares about whale meat, because this is not the first shipment but because in recent times Iceland became friendly to Edward Snowden and the US is using their long hand of influence wherever they can to hurt anyone who seem to be showing understanding to his plight.

Respect to Germany - a nation that has respect for environmental issues and laws to back it up.

"Hvalur, the only company that hunts the giant mammals, killed 148 fin whales in 2010, but none in 2011 and 2012 due to the disintegration of its only market in quake- and tsunami-hit Japan."

Well here's something I didn't know. Evidently there's little or no market for whale meat in Iceland. And their exports depend only on Japan. Very revealing, isn't it?

"Iceland “will now consider how to react to the transport of whale products being stopped and will stand firmly on Icelandic interests in this matter,” he added."

So let them -- they're just going to have to pay a whole lot more... likely to the point where they realize how unfeasible and stupid it is in the first place to whale commercially.

OssanAmerica: "So yes, it still is "only" Australia and New Zealand as far as the Southern Ocean goes which is the only issue anyone cares about. I haven't seen your heroes SSCS attacking the Icelandic ships."

It obviously is NOT the only issue anyone cares about, despite the lame attempt at deflection. Or do you always come onto threads involving controversy (hence the issues are cared about A LOT) you 'don't care about' and post? :)

"I haven't seen your heroes SSCS attacking the Icelandic ships"

Hard to see with those thick blinders on.

Some dogs in Japan will go hungry this month!

What kind of idiot ships a product legal in Iceland to Japan where the product is legal by way of Germany where it is illegal?

cleoJul. 13, 2013 - 07:35AM JST What was it someone was saying about 'It's only Australia'?

Last I checked neither Germany nor Netherlands had a claim to the Antarctic waters. So yes, it still is "only" Australia and New Zealand as far as the Southern Ocean goes which is the only issue anyone cares about. I haven't seen your heroes SSCS attacking the Icelandic ships.

Interesting, but the article lacks clarification on exactly why the German customs authorities prohibited the transportation of the whale meat.

Six containers of whale meat is a huge lot, so what will happen to Japanese importer(s) must be in tears (!)

Good.

What was it someone was saying about 'It's only Australia'?

a nice little victory!