Fleet returns from Japan's last 'scientific whaling' in Antarctic sea

Keep this inane practice in your territorial waters.

And so the charade that has been "research" whaling is over!

But not before an additional 333 whales were killed for "research" purposes.

One wonders how much of that 1,000 tons of whale meat will actually be consumed and how much will end up in the freezers for long term storage!

Their scientific whaling (cough) may well be over in the antarctic. However, once the stocks of whales in local waters have been depleted by wasteful and wonton slaughter I'm quite sure the yen signs in their eyes will be pointing toward the antarctic within a few years from now.

The “certain species of whales” are only abundant because they are slowly returning to the normal natural levels, and not returning to near extinction.

Is there anyone out there who actually believes that scientific whaling BS?

Japan will continue nonlethal scientific whale research in the Antarctic Ocean, such as counting the number of whales by visual inspection, the agency said.

Counting whales by visual inspection? That sounds like an inherently scientific method. Surely there is no way that any of the sighted whales could have been counted more than once. (Sarcasm)

Is there anyone out there who actually believes that scientific whaling BS?

Clearly there are, given some of the down votes some of the other comments are getting! :-)

Bur, in all seriousness, that is the dirty little secret about the "research / scientific" whaling charade. NOBODY believes it, including those that support whaling.

Those that support Japan's right to engage in whaling only support the "scientific" whaling thing as a means to an end. They will defend it because they defend Japan's right to engage in commercial whaling.

Which is why I called it a charade. Now at least there is no more charade. It is being called what it is: commercial whaling.

The only question is whether or not it is subsidized directly or indirectly by the Japanese government.

@zones2surf - But, in all seriousness, that is the dirty little secret about the "research / scientific" whaling charade. NOBODY believes it, including those that support whaling.

Actually, their research wasn't all a lie. Their research was to prove there are substantial populations of whales that could support a return to commercial whaling. The problem was, no matter how votes they bought in the IWC nobody would support them returning fo commercial whaling. That is why they withdrew. Now, they are on their own and face no opposition and/or quotas. This also means that, if they ever return to the southern ocean whale sanctuary to hunt whales they will be considered poachers. I live to see the day the Nishin Maru is confiscated and scuttled for poaching whales in the southern ocean whale sanctuary.

And so the charade that has been "research" whaling is over!

And so the charade that has been the commercial whaling "moratorium" is over :)

Isn't it curious that they could continue to catch hundreds of minke whales for 30 years of this "moratorium", and they aren't stopping now because they are endangered!

The "moratorium" has been validated by Japan's research, as a total sham. 

Japan's biggest fault, is not quitting the IWC much longer ago, e.g. back in the 90's when it became clear that the "moratorium" fraud was a defacto permanent ban - for IWC members, but not non-members.

One wonders how much of that 1,000 tons of whale meat will actually be consumed and how much will end up in the freezers for long term storage!

It is surely frozen already. They've just brought it back from international waters. Whales aren't tuna, don't you know!

I'm quite sure the yen signs in their eyes will be pointing toward the antarctic within a few years from now.

Funny, some people think there is no money in it.

Surely there is no way that any of the sighted whales could have been counted more than once. 

Nice snarky comment, but visual sightings of whales is standard practice in the international community, it's not a Japan-specific research method. You can find out as much if you use Google.

Those that support Japan's right to engage in whaling only support the "scientific" whaling thing as a means to an end. They will defend it because they defend Japan's right to engage in commercial whaling.

That's right. If one accepts that whales are a naturally renewable resource that can be harvested, then if one has any sense, one also must demand scientific research into the dynamics of that naturally renewable resource. Otherwise, that resource may be depleted through over harvesting.

It's clear that those people who oppose scientific research into whaling are opposed and deride the efforts because they are opposed to the view that whales are a renewable natural resource that is good for eating.

if they ever return to the southern ocean whale sanctuary to hunt whales they will be considered poachers.

Nonsense, those are international waters. There is no "southern ocean whale sanctuary".

The Japanese government, which insists scientific evidence has confirmed that certain whale species are abundant

Yet Japan is happy to also hunt whales that are classed as endangered based on scientific evidence. Let's not pretend that Japan has any interest in the sustainability of any whale species. They also believe that because whales eat fish, ridding the oceans of whales will lead to there being more fish. This is the level of intelligence we are dealing with here.

Only 4 out of 193 nations recognized Australia's land/water grab.

Piffle. When it was established only Japan opposed it. Australia has no imperial interests in a land/water grab. They just want to keep Japan's grubby hands off at least one small corner of the planet. Japan should stick to decimating its own natural habitat, which it has done really well.

Which nation will chose to violate international law in order to confiscate a vessel traversing international water?

'Traversing'? Is that what you call harpooning whales?

ClippetyClop - Piffle. When it was established only Japan opposed it. Australia has no imperial interests in a land/water grab.

Wrong. Australia established it's land/water grab of international water, and then requested that other nations accept it's land/water grab. Only 4 nations have conceded long established international water to Australian control.

If any nation, or any eco-terrorist group, choses to attack, or detain, another nation's flagged vessels in international water it will be considered, legally and morally, an act of piracy.

Wrong. Australia established it's land/water grab of international water, and then requested that other nations accept it's land/water grab.

Are we talking about the same thing? The Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary was established by the IWC, not Australia. Of the 24 members at that time, only Japan opposed it.

If any nation, or any eco-terrorist group, choses to attack, or detain, another nation's flagged vessels in international water it will be considered, legally and morally, an act of piracy.

This we all know. You seem to imply that there are nations that plan to do this, please tell us more.