Whale meat cargo must come to NZ (by law; meat would be confiscated)

[Barrett808]

Whale meat cargo must come to NZ
By GREG MEYLAN - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 18 February 2007

A Japanese whaling ship disabled near Antarctica is obliged to head for a New Zealand port despite carrying a banned cargo of whale meat, an international law expert says.

...

Carter said he would not like to see "a toxic vessel full of oil and whale meat" in New Zealand.

But maritime law expert Duncan Currie said international conventions meant it should be towed as soon as possible to the nearest port, either Bluff or Lyttelton, to mitigate the pollution risk.

Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, once the ship has docked, the whale meat would not be permitted to leave again.

Carter said he believed the Japanese government would do what it could to avoid the ship coming to New Zealand and was likely to send a tug south from Japan and attempt to tow the boat home.

(more)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/3966286a11.html

[LeftyMom]

1. Oh darn. What a shame.

Those poor whalers can't catch a break.

:D

[saigon68]

2. Too Bad for the whale killers

and their evil corporate masters

[Coventina]

8. From what I understand

The whaling industry in Japan has heavy government subsidies because as a business, it is not very profitable. The Japanese citizenry don't WANT whale meat.

[Briar]

14. On the other hand

they do want to hunt it. It's a matter of patriotic pride. That's patriotism for you.

[Judi Lynn]

3. They don't want to risk parting with their dead whale, after invading its home, chasing it down,

and slaughtering it amidst its great suffering. The thought of losing their illegal property is probably too horrendous to contemplate. They did, after all, cause a whale to pay a tremendous price for them to steal its life.

[Eugene]

4. The Nisshin Maru crew are risking disaster to save a cargo of contraband.

If this recklessness is not a crime it ought to be.

[Zachstar]

5. I agree

They have crossed the line by putting this much risk just for crappy cargo.

But the thing is... Hasn't the electric system been disabled by the fire and the heat from the intense fire enough to spoil every bit of whale meat on board? If not then surely the smoke ruined it.

So why not just part with it and not buy yourself more bad rap?

[Divernan]

6. I doubt it was the crew's decision - it was up to the owners.

Although the crew's pay probably is a function of the amount of the catch. Towing a disabled ship is very tricky and often the ship ends up sinking en route - the farther the distance the less likely it will make it. Just takes a short spell of rough seas/bad weather. The Carribean is littered with recent wrecks of old ships which were being towed to particular spots where they were to be sunk to form artificial reefs and scuba diving opportunities to island's tourists. They were supposed end up sitting right side up on the bottom. Instead they sunk en route, often on their sides, upside down, or broken into pieces - and in waters too deep for recreational divers to visit.

[Eugene]

11. Rough seas are a danger if the Nisshin Maru stays put.

Towing may be risky, but staying dead in the water in iceberg-
strewn seas and changeable weather is even riskier. The disabled
ship also carries 1,000 tons of oil in an ecologically sensitive
area.

Some weather forecasts predict calm weather over the next 3 days,
but not all. They are taking a chance that the seas don't turn rough.
If that happens, the other whaling ships may not be able to control
the Nisshin Maru.

The ship's insurers have advised the owners to accept the tow.
However, the OP article suggests that the Nisshin Maru is waiting
for a resupply ship to offload its cargo. Other articles say that
the crew is trying to fix the ship's engine in order to continue
whaling. This is all about the whaling mission.

[peacebuzzard]

7. This should assist in the movement to totally end Japan's slaughter

interests in this magnificent creature that is on the brink of extinction.

[rumpel]

9. according to the Chugoku Shinbun

'07/2/18
citing Kyodo News
http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/News/Sp200702180132.html (japanese only)

they were planning on taking 850 Minke Whales and 10 endangered Fin Whales! (Nagasu Kujira)
http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/2478/all

Fire started in the processing factory, and was sealed off. The one missing crew member was found dead in that area.

After attempting to start the engines, the Oriental Bluebird will tow it to port - it does not say which port.


So much for the 850 Minkes - karma

on edit: They also report that the offer to tow by Greenpeace was rejected.

[xchrom]

10. good.

:grr:

[Plutonium Page]

12. If people are still reading this thread...

... I am going to post a diary at dailyKos.com about the whole Nisshin Maru incident in the Ross Sea (off the coast of Antarctica). I am a Greenpeace activist and volunteer, and am specifically doing blog stuff for the Greenpeace whales campaign, so I have a bunch of info put together to clear up any confusion about what's going on down there.

I realize my comment is somewhat off-topic on this thread, and I apologize for that, but this is your most recent whales thread, so I figured folks might see my comment more easily this way :-)

I'm too new a member to post a new thread, otherwise I'd start one that corresponds with the dailyKos diary (I wonder how many comments I need to post before I can start a new thread? Oh well, no big deal...).

Finally, I'm really impressed that all of you have been keeping up with the situation in the southern oceans whale sanctuary. Thank you so much for caring about it.

Oh, and I know a lot of you hate dailyKos, but let's put that aside, since saving the whales is way, way more important! Hopefully I'll be able to post the diary by mid-morning US time...

[peacebuzzard]

13. welcome to DU.

[Plutonium Page]

15. Thank you :-)

As far as I can tell, this is the only Democratic blog talking about saving the whales (according to Technorati, anyway). That makes me so happy - you guys have had spirited discussions, and I think you really care.

I'll post the thing at dKos later. It's hard to write, because I'm a perfectionist, and I want it to be as thorough as possible. There is a deep division between the folks who are in favor of the Sea Shepherd group's methods, and the non-violent activists (Greenpeace). We all have the same thing at heart, which is stopping whaling forever. Let's try to remember that.

Thanks again for the welcome. I really appreciate it.

[Coventina]

16. Welcome again. And a hearty "thank you" for the work you do.

I just want to go on record as saying I support BOTH Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace.

[okasha]

17. As do I.

Both organizations do excellent work.

Once you get your material up on dKos, please post a link.

[Plutonium Page]

18. Organizations

Like I said, they both have the same goal, and their hearts are in the same places. I can see where both organizations can be (and are) effective.

Anyway, I won't post this until tomorrow. I have a meeting about the situation in yonder Southern Oceans, so I'd rather wait to post until I've heard more updates.

You guys are awesome. Yes, I keep saying that :-) but I mean it. This is a cause that means so very much to me, and to so many people around the world, including a bunch of DU Democrats! REPRESENT (as they say)! THANK YOU.

:yourock:

[Matilda]

21. Thanks - I look forward to reading it.

You certainly can't rely on the MSM for real news.

[newyawker99]

19. Hi Plutonium Page!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[yewberry]

20. Meat? Oh, that's not meat.

It's scientific research, dontcha know.