We currently have the technology to GROW animal tissue in labs.
IF enough whale meat tissue could be grown in a lab to satisfy the demand.... would whaling cease to even have a point?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
Whale meat is the perfect test case because:
1) its a high value meat and could be an economical alternative to wild harvest.
2) the meat suffers none of the contamination problems
3) the meat is never attached to this planets largest and most complex brain in the first place
4) would help prevent whale species from suffering extinction
5) gets around international laws and drama
6) reduces racism creation, as believe it or not whale killing does result in some anger against 127 million Japanese despite it being the actions of maybe 200 Japanese fishermen behind the whale/dolphin killings
7) halts the destruction of breeding stocks in recovering whale populations
8) is an actual science, and can be started with non-lethal flesh plugs
9) Japanese have no 'culture' of HUNTING whales in the Southern Ocean but do have some history of EATING large whales. Therefor lab grown whale meat WOULD PRESERVE WHALE EATING FOOD CULTURE while avoiding the ethical nightmare and global condemnation from killing live whales.
10) its a chance for Japan to show the world they lead the way in intelligent technology based solutions!
2 comments:
I've read and enjoyed most of your blog. However, in this entry, you make a bold mistake.
Your name leads me to believe you are a Japanese ex-pat living in Australia, and you are obviously against the whaling industry. This is fantastic. However, you go so far as to blame the entire problem on the action of 200 fishermen, absolving the population of Japan as a whole. This is untrue. I understand how you can feel frustrated when people assume that, because of your nation of origin, you automatically adhere to the stereotype - in this case, an inhumane whale meat consumer. Being Canadian, I often get a bad wrap for the goings-on of my countrymen - from the savage seal hunt to the very recent slaughter of over 500 Narwhals in our arctic north.
However, let us not forget the quota of ~1000 whales annually. The typical weight of an adult is 4-5 metric tonnes, though some have been hunted weighing in at over 10 metric tonnes. Even if we assume all captures are at the low end of the scale, this equates to about 10 million pounds of whale meat! Obviously not enough to sustain the 127 million Japanese nationals that you mention, but far more than can be consumed by 200 fishermen.
This is why we spend so much and effort education the general Japanese population. Do not make the assumption that the average citizen needs no education on the matter. While the future is looking good - the vast majority of Japanese youth are AGAINST whaling, this means nothing TODAY, when the whales need the most help.
In short, I just want you to realize the importance of all sides of our campaign against whaling, and not to undermine the importance of education the majority of Japanese citizens who believe that there is simply nothing wrong with consuming whale meat (not to mention shark fin and the rest).
Also, be active! If you have family or friends in Japan, teach them about the effects of the whaling industry, and have them spread the word. Every voice does count! Keep posting and keep caring, the whales and I thank you for your support and compassion.
You said that the whaling issue is due to onlyaround 200 people or so but in my opinion it's everyone who eats it's faullt. If the demand for whale meat decreasd then there wouldn't be whaling going on and then maybe the numbers could recover. It soiunds like you are trying tto start some kind of sick animal testing only with whales instead.
are you japanese by any chance, because if you are then you should not be writing this blog. Get someone who comes from a neatral country such as GB to write it.
whale farming is not nice and if you plan to keep the animals in captivity for a while to get skin samples [which would hurt the whale tremendously] then the whales would be greatlyu distressed. intelligent animals such a whales and dolphins hate to be kept in captivity and become very miserable and die premature deaths due to it. Their hearts are always going to be with the ocean where they naturally belong and so it is cruel to take out out of the great sea and put it into a small tank for skingraphs for food.
In my opinion, if everyone went vegetartian like i am, then we wouldn't have all these stupid ideas of how to produce meat whilst causing grief and sufferingto the animals.
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