Whale Wars

[BobbyT22]

I watched a few episodes of the show and had to turn away in disgust, but not because I either agreed or disagreed with the cause. I was disgusted with the complete lack of professionalism as a Mariner displayed by Mr Watson (I can't even bring myself to call him 'Captain'). I say this as both a current active duty Naval Officer of 17 years and counting, and as a holder of a current USCG License - Third mate, unlimited tonnage, Oceans. Based on what I saw on the show, Mr Watson runs his ship sloppily, in an unseamanlike manner, and completely lacks for "command presence" in his bearing. When I saw him actually take a vote instead of make a command decision I was done. Changed the channel instantly.

I realize these are activists and it would be unrealisitic to expect them to perform in a manner anywhere close to the standards of the US Navy. I don't. But I have also borded many ships in many oceans, of all flags. I know that all well run ships, merchant or Naval, posesses a level of discipline amongst the crew which is unmistakable and obvious. It is also completely lacking aboard Mr Watson's vessel.

 

[alewar]

Let me guess because Paul Watson hasn't killed anyone yet? By that way of thinking the the 9/11 hijackers were doing nothing wrong until the first death at their hands at which time it was already too late.

Because Paul and the rest of the SS defend "life" and give their best not to physically harm anyone. The moment they injure a fisherman, they'll lose most of their supporting base. They make the fishermen lose money and get angry, but that's all.

Real terrorists, on the other hand, disregard life and would happily blow our countries up in pursue of their agenda. You can't seriously put both of them in the same sack.

 

[Desert_Diver]

...
Last year, the Japanese cut short their season due to Sea Shepherd's harassment. Fewer whales were taken. That's a positive effect. The economics of Japanese whaling is murky at best--it's hard to get good numbers on whether it is profitable or not as it done as a "research" activity funded in part by the Japanese government. ...

Have you ever seen any "research" product from the Japanese agency that sponsors the whaling?

...
As I pointed out in other posts, whaling is on the increase-Iceland has started doing it again. Norway never stopped. The Russians are thinking about it. The only whaling operations impacted were those where Sea Shepherd protested. ...

Do you think that it is coincidental that Watson chose the Japanese whaling industry?

I think, for a number of reasons, that the Japanese were less likely to retaliate, and if and when they did, the retaliation would be much milder than the corresponding European whalers. My guess is that Watson remembers quite well what happened to the Greenpeace anti-nuke protestestors. (French commando divers mined the hull of the Greenpeace ship. I think one Greenpeace protester was killed when the mine detonated.)

My gut feeling is that the Norwegians or Icelanders would react to Watson's tactics in a much more ferocious manner than the Japanese did.

Most causes are funded by donations of one kind or another. Watson spends a lot of his time on fundraising. He's not independently wealthy (like Bwana Doc LOL).

Has Watson's donation take increased or decreased since the filming of Whale Wars began?

Art

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

The anti Sea Shepherd and anti Captain Paul Watson crowd are proving Captain Watson's point; talk does not get results. Talk all you want, the show is probably not going away. If it was a professionally run ship following all the traditions of the Ocean there would be no show, and there would be no real pressure on the Japaneese whaling fleet.

This whale harvest is supposedly in the name of research; killing over a thousand whales every year for research, and then selling the meat for food. Japan's leaders are just thumbing their noses at the IWC. So to is Captain Paul Watson thumbing his nose at the ball-less world leaders.

As far as the ship collision incident, come on; Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon bang each other's vehicles harder every race, and they are on the same team! Sea Shepherds has protected whales lives without injuring any humans other than themselves, hardly cause for comparing them to 9/11 Jihadists

 

[drdiver1952]

Watson could have killed people on the Japanese ships if he had wanted. He has certainly been involved in sinking other whaling ships at harbor in the past. Despite their grandstanding, it is almost certain that their real reason for the harassment is publicity (to trigger more donations and increase activism against whaling) and now the TV show. Much more could have been done to incapacitate the Japanese whaling fleet if they wanted to--admittedly at some serious risk. The Norwegians basically told him if he shows up in their territorial waters again he would be sunk or captured and charged. He hasn't been back since. Probably one reason he turned his attentions to the Antarctic. What is curious is why the Japanese navy hasn't sent a warship down there to protect their citizens. But this is a navy far from the traditions of Admirals Togo, Yamamoto and Nagumo (and I'm glad they are).

 

[TheScubaBOB]

Because Paul and the rest of the SS defend "life" and give their best not to physically harm anyone. The moment they injure a fisherman, they'll lose most of their supporting base. They make the fisherman lose money and get angry, but that's all.

Real terrorists, on the other hand, disregard life and would happily blow our countries up in pursue of their agenda. You can't seriously put both of them in the same sack.

Ask a Jihadist why they would lay down their life for "the cause", they'll reply that they are defending the lives of countless Muslims who are dying under the boots of American Imperialism.

In may ways the Jihadists are actually better people because unlike Paul Watson they actually believe in their cause enough to knowingly die for it.

If Mr Watson put himself in between a harpoon ship & a whale (on one of the RIBs of course) then I might take him more seriously.

I'm hoping his intentional ramming of the Japanese ship (which could have easily killed many Japanese) causes him to lose his Dutch Registry, the Ship and all of his donations.

 

[Desert_Diver]

Many people have stood within striking distance of Grizzly's but as long as they didn't threaten to compete for salmon they were not attacked.

It's OK to believe this in Hawaii, but don't try it in the Rockies.

Don't startle them.
Don't get between them and the cubs.
Don't even be anywhere around them when they come out of hibernation.

Read Grizzly Maze. It's about a guy who believed as you do.

Art

 

[drdiver1952]

Have you ever seen any "research" product from the Japanese agency that sponsors the whaling?

Yes, actually they do publish a fair amount of stuff. It's pretty pedestrian for the most part and could be much more sophisticated. It mostly revolves around anatomy of their catch, stomach contents, etc, pollutant levels. I've been looking for some molecular biology work to be done on the Minke's from them, but haven't seen it (could be in Japanese and I just can't find it). It's a personal interest I have--before the "big slaughter"--the extermination of the big baleens from 1900 to 1960s, Minke's' were rarely caught as they were so small and were always reported as being solitary. Now they are found in schools. Are these family units and what is their relationships? This is some useful data that could be gathered from the Japanese harvest as they stay in a relatively small area and sample from it year to year. And don't forget they do take fin and sei whales as well.

Do you think that it is coincidental that Watson chose the Japanese whaling industry?

I think, for a number of reasons, that the Japanese were less likely to retaliate, and if and when they did, the retaliation would be much milder than the corresponding European whalers. My guess is that Watson remembers quite well what happened to the Greenpeace anti-nuke protestestors. (French commando divers mined the hull of the Greenpeace ship. I think one Greenpeace protester was killed when the mine detonated.)

My gut feeling is that the Norwegians or Icelanders would react to Watson's tactics in a much more ferocious manner than the Japanese did.

Spot on, Art. Yep, the Norwegians shot at Watson's ship and damaged its hull with depth charges back in 94. Then they charged him and he was actually arrested in Holland for awhile. They don't fool around. And they don't have to--they whale only in their territorial waters. Likewise Iceland has seen itself ready to take on anybody (witness the British and Canadians) that gets in their fishing waters. No, it's not an accident he took on the Japanese in international waters. It's much safer--no warrants!

I don't have numbers, but I have no doubt donations are up. They recently raised $70,000 with an art auction. The new whaling season will be interesting--if the Japanese show up.

 

[OldNSalty]

What is curious is why the Japanese navy hasn't sent a warship down there to protect their citizens. But this is a navy far from the traditions of Admirals Togo, Yamamoto and Nagumo (and I'm glad they are).

Ummm...do they really have anything larger then maybe a few coastal patrol boats? I mean they aren't suppose to maintain anything but a defense force by their on laws...thinks in part to Togo, Yamamoto, Naguma...oh, and MacArthur.

 

[drdiver1952]

Ummm...do they really have anything larger then maybe a few coastal patrol boats? I mean they aren't suppose to maintain anything but a defense force by their on laws...thinks in part to Togo, Yamamoto, Naguma...oh, and MacArthur.

They've got a decent navy. A number of destroyers some with our Aegis fire control systems on them. They could easily send somebody down to dust off the Steve Irwin. They've been active in the Indian Ocean even. But takes more firepower though--takes willpower.