Though the International Whaling Commission banned whaling
in 1986, whales are still being hunted all over the world. Some countries such as Japan insist that
these whales are being killed for research, while others like Iceland find
loopholes just to make money off these endangered and rapidly depleting
species. In 2010 alone, Iceland sent a
shipment of 750 tons of whale meat and products, including the endangered fin
whale, to Japan. Laws have helped to rejuvenate
some populations, but the lack of authority enforcing these laws has left these
populations unstable and unpredictable. These
innocent species have also fallen victim to
dangers such as ocean noise, ship strikes, pollution, unsustainable
fishing practices, oil and gas development and climate change; whaling, along
with the rest of the issues, should be taken care of in order to let this
important species repopulate their home.
The US has attempted to negotiate with Iceland and has even led a joint
demarche with ten other nations, but Iceland does not seem to respond much to
these efforts. Many believe that trading
sanctions will be the only way to solve this problem, but the issue of getting
Japan on board creates a large barrier.
Many conservation groups also believe that is the duty of the US
government to uphold their beliefs of conservation and make a lasting effect in
this situation.
I personally believe that the US, along with other nations,
should get more involved in this situation.
If Iceland refuses to follow a worldwide ban on whaling, then there are
probably other things that they are against.
This problem will only continue to grow, and the extinction of this
species will only leave the world in regret if we do not act now.
This is such a terrible happening in our oceans. It seems to be a trend that people are punishing the earth for economic motives. People seem to think that the planet is just a source of profit and that all resources are unlimited. Awareness also seems to be a large issue, people negating the future effects of their actions. I agree that the United States should be more involved with this issue; we should fund more programs to police the waters for whalers. I also agree that the United States should impose a trade sanction on Iceland and Japan, but we, as a nation, consume so many Japanese products that this would be very difficult. Also, this is probably not an issue that the majority of Americans get too heated about, so most may not be on board with a trade sanction. Do you know what the impacts would be on our planet if whales did reach extinction?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/whaling.asp
ReplyDeleteThroughout these blog posts, a reoccurring pattern has developed: many species are being depleted. Many people, both Andrea and Ginny in this thread, have attributed a lack of American leadership to the depletion of species abroad. It is undeniable that the United States is a leader in world affairs. On the other hand, it is my belief that one country cannot be held completely accountable for all the world’s problems. Saving all of the animals in the world would be an amazing goal for the United States, but at what cost would that hurt our own international relations and domestic issues? There comes a point when a country has nothing left to negotiate with, so has no pull to reach an agreement with another country. And in the completely globalized world that we live in, the cost of imposing a trade sanction against Japan would be catastrophic (as Ginny mentioned). Do you know that, according to Census Bureau, Japan is our fourth largest trading partner? If we impose sanctions they could retaliate. While the United States could survive without Icelandic trading, a lack of Japanese electronics could ruin our economy.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I do not think the United States should be involved directly with a push for this- it could come across as an example of America overstepping their boundaries. I would support a push for a collaborative effort by many countries on a global level, but leaving the United States alone in this effort would not be beneficial.