“I’ve been listening to reports all afternoon that the Japanese whaling ship Shonan Maru rammed the Sea Shepherds’ Ady Gil while it was stationary. This report ought to have been regarded with suspicion… Ships are rarely stationary at sea. Read more here.
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Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD is a critical thinker with expertise in the scientific method.
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No matter which way you look at it the Andy Gil could outmanoeuvre and outrun a large ship like that 100 to one and as its propulsion system was working at the time of impact the Andy Gil either made a serious mistake or intended that to happen.
It looks to me that they put themselves in the right-of-way position and then applied enough power to make sure the ship hit them and not the opposite.
I agree Spangled Drongo, that’s how it looks to me. You can see the propulsion wake increase and the Ady Gil puts on the power.
this clearly shows the Ady Gil accelerate into the Shonan Maru IMO.
I might also mention that the Ady Gil was a disaster waiting to happen. They spent a fortune on it but couldn’t get any financial return on it so collecting insurance would be a good way out!
The crew probably jacked up at being fodder for those freezing, high pressure water canon.
Ya gotta be dedicated to something to cop that.
Regardless of who’s fault it was the whale hunt is illegal. The Japanese remarkably still claim it is ‘scientific’ despite extermely scant evidence of any scientific work published and the documented fact that their catch ends up on Tokyo dinner tables. They have been caught hunting whales in Australian territorially waters and the Aus government has not had the guts to take them to court over it. Let’s stop viewing the world and every other species as man’s (god-given??) right to exploit.
A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. (Albert Einstein)
If people from Japan have been eating whales for possibly 10,000 years and are not signatories to any prevention of whaling, it’s a bit much to say that the hunt is illegal. I would say quite the opposite.
From my own obs on whale numbers, it’s probably quite sustainable as it makes other resourses go further, both in the ocean and out of it.
With these sorts of populations the Minke whale is not in any danger from harvesting 1000 a year.
If domestic animals are supposedly unsustainable for protein we should be doing more whaling.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minke_whale
“The test of a society is how well it treats the interests of those least deserving of its protection.”
And the test of humanity is how well it treats other life forms.
“Ships are rarely stationary at sea.”
Bollocks. Clearly written by someone with little idea about the varied tasks that are carried out at sea. The writer is also oblivious to the fact that Paul Watson was not allowed into the country.
“If people from Japan have been eating whales for possibly 10,000 years and are not signatories to any prevention of whaling, it’s a bit much to say that the hunt is illegal.”
The increase in eating whale meat in Japan occured after WWII. Industrialised whaling allowed vessels to make journeys out of their own waters to hunt for differents species, the results of which we are still seeing. They may have been eating whales for “10,000 years” but in a highly different way as a society and with vastly different technology, far from their own shores.
“With these sorts of populations the Minke whale is not in any danger from harvesting 1000 a year.”
What sort of populations? Latest scientific findings are (again) that the Southern Ocean minke population estimates have been overestimated. Southern Hemisphere Fin whales, which are also on the Japanese menu, are listed as endangered.
As for the Ady Gil, the ship appeared to have the engine on (possibly idling) but had right of way. The Shonan Maru was bearing down with plenty of time and ability to turn. The Japanese as good as admitted fault in an interview.
Libby,
You don’t appear to understand the moment of inertia of a ship as compared to a superlight craft such as the Andy Gil or their comparative speeds which would allow the Andy Gil to engineer or avoid a collision entirely at its discretion.
You also don’t seem to want to acknowledge the accepted populations [around 800,000] of the Minke whale or the fact that the Japanese have as much right to eat them as other traditional whale eaters while the practice is quite sustainable.
I understand perfectly about “moments of inertia” and sea faring vessels. As I said, the Japanese as good as admitted to ramming the AG.
As for my “not wanting to acknowledge”… there are currently no accepted Antarctic minke whale population numbers – at least not by serious scientists, although those wanting to make a political statement will throw around a slightly lower number than you have dragged up. A recent example from the popular press about decreasing numbers –
http://www.standard.net.au/news/local/news/general/whalewatching-in-a-world-of-white/1718584.aspx?storypage=0
although there has been more released on this in recent years.
“the Japanese have as much right to eat them as other traditional whale eaters while the practice is quite sustainable.”
You are telling me that the current practice of industrial whaling in the Antarctic is “traditional”?! As for sustainability, until we have solid population numbers to work with for both minkes and fin whales which are in the JARPN II program, I would be following advice from researchers doing the field and stats work rather than government scientists from a country that cares more about saving face than looking after its population in a time of financial crisis.
“the Japanese as good as admitted to ramming the AG.”
Pardon me if I find that a bit hard to believe, like your “understanding” that a high speed, light weight speed boat could be rundown by a ship if it wanted to avoid it.
Also that motherhood statement on Minke whales is not too robust numbers-wise.
Also, please pay attention, I talked about traditional eating not traditional killing. But are you saying that traditional killing of 1000 whales is more sustainable and kinder than modern methods?
I’m not really surprised at your inability to believe or understand things that run counter to your established view.
If you did not hear/read the interview with the GoJ spokesman you can perhaps search for it. You seem to be one of many on this blog who have too much time on their hands.
I have worked at sea and understand ships. The AG could have outmanouvered the SM and the SM could easily have avoided the AG. The fact that the SM chose NOT to avoid the smaller vessel, regardless of it’s construction, size, speed etc is what is at question here.
“Also that motherhood statement on Minke whales is not too robust numbers-wise.”
Perhaps it is you who should pay attention. As I wrote, there are NO current concrete figures for SH minke numbers. The figure you threw up, (reference?) is no longer accepted by cetacean researchers. It has been a priority of the IWC SC to get better estimates for this population, but a number of scientists have produced evidence to suggest that the numbers are not as high as was previously believed. You seem to have a problem accepting this.
You are mixing your points regarding traditional practices. There is little traditional about the Japanese practice of eating whale meat in the 21 century.
“But are you saying that traditional killing of 1000 whales is more sustainable and kinder than modern methods?”
How you managed to come up with this is too much for me to bother pondering over. I don’t believe that cetaceans can be killed humanely at sea, and the only traditional hunt I support regarding sustainability and culture is that at Lamelera.
If you dropped the attitude SD, we may be able to have a pleasant discussion.