Whaling Should Be Banned

I do agree with the Norwegian and Japanese position on permitting the hunting of non-endangered species of whales as a cultural exemption. Many countries were founded on whaling including the United States. Whales provided a large resource of food, fuel and luxuries such as perfume. It is still a part of the United States ' culture as there are Native American tribes who still hunt to this day as part of their culture. If you take a moral stance against non-endangered whale hunting then you would have to take offense at all meat consumption. It equals the same thing. There is commercial and cultural value in farming and fishing. Both sadly result in the death of animals but mainly for consumption. There is the issue of over fishing and it 's …show more content…
They have a right to use their resources to their own cultural and commercial gain. The only issue I would have would be with environmental impacts. If the countries allow for too much hunting to go on which would endanger a species then suddenly the country has made their whaling a global issue instead of a national issue. That is true for all countries. The U.S. uses it 's oil and natural gas resources. Large cattle and other livestock productions too. At what environmental cost? Each country has a national responsibility but also a global responsibility to protect their resources.

These questions of environmental effects versus economic effects should be settled through studies from an international body. A committee that has all ready been formed is the International Whaling Commission that was set up in 1946 by the United States. The IWC should have a panel of environmental scientists as well as representatives from each country seeking to hunt whales. That way you have opinions from all sides that would be affected by the bans. Giving a those with some thing at stake a chance to tell their side opens up an opportunity for agreement and perhaps a way to continue with the cultural