Outside Magazine shared an in-depth look at the Norwegian whaling industry in May, which is made up of a fleet of small boats with a catch tightly monitored by the government. The take away message from the piece was that the whale population in Norway is healthy and the catch is sustainable, but it's still a bloody business, and the writer said he never wants to see it again.
Outside put a poll on its Web site asking readers, "Should commercial whaling be illegal worldwide?"
I came away from reading the story thinking, in some cases, maybe it's OK, if the fishery is healthy and the take is controlled. Yet 89% of Outside's online respondents said commercial whaling should be illegal in all cases.
I can't help but think most of them didn't read the story (especially since it's not posted for free online). Generally, opinions that include words like "all" and "never" are built on a poor understanding of an issue.
Still, if commercial whaling was allowed, I think I'd skip the whale aisle at the supermarket.
1 comment:
Of course, you are under no obligation to eat whale meat, nor is any one in your country :)
I too am quite tolerant of whaling and indeed believe in certain circumstances (conservation related) it could be desirable for more than just those interested in some whale steak
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