As Japan Resumes Whaling, Captain Paul Watson’s Fate Hangs in the Balance
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Japan has sparked global concern by harpooning its first endangered fin whale in over 50 years, mere days after anti-whaling activist Paul Watson was arrested in Greenland. Watson, a vocal critic of Japan’s whaling practices, was detained by Danish authorities on July 21 at the request of Japan. His arrest stems from his long-standing opposition to Japan’s operations in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
Japan has formally requested Watson’s extradition, and a decision from the Danish Ministry of Justice is anticipated by August 15. The arrest appears to be linked to a previous Red Notice issued for Watson’s anti-whaling activities in the Antarctic region. “We’re completely shocked, as the Red Notice had disappeared a few months ago. We were surprised because it could mean that it had been erased or made confidential. We understand now that Japan made it confidential to lure Paul into a false sense of security. We implore the Danish government to release Captain Watson and not entertain this politically motivated request,” said Locky MacLean, Ship Operations Director for CPWF.
Historical Context and Ongoing Legal Challenges
Japan’s current whaling activities follow a 2014 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, which declared Japan’s previous whaling program illegal. Despite this ruling, Japan persisted in its activities for several years before temporarily halting its high seas whaling operations. This pause was largely influenced by Watson’s direct actions and international pressure, particularly from countries like Australia and New Zealand. However, Japan has since resumed commercial whaling, drawing criticism from conservation groups and governments alike.
“Japan continues to flaunt international conservation law, and Paul Watson is being punished for Japan’s crimes,” MacLean added. He emphasized that the arrest is politically motivated, suggesting that Japan seeks to remove Watson from the scene to facilitate its resumed whaling activities.
Japan and Iceland’s Whaling Quotas Under Scrutiny
In June, Japan and Iceland each approved the resumption of fin whale hunting by their last remaining whaling companies. Japan’s Fisheries Agency, acting on recommendations from a pro-whaling committee, authorized Kyodo Senpaku to kill up to 59 fin whales in the North Pacific this year. This is in addition to their existing annual quotas for other whale species, including 25 sei whales, 150 Bryde’s whales, and 142 minke whales.
Sue Fisher, senior policy advisor for the Marine Wildlife Program at the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), expressed concern over Japan’s decision, stating, “The decision to allow the killing of fin whales is a welfare and conservation disaster, with serious diplomatic and legal implications for Japan. It perpetuates a vicious economic cycle that Japan needs to break: Kyodo Senpaku can’t sell the whale meat it already has. Nevertheless, the company keeps asking the government for higher quotas and more financial support in hopes that miraculously rebounding meat sales will offset its mounting debts.”
Iceland’s Whaling Efforts and Economic Challenges
Iceland has also intensified its whaling activities. The Icelandic government issued a commercial whaling permit to Hvalur hf, a company now authorized to kill up to 128 fin whales. Kate O’Connell, senior policy consultant for AWI’s Marine Wildlife Program, criticized the decision, stating, “This determination condemns more than 100 whales to a cruel, unnecessary death, despite overwhelming video evidence from Iceland’s Food and Veterinary Authority that whaling cannot be conducted in a humane manner.”
Hvalur hf. previously killed 148 fin whales in 2022 and 24 fin whales, including a pregnant female, last year. Despite these numbers, the company has struggled financially due to the declining demand for whale products, both in Iceland and Japan. Presently, 2,000 tons of unsold Icelandic fin whale meat are in storage in Japan.
Financial Burdens and the Future of Japan’s Whaling Industry
Japan’s resumed fin whale hunt is being carried out by the Kangei Maru, a newly commissioned factory ship by Kyodo Senpaku. This vessel, built at a cost of 7.5 billion yen ($47 million), was financed through government loans, which the company is expected to repay over the next 20 years.
“Kyodo Senpaku now faces a financial time bomb of ongoing storage costs for its massive glut of whale meat,” Fisher warned. She noted that these challenges are compounded by public and private loan repayments linked to purchasing whale meat from Iceland and building the new factory ship. “Slaughtering fin whales now makes no financial sense. The Japanese government failed to act responsibly, and the whales will pay the price,” Fisher concluded.
Global and Diplomatic Repercussions
The whaling quotas set by both Japan and Iceland have not received approval from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the global authority overseeing whale conservation and the management of whaling activities. The continuation of whaling by both nations is expected to have significant diplomatic and legal repercussions on the international stage.
International Support for Paul Watson
As of the latest updates, Paul Watson remains in custody, with the decision regarding his extradition pending from the Danish Ministry of Justice. Watson’s arrest has prompted a wave of international support, including statements from prominent figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron, film director James Cameron, and marine biologist Dr. Sylvia Earle. A petition started under #FreePaulWatson has so far garnered over 55,000 signatures.
In an open statement advocating for Watson’s immediate release, Dr. Jane Goodall and members of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Cetacean and Ethics Committees said, “Captain Watson is simply taking action to try to prevent the inhumane practice of killing whales, which most countries have banned decades ago. In so doing, he is expressing the anger of thousands of people in many countries who absolutely support his moral courage in not only speaking out on behalf of the whales, but taking action.”
