Date: Sat, 5 Jul 1997
Japanese Whalers Still Using Outlawed 'COLD' Harpoon

"Japan has alternative secondary whale killing methods.... One is second harpoon without penthrite grenade and the other is electric lance." (Ishikawa)

"...the crew prepared to use one of the two available secondary killing methods. The first of these was to shoot a second (cold) harpoon into the whale." (Walloe)

HAS JAPAN HARPOONED ITSELF IN THE FOOT ?

The use of non-explosive 'cold' harpoons for minke whaling was banned by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1981 on the grounds that it is inhume.

Now it is revealed that Japanese whalers, during commercial minke whale hunts (conducted under the guise of "scientific" whaling) in the Antarctic 'Sanctuary' and the western North Pacific, are using the cold harpoon extensively as a secondary killing method.

A leading Norwegian whaling scientist has inferred that the cold harpoon is used in preference to the 'electric lance' secondary killing method.

During recent Japanese minke whale hunts, around a quarter (26%) of whales caught were subjected to one or more cold harpoons following an unsuccessful first strike by penthrite explosive grenade harpoon. Of the minke whales struck with the cold harpoon, about half (53%) remained alive after one or more shots and were then subjected to electrocution with electric lance apparatus.

Both penthrite and cold grenade harpoons are used to recapture struck-and-lost whales.

The IWC member governments seem to have been unaware of the ongoing use of cold harpoons by Japanese whalers; thus the Government of Japan appears to have deliberately kept the use of cold harpoons a secret from the IWC.

The inefficient and inhumane cold harpoon and electric lance secondary killing methods are used instead of a second or third explosive penthrite grenade harpoon for economic reasons - they destroy less of the commercially valuable flesh on the small minke whale.

The Government of Japan (GoJ) argues that because of its technical objection lodged against the IWC decision to ban the cold harpoon for commercial killing of minke whales, Japanese whalers have no obligation to adhere to the ban; and IWC regulations - including the ban - do not apply to "scientific" research whaling anyway.

By blatantly ignoring the cold harpoon ban, the GoJ and the Japanese whaling industry are imposing their ethical values on a majority of the international community: cultural imperialism from a government and industry which regularly accuse all who oppose commercial whaling of cultural imperialism.

The GoJ has clearly acted in bad faith, with complete disregard for the humane treatment and welfare of individual whales, the regulations of the IWC, the widespread international public concern about inhumane killing of whales, Japan's international reputation and the overseas perception of the Japanese public in general.

During Japanese pelagic (open ocean) minke whaling operations in the Southern Ocean (Antarctic) and western North Pacific, the whalers use a penthrite explosive grenade harpoon as the primary killing method when capturing minke whales. Between just 26% and 29.4% of the minke whales are killed instantaneously (Walloe 1996, GoJ 1994). The majority of whales that survive the first harpoon strike are then subjected to a secondary killing method.

Until 1996 it was thought that the inefficient and inhumane 'electric lance' apparatus was the only secondary killing method employed in Japanese pelagic minke whaling, except for occasional re-shooting with a second explosive harpoon when the first is poorly placed, pulls out or the fore-runner (harpoon line) breaks. During a joint Japan-Norway defence of the electric lance, it was revealed that Japanese whalers also use non-explosive 'cold' harpoons, despite the fact that the cold harpoon is banned by the IWC because of its unacceptable inefficiency and inhumaneness, whether or not it is used as a primary or secondary killing method.

Quite simply, Japan has unwittingly admitted to using an internationally outlawed weapon.

COLD HARPOON & MINKE WHALING

Until its replacement with the penthrite explosive grenade harpoon in the mid 1980's, the non-explosive 'cold' grenade harpoon had been the chosen primary killing-capture method employed in Japanese commercial whaling operations for minke whales since 1971. A non- exploding grenade was used against minke whales in order to 'prevent extensive damage and consequent loss of the carcass, caused by the explosion of the grenade in such a small animal' (Best 1974). The lethality of the cold harpoon is directly related to the damage the projectile causes to the organs and tissues it hits on passage through the whale's body. 'The killing effect and the crushing and damage that arises are due more to a direct hit in vital organs and damage from the wing-formed harpoon claws and fore-runner, than damage from the harpoon head. The cold harpoon therefore works more like a large arrow' (Oen 1992).

As a primary killing method, use of the cold harpoon failed to achieve instantaneous death or insensibility in 80-90% of cases. Times to death (the time between first harpoon strike and death or insensibility) were unacceptably long, with mean times to death of between 5 and 11 minutes that indicated prolonged periods of suffering. There is no question that the cold harpoon as a killing method - whether primary or secondary - is inefficient and inhumane.

PROHIBITION OF THE COLD HARPOON

Under Article V.1 (f) of the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), the IWC may amend the Schedule of the ICRW to specify or prohibit the types of gear and apparatus and appliances which may be used in whaling. In 1980, the IWC voted to prohibit use of the cold harpoon for the commercial killing of all whale species except the minke whale, with effect from the start of the 1980/81 pelagic season and 1981 coastal season, on the grounds of its inhumaneness (IWC 1980). In 1981, Australia proposed a Schedule amendment to prohibit use of the cold harpoon on the minke whale, again due to its inhumaneness. After discussion this was agreed subject to a phase out; the prohibition was effective from the start of the 1982/83 pelagic season and the 1983 coastal season (IWC 1981). This established a clear precedent, demonstrating that it was within both the framework of the ICRW and the competency of the IWC to take decisions and make regulations concerning the welfare of whales and to prohibit the use of certain pieces of whaling equipment on the grounds of inhumaneness.

NO MENTION OF COLD HARPOONS

Documents submitted by the GoJ to the IWC in recent years make no mention whatsoever of cold harpoons being employed as an alternative secondary killing method to the electric lance during pelagic whaling operations. The only reference which could be said to 'hint' at the possible use of cold harpoons comes from a GoJ document (GoJ 1994) concerning the 1993/94 season, which states: 'As Japan had lodged formal objection to Schedule 6 of the Convention, adopted in 1981, pertaining to the obligation to use explosive harpoons in the whale catch, the Japanese scientific research catch pursuant to Article VIII of the Convention, conducting (sic) since 1987, has been exempted from the provisions of Schedule 6.' Thus it does appear that, until 1996, it was GoJ policy to deliberately keep the use of cold harpoons a secret from the IWC.

ELECTRIC LANCE ONLY?

It is apparent from documentation submitted to the IWC that the majority of IWC member governments, non-governmental organisations and researchers have been unaware that the Japanese whalers have used anything other than the electric lance as a secondary killing method - except for the limited use of a second explosive penthrite harpoon to secure a whale with a poorly placed first shot, or which is lost when the first harpoon pulls out or the fore-runner breaks - as the following examples illustrate:
"The two main secondary methods of killing currently on record are use of the electric lance (Japan) and the use of large calibre rifle (Norway)" (GoUK 1995).

"If a whale is not killed instantly by an explosive harpoon, the Japanese use electric lances as a secondary killing device" (McLachlan 1995).

"The Japanese and Norwegians use different techniques for dispatching wounded whales. The Japanese whalers winch the whale to the ship, implant electrodes through the blubber..." (Kestin 1995).

USE OF COLD HARPOON REVEALED

The following is from a paper submitted by Hajime Ishikawa of the Institute of Cetacean Research, Tokyo: "Japan has alternative secondary whale killing methods in order to kill a whale which does not die with the first explosive harpoon in Japanese Whale Research Programme under Special Permit (JARPA and JARPN). One is second harpoon without penthrite grenade and the other is electric lance."

The use of alternative secondary killing methods employed in Japanese pelagic whaling operations to dispatch wounded whales is expanded upon by Professor Lars Walloe, chief scientific advisor on whaling to the Government of Norway, member of the IWC Scientific Committee and the Norwegia delegation, in the second paper in question, his analysis of recent Japanese whale killing data with special emphasis on the use of the electric lance. The paper included the following references to the cold harpoon:
"...If a whale died instantaneously or within a few minutes, no secondary killing method was used. But if the whale showed signs of life after the first hit, the crew prepared to use one of the two available secondary killing methods. The first of these was to shoot a second (cold) harpoon into the whale. This operation could be repeated. The second method available was to use electrical stunning..."

With regard to use of the cold harpoon as a secondary killing method, Walloe's analysis is reliable. He clearly states that he was provided with a comprehensive data file, in which the records for each of the 891 whales were complete. These included records of: "(first) secondary method (none, harpoon, lance), number of cold harpoons, voltage and amperage of electric current, time to firing of (first) cold harpoon, time to use of lance, loss/ recapture, ..."

COLD HARPOON - THE FIRST CHOICE

In his paper, Walloe implies that given the choice of employing the electric lance apparatus or re-shooting with a cold harpoon, it is the cold harpoon which is the preferred option of the Japanese whalers, as the following reiterations show:
"...the crew prepared to use one of the two available secondary killing methods. The first of these was to shoot a second (cold) harpoon into the whale... The second method available was to use electrical stunning..."

"The electric lance was sometimes used in addition to a cold harpoon if the first (or second) cold harpoon failed to kill the animal."

"In most cases the whalers chose the secondary killing method they considered most suitable in the circumstances. If, for instance, the whalers considered that the first harpoon was in danger of being pulled out, a second harpoon was used. On the other hand, if the whale was too close to the boat, it was often not possible to shoot it with a second harpoon, but the electric lance could conveniently be applied. In some cases either secondary killing method could be used with an equal chance of success as judged by the whalers."

CONCLUSION

This matter of Japan's use of the cold harpoon must now be dealt with internationally at the highest levels of government, both through the IWC and private channels. This issue not only highlights the urgent need for a firm resolution seeking to enforce the 1981 IWC decision, but also the need for rigorous measures to deal effectively with the perennial problem of inhumane killing of whales.

Any further delay by the GoJ in implementing genuine attempts by the international community, through the IWC, to minimise, eliminate and prevent the significant proportion of slaughter which fails to meet the IWC definition of Humane Killing is simply not acceptable.

The GoJ has evidently absolved itself of responsibility over the matter of humane killing. As Fukuzo Nagasaki, former Director-General of the Institute of Cetacean Research stated (1993): "But even if methods are discovered which guarantee animals a more pain-free death, we must consider the costs of implementing change, and the effect these costs will have on product prices. There are thus certain practical limitations when it comes to developing humane methods of slaughter."

Full text at: http://members.aol.com/breachenv/cb-coldh.htm

Japanese contacts to protest: http://members.aol.com/breachenv/r-r.htm (Read & React - Hall Of Shame).

Popular Resolution on Abolition of Inhumane Commercial Slaughter of Whales - Sign-On Petition at: http://members.aol.com/breachenv/popreslt.htm

David Smith
Campaign Director
Breach Marine Protection UK
email: BreachEnv@aol.com
Tel/Fax: +44 1405 769375
http://members.aol.com/breachenv/home.htm

Rapid Environmental Disaster - Response. & Rescue
(R.E.'D.R.Res) Hotline: 0973 898282



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