Fw: (JP) Sale of trapped whale meat OK'd

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" Masako Miyaji " <masako_m_2000

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Sunday, 17 June, 2001 08:19

(JP) Sale of trapped whale meat OK'd

http://www.asahi.com/english/asahi/0616/asahi061605.html

 

Sale of trapped whale meat OK'd

 

The Asahi Shimbun

June 16, 2001

 

Whales accidentally trapped in fixed commercial

fishing nets near the nation's coasts may legally end

up in restaurants from July.

 

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

will allow Japanese fishermen to sell the meat of

trapped whales providing they register the mammal's

genetic information with the ministry.

 

The move comes in response to international criticism

of Japan for allowing domestic sale of poached whale

meat.

 

In setting guidelines for the sale of meat from

accidental catches, the government can control

poachers who falsely claim meat sold on the market was

from whales tangled in nets.

 

Commercial whaling was suspended in Japan in 1988,

again following international protest.

 

But the issue of whales, such as minke, accidentally

trapped in nets, remained.

 

In June 1990, the government issued guidelines on

accidental whale catches. Fishermen should release

whales if they are alive, bury them if they are dead

or eat the meat in the area where the fishermen are

based.

 

However, some fishermen do not report such catches and

illegally sell whale meat because of the high cost and

hard work involved in releasing whales.

 

The International Whaling Commission pointed out that

it is difficult to identify or determine how much

whale meat poachers have put on the market.

 

Officials, therefore, decided to sanction the sale of

meat from accidental catches, on condition that

genetic information from individual whales is

registered with the ministry.

 

Such information will make it easier to distinguish

poached whales from those accidentally caught in nets,

ministry sources said.

 

The ministry also requires fishermen to register the

6,000 fixed nets used nationwide.

 

Fishermen who have not registered a net cannot sell

whale meat caught accidentally.

 

The ministry estimates that 100 whales stray into nets

a year, but only 30 are reported by fishermen.

 

Moreover, Japan catches 300 whales for research

purposes and meat from such catches is sold

domestically.

 

Norway has resumed commercial whaling, and the

government may allow the import of Norwegian whale

meat.

 

Copyright 2001 Asahi Shimbun. All rights reserved. No

reproduction or republication without written

permission.