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Sea Shepherd in Shetland


Mattie
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http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2011/07/06/operation-ferocious-isles-defending-the-rights-of-whales-in-the-faeroe-islands-1

Great to see them in Shetland before they depart to the Faeroe Islands for the annual cull of Pilot Whales. Called the "Grind"..

A shocking and barbaric practice of drawing Pilot whales into a bay and slaughtering them.

The boat is open to the public in the afternoon while they are here.

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The following from another thread should probably be here.

 

What i would like to know is why have the local media ignored the Steve Irwin . ?
What i would like to know is why have the local media ignored the Steve Irwin . ?

I had no idea what you were on about until I read the Shetland News report. I expect the delay in reporting is just due to the amount of other stuff going on just now.

The vessel's objective is quite interesting. Unlike with the highly unpopular Esperanza carry-on, I expect that these campaigners will find Shetland much more welcoming. The vessel's skull logo is also striking.

What i would like to know is why have the local media ignored the Steve Irwin . ?

 

Have they? The Times site had a report up late last night, SIBC was running it first thing this morning.

 

 

I expect that these campaigners will find Shetland much more welcoming.

 

You may well be right, but if that is the case, I don't feel comfortable about it. As an island who was a very active participant in the whale trade for centuries until a relatively short time ago, I feel its still a little too soon to possibly be seen as "taking sides". It might serve us better to have the decorum to try and maintain as neutral a position as possible for a little longer, rather than court possible grumblings of hypocracy.

 

Lets hope they've docked them as far north throught the harbour as possible, the recently erected plaque at the smaa boat dock is hardly the kind of thing that's going to create the right impression if an SS person chances on it when out for a stroll. :wink:

 

P.S. SS seem to have made few friends on the seaward side of the pier as a result of their maritime antics, so while the reception from the landlubbers will be as it may, the attitude of the professional seafaring fraternity possibly may not be altogether positive.

As an island who was a very active participant in the whale trade for centuries until a relatively short time ago,

Very true, but it is worth highlighting several aspects of Shetland's whaling history. At all stages Shetland had the bum-deal concerning whaling. Initially we were merely used as a source of pragmatic boat-competent labour for the south owned ships on their way north. Then, when the shore stations were established, these were Norskie owned. They would also never have been set up here had it not been for the ban on such stations in Norway. Those Shetland stations were vigorously opposed locally due to the belief that the minging muck spewing from them was destroying the herring fishery. Finally, when so many local Shetlanders made their way south to the antarctic whaling, it was back to the role of providing a cheap experienced workforce. The only time there was any real positive local initiative concerning whaling was in the beach harvesting of caain whales. That was basically opportunistic and never at the level seen in Faroe.

 

I think it fair to describe Shetland's whaling history as one of ambivalence and external exploitation.

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http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2011/07/06/operation-ferocious-isles-defending-the-rights-of-whales-in-the-faeroe-islands-1

Great to see them in Shetland before they depart to the Faeroe Islands for the annual cull of Pilot Whales. Called the "Grind"..

 

I thought they were going there to protest against it, not take part :lol:

 

Of course they're taking part, you'll be able to tell them apart for the Faeroemen though, they'll be the ones hunting the humans not the whales.

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^^ Depends how you look at it I guess. Its not much over 100 years ago that Shetlanders were regularly doing exactly the same as what the Faeroeman is doing yet, and still less than 50 years since Shetlanders were up to the same elsewhere. Okay, for the most part they were just acting out of need and/or pawns in some bigger player's game, but even yet I'd expect to be received in much the same light as the newly "born again" christian going around attempting to convert others, or the newly quit smoker harassing others about the "demon weed", if I was trying to preach to others that they had to stop killing whales. Old habits die hard I guess.

 

I'm not arguing whaling shouldn't stop in Faeroe, its not necessary any longer, and serves very little purpose, I'd just be much happier given our history if anyone choosing to protest about it had gotten their bunkers and stores elsewhere, and left us out of it. Its not a discriminatory thing, if a Faeroe boat with whale meat on board came in for bunkers and stores, I'd be saying exactly the same thing.

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I'm very disappointed to see them being "fed and watered" in Shetland before they head north to harass our Faroese neighbours and I'm saddened that the LPA allowed them into port.

 

I'm afraid I have no respect for Sea Shepherd or it's "recruits". How can they command any respect by painting a huge skull and cossbones on the front of their ship - not to mention some of their antics?. The skull and crossbones is a symbol of piracy and death!.

 

The truth is, these grinds are actually slowly dieing out in Faroe

because many Faroese are uncomfortable with it and aware of the dangerous mercury levels in the whales.

 

As a Faroese friend pointed out to me "the whales have had a better life before being killed than many factory fed animals ever had".....

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How can they command any respect by painting a huge skull and cossbones on the front of their ship

The front? Probably not the best term to use if wishing to gain respect from mariners.

 

The skull and crossbones is a symbol of piracy and death!.

Certainly true in part, but again, perhaps not a statement likely to be endorsed by many frequenters of Church Road.

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I'm very disappointed to see them being "fed and watered" in Shetland before they head north to harass our Faroese neighbours and I'm saddened that the LPA allowed them into port.

 

I'd also be inclined to ask Tavish what possessed his Government to sell the boat to such an outfit in the first place.

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How can they command any respect by painting a huge skull and cossbones on the front of their ship - not to mention some of their antics?. The skull and crossbones is a symbol of piracy and death!.

 

On closer inspection it's not bones, but a trident and a crook, which is almost a clever logo, if they could explain the skull. :wink:

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I'm very disappointed to see them being "fed and watered" in Shetland before they head north to harass our Faroese neighbours and I'm saddened that the LPA allowed them into port.

 

I'm afraid I have no respect for Sea Shepherd or it's "recruits". How can they command any respect by painting a huge skull and cossbones on the front of their ship - not to mention some of their antics?. The skull and crossbones is a symbol of piracy and death!.

 

The truth is, these grinds are actually slowly dieing out in Faroe

because many Faroese are uncomfortable with it and aware of the dangerous mercury levels in the whales.

 

As a Faroese friend pointed out to me "the whales have had a better life before being killed than many factory fed animals ever had".....

 

Well, they see the pointless slaughter of a large amount of Pilot whales as abhorrent in the same way that many would feel the same if we were talking about large wild animals on the African Savannah. It's more for 'entertainmant' and 'tradition' than anything else now - not a necessary food source.

 

I agree 100% with the Faroese stance that these animals have enjoyed a better life than any wretched factory reared animal - and I'd be interested to know how may people find the slaughter of whales cruel and yet will happily trot off down to Tesco for a 3 quid chicken thats never seen daylight, let alone been allowed freedom of movement.

 

But (and it's a big but) we should be moving on from these barbaric practices. I could argue the "better life" stance for reviving bear baiting: "They've had a better life in the woods and setting dogs on them could be viewed as natural predation - so let's get on with it..."

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Yeh, I kent it wasna the "front" but had a brain block and couldna mind the proper name and felt bad at calling it the "front" :oops: Ah, maybe I could've just said "below the bridge"..... :wink:

 

Mind you, whatever it is on closer inspection, it gives the initial appearance of the skull and crossbones.

 

I personally feel that the Faroese don't need to do this practise anymore because they can go down to the supermarket just like me or you.

 

It's the combination of tradition and a free meal. And what if there is/was an abundance of pilot whales would it be wrong to harvest some?. Would it not be acceptible to have, perhaps, a quota of X pilot whales per year as a compromise?.

 

It still sticks in my throat that we're allowing them to amass here before basically "launching and attack" on our northern neighbours.

 

I don't see Sea Shepherd fighting for the endangered rhinos and elephants that are slaughtered simply for their horns and tusks and where the rest of the animal is just left to rot in the sun.

 

And for the record, (Faroese)whale meat actually tastes and cuts just like a tender steak. I found it a little bland without the gravy though.

 

:)

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