Should Whale Hunting Be Banned?

Tin La

ENVS 1

Professor Davis

Position Essay 2

March 21, 2017

Should whale hunting be banned?

In the recent decades, whale hunting has become popular in some countries such as Japan, Iceland, and Norway. This inhumane practice angers the world as thousands of whales are being killed each year. Despite the International Whaling Commission's effort to protect this innocent specie, it is still legal to hunt whales in some areas of the world. According to an article “Why do some countries still hunt whales?” published on BBC News, “In 2015, Iceland's whalers were allowed to hunt 154 fin whales and 229 minke whales,” The killing technique causes whales to suffer for a long period of time before they die. Whaling also leads to the drastic decrease in whale population as they are now endangered species. In addition, research has shown that products obtained from whales are replaceable. Therefore, whale hunting should be banned to end the immoral killing technique, protect whales from extinction, and switch people to other alternatives for whale products.

Whaling is a technique that involves explosive grenade harpoons. People hunt whales from fishing boats with harpoon cannons. Another article on Slates summaries the hunting process into a short sentence, “First, blow up its brain” With the cannons, hunters fire explosives into the brain of the whale. This causes brain damage that can kill the whale in seconds. If a

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whale luckily survives, powered rifle is then used to finish the job. This inhumane technique causes controversies about animal cruelty. Since whales are able to slow their heart rate, they can actually feel extreme pain when they appear dead or unconscious. Also, most whales are killed by multiple explosive shots instead of one. Imagine how we would feel if explosives suddenly hit our brain and explode.

Many whale populations are facing extinction because of overhunting. Many tend to underestimate the impact of whales on the ecosystem. They play an important role in the health of the ocean in which they keep the flow of food regulated and sustain the food chain. For example, whales control the population of certain species of fish. If they become extinct, fish population would overpopulate. Since all aspects in the food chain are connected, the changes will affect other species and lead to a collapse in the ecosystem. The National Geographic also publishes an article about the valuable role of whales in the ocean. Whales mix up water column when they swim to the surface to breath. This spreads nutrients and microorganisms among marine zones, providing food sources for other organisms. Additionally, whales’ urine and feces serve as fertilizer for plankton. Without whales, the ocean ecosystem will be harmed.

Products obtained by whales are now replaceable. Whales are hunted for their meat, blubber, and oil. Whale meat is visible in Norway as the