Whale hunting is a practice that has been a part of the world’s culture for thousands of years, providing some of the first inhabitants with the materials they needed to survive. With that being said, many argue that today’s whale hunting serves no purpose in today’s society, and are looking to ban the practice. There are plenty of rules and regulations in various countries that revolve around the controversial practice.
It is important for all to look into the history of wale hunting and to understand the current beliefs on whale hunting. Those who look to all sides of the issue can better form their own opinion on whale hunting.
The History of Whale Hunting
Whale hunting, also referred to by many as whaling, has been recognized in the history of man for thousands of years, with the earliest known practices occurring in 3000 BC. Whaling was incredibly important to these early cultures, as they relied on the whale for everything from food to oil to materials. The meat was used for food, the oil was used for lighting lanterns, and the bones and skin were used to create a bevy of tools and products needed at the time.
Today’s Whale Hunting
Whale hunting is still an important part of fishing for many countries that have the benefits of being on a coast that features whales. Whale hunting is still performed in Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Russia, and the United States, among other areas. These different countries generally set limits to the number of wales that can be caught in an effort to ensure that the ecosystem is not effected and that the whales do not see dramatic decreases in their numbers.
Many countries, such as Canada and the United States, only see whale hunting by Inuit people and indigenous communities (in Alaska). Other countries, such as Norway, still perform the practice commercially.
Controversy
There is a hefty amount of controversy that surrounds the practice of whaling, especially for commercial purposes. People are worried about many of the different whale species that may come close to extinction due to whaling. They are also worried about the ethical practices of whaling, as they want to know that the whales are being killed as cleanly and ethically as possible. Still others simply do not want people to commercially hunt for whales, as they feel as if they should be left alone to roam the waters of the world.
It is important for you to form your own opinions on whaling after taking as much information as possible in on both sids of the coin. Take the time to understand why people whale and the true effect that it has on the environment, and learn about why people oppose it. Knowing both sides will help you to understand which side of the cause to support.