Misty Eyed Animism

The Semi-Deification of Whales

The International Whaling Commission is discussing a proposal that Norway, Iceland and Japan be allowed to resume their traditional whale harvesting activities and replace "scientific" whaling with gastronomic whaling. At the same time, says the Commission, it wants to reduce the number of whales killed annually to less than the current 3,000.

This has provoked a storm of predictable outrage from green mystics who "an immediate rejection of any plan that would validate the killing of whales." (NZ Herald, 25 Feb, 2010) This is an interesting development insofar as the political theatre it will create.

Now as everyone knows, the "scientific" whaling regime has been a "legal" loophole that has allowed Norway, Iceland and Japan to continue to put whalemeat on their plates, as they have done for centuries. But, it has been generally tolerated insofar as the rubric "science" provided a bit of a propaganda smokescreen and the world preferred to operate on a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. But now things are going to become more overt. The International Whaling Commission is considering whether actually to approve and regulate the killing of whales so that they may be eaten.

That will set the cat among the proverbial pigeons, for many in our modern spiritually mushy world regard whales as semi-human, if not semi-divine. Whilst our culture remains indulgent and relaxed towards killing 18,000 unborn children-bearing-the-image-of-God a year, killing whales, let alone eating them, is a definite and certain evil. This doctrine is animalism at its worst. (Once again it shows how religion and food are inextricably connected. Tell us your doctrines of food, and we will have a fair crack at being able to define your religion.)

Now, to be sure, we believe very strongly that no species should be made extinct by the wilful or careless imperial terrestrial reign of human beings, God's sub-creators. If God created such things, we had better not extinguish the species, without incurring His wrath. Whales, therefore, ought to be protected from extinction in the same way that any other wonderful species, such as cockroaches or mosquitoes, ought not to be extinguished.

Therefore, moratoriums or other restrictions upon whaling to prevent the species being killed off in toto seem an eminently sensible thing to do. But putting whales into a mystical semi-human category that would see their killing and eating as intrinsically evil, is itself not just loopy, but is wicked in its own right. Maudlin appeals to Maori myths and animism simply illustrate the point, Whalerider notwithstanding.

But, we understand that minke whales, which were of particular concern, have now recovered strongly and fears of extinction have faded.

An interesting question is what would be the best means to control the killing of whales going forward so as to preserve all whale species and ensure their survival? We acknowledge the difficulty with open seas administration and binding agreements. However, there is plenty of evidence now that if it were possible to create international property rights in whales, to be owned by commercial whaling companies, and administered through a quota system, the survival and management of the species would be likely well ensured.

We know that the quota system in New Zealand for management of our fisheries has been an unqualified success (apart from the alleged dubious illegal practices of certain fishing magnates and companies which will remain nameless). We have just seen another evidence of this with the opening of the Bluff oyster season. The administrators have announced another low catch season in protection of the oyster beds. The fishermen strongly support the restrictions and self-police them with commendable vigilance. Why? Because they all own quota property rights over the beds and catches, and the value of their property will reduce over time, if not erode entirely, if the oyster beds are not sustained indefinitely.

The more healthy and populated the oyster beds now and in the future, the more valuable one's quota property becomes. Every commercial fisherman has a vested pecuniary interest in the sustainability of the beds and in the careful scientific research into their health and monitoring of them.

The establishment of property rights allowing their monetisation and sale does wonderful things for the protection and care of the natural environment in general and of animal species in particular. If it could ever be established, it would be hugely successful for the preservation and prospering of whales.

But, in our animistic topsy-turvy Western world this would be horribly offensive to many--if not the majority--whose maudlin sentimentality over animals is killing out them and all too many of us. Witness the stridently aghast refusal to terminate the killer whale in Florida which just recently killed its third human being.