Whale meat.

The furore over whaling continues, but the real issues are being ignored.

While Greenpeace has been in the media for its commitment to preserve the whale species, their true goal is not widely known. Rather than legitimately fight for a temporary end to whaling to ensure the recovery of the species, Greenpeace demands a permanent end to commercial whaling.

The long-time campaign is based on the belief that eco-tourism will better support the Japanese and Icelandic economies, and the feelings of animal rights activists that animals are not for exploitation.

The latter idea is unacceptable at both a moral and economic level. Greenpeace is completely selective in the animals it wishes to preserve- and would certainly not oppose a complete ban on cattle farming (although many on the fringe of society and in the organisation do). The 'moral dilemma' is only considered by the most adamant ivory-tower philosophy student, and can be resolved by pointing out the very natural habitats such people would want preserved- an animal society based on the slaughter and consumption of other, less-able animals.

The eco-tourist industry has indeed proven itself to be profitable, as Greenpeace will be the first to squawk to anyone listening. It is only logical then, that ecotourism in conjunction with controlled whaling will add to the profits available from this giant seafood.

Tasmania has received much public attention concerning whales, specifically regarding their mass strandings. Again, the focus is inevitably on ‘saving the animals’, and any other considerations are secondary.

The Tasmanian Government, however, should auction-off contracts, for set periods of time, allowing the successful bidder to exploit the natural, although unpredictable, event of a whale stranding.

Local Aboriginal communities often ignored territorial issues and divides in favour of sharing in the available meat following such an event (which is now said to be the fault mankind’s modern navies).

Why then, can European Australian’s not accept this gift from the sea, as Aboriginal Tasmanian’s once did?