David @ Tokyo

Perspective from Japan on whaling and whale meat, a spot of gourmet news, and monthly updates of whale meat stockpile statistics

10/04/2008

By-caught 6 ton humpback goes for a bargain

Local Japanese media in Iwate, north western Japan covered the story of a humpback whale by-catch in the town of Miyako (also the site of a fin-whale by-catch last December).

The Web Iwate Nippo story has a picture of the humpback lifted up in the air by a crane, and the Asahi's Iwate edition subsequently pictures the humpback in the back of a truck.

The incident happened on the 24th of September, with the humpback being landed at a local fisheries market. People there were surprised as there hasn't been a humpback landing there in recent years.

The whale had been discovered offshore at the entrance to Miyako bay in a set net at 5:30 in the morning, according to the fishing group which found it. The 6.7 metre, approximately 6 ton male whale was reportedly already dead on discovery, and was later auctioned off to a local wholesaler for 300,000 yen. The head of the group said that they tend to catch 1 or 2 whales each year, but humpbacks are unusual.

The Iwate Nippo notes that the ICR in Tokyo explains that the sale of whales of species including humpbacks that have been incidentally caught in set nets has been permitted since 2001. According to Iwate prefecture's fisheries promotion department, this was the first time for a humpback to be caught there since statistics have been recorded since November that year.

The Asahi Iwate edition notes that the whale was transported to a processing facility in the town of Otsuchi.

Labels: humpbacks, whale by-catch

posted by David # 4:08 pm

Comments:

David,
I think both Greenlanders and Icelanders complain that humpbacks destroy bottom set nets.

Recently there was an entangelement in Norwegian waters and a humpback had to be put down.Actually don't know the English translation of the kind of net used , but it was stated that it was unusual that humpbacks were involved in entanglements with this kind of fishing gear...

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:39 pm

Hi Ann,

Sorry for the late reply (here).

At least around the waters of Japan humpbacks are still relatively rare compared with other species, so that's also another plausible reason to explain the low numbers of by-catch with respect to this species.

I've got some more posts coming which I'm sure you will enjoy! See you.

# posted by

David : 3:52 pm

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