.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

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: ,


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...
 
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.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

Archives

June 2004   July 2004   August 2004   September 2004   October 2004   November 2004   December 2004   January 2005   March 2005   April 2005   May 2005   June 2005   July 2005   August 2005   September 2005   October 2005   November 2005   December 2005   January 2006   February 2006   March 2006   April 2006   May 2006   June 2006   July 2006   August 2006   September 2006   October 2006   November 2006   December 2006   January 2007   February 2007   March 2007   April 2007   May 2007   June 2007   July 2007   August 2007   September 2007   October 2007   November 2007   December 2007   January 2008   February 2008   April 2008   May 2008   June 2008   July 2008   August 2008   September 2008   October 2008   November 2008   December 2008   January 2009   February 2009   March 2009   April 2009   May 2009   June 2009   July 2009   August 2009   September 2009   October 2009   November 2009   January 2010   February 2010   April 2010   May 2010   June 2010   July 2010   August 2010   September 2010   February 2011   March 2011   May 2013   June 2013  

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?