Hawaii fishermen want humpback whales off endangered list

[BlueGin]

These fishermen make a good point. If a species makes a comeback...should they be taken off the endangered list?

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A group of Hawaii fishermen is asking the federal government to remove North Pacific humpback whales from the endangered species list, saying the population has steadily grown since the international community banned commercial whaling nearly 50 years ago.

Hawaii Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition Inc., a coalition of fishing clubs and groups from across the islands, filed a petition to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last month.

There are more than 21,000 humpback whales in the North Pacific today, compared with about 1,400 in the mid-1960s.

More than half spend the winter breeding and calving in Hawaii's warm waters. The animals, known for acrobatic leaps and complex singing patterns, have become a major draw for tourists and support a thriving whale-watching industry in Hawaii. Other North Pacific humpbacks winter off Mexico, Central America, Japan and the Philippines.
FILE - A humpback whale jumps out of the waters off Hawaii in this undated photo. Hundreds of Hawaii fishermen are asking the federal government to ta...

AP

Hundreds of Hawaii fishermen are asking the federal government to take North Pacific humpback whales off the endangered species list in recognition of the rebound in population.

In the summer, they migrate to feed on krill and fish in waters off Alaska, Canada and Russia.

Hawaii fishermen want humpback whales off endangered list - Business on NBCNews.com

 

[TheOldSchool]

I'd like to see them remain on the list as long as possible and for more animals to be put under the umbrella of protection offered by the "endangered" label.

 

[Unkotare]

If they are no longer endangered then they shouldn't be on the list. They should be seen as a resource to be rationally managed.

 

[BlueGin]

I kind of agree. Their population has grown due to commercial whaling being banned and also because they are a huge tourist draw and money maker for the industry in Hawaii. Just seems that attention could be drawn toward another species in more need.

 

[TheOldSchool]

I kind of agree. Their population has grown due to commercial whaling being banned and also because they are a huge tourist draw and money maker for the industry in Hawaii. Just seems that attention could be drawn toward another species in more need.

Such as what species? Let's grow their number too so we can start killing them again!

< That's my sarcastic unhappy face.

 

[BlueGin]

Well, they already took grey whales off the list...and it didn't say it impacted their numbers in a negative way...So that makes me hopeful that the whaling ban is effective. Article also said they were going to delist green sea turtles. At least they would be delisted due to population growth and not extinction.

 

[jon_berzerk]

These fishermen make a good point. If a species makes a comeback...should they be taken off the endangered list?

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A group of Hawaii fishermen is asking the federal government to remove North Pacific humpback whales from the endangered species list, saying the population has steadily grown since the international community banned commercial whaling nearly 50 years ago.

Hawaii Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition Inc., a coalition of fishing clubs and groups from across the islands, filed a petition to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last month.

There are more than 21,000 humpback whales in the North Pacific today, compared with about 1,400 in the mid-1960s.

More than half spend the winter breeding and calving in Hawaii's warm waters. The animals, known for acrobatic leaps and complex singing patterns, have become a major draw for tourists and support a thriving whale-watching industry in Hawaii. Other North Pacific humpbacks winter off Mexico, Central America, Japan and the Philippines.
FILE - A humpback whale jumps out of the waters off Hawaii in this undated photo. Hundreds of Hawaii fishermen are asking the federal government to ta...

AP

Hundreds of Hawaii fishermen are asking the federal government to take North Pacific humpback whales off the endangered species list in recognition of the rebound in population.

In the summer, they migrate to feed on krill and fish in waters off Alaska, Canada and Russia.

Hawaii fishermen want humpback whales off endangered list - Business on NBCNews.com

if they are not endangered they should be off the list

 

[Unkotare]

I kind of agree. Their population has grown due to commercial whaling being banned and also because they are a huge tourist draw and money maker for the industry in Hawaii. Just seems that attention could be drawn toward another species in more need.

Such as what species? Let's grow their number too so we can start killing them again!

< That's my sarcastic unhappy face.

Do you cry every time you see a hamburger?

 

[TheOldSchool]

I kind of agree. Their population has grown due to commercial whaling being banned and also because they are a huge tourist draw and money maker for the industry in Hawaii. Just seems that attention could be drawn toward another species in more need.

Such as what species? Let's grow their number too so we can start killing them again!

< That's my sarcastic unhappy face.

Do you cry every time you see a hamburger?

Motherfucker you have no idea how awesome my hamburgers are. Or for that matter my ribs, my chicken, or any other type of delicious meat that I can cook to perfection.

But it horrifies me how efficient and methodic humans have become at eliminating the fauna and creatures that form the beauty of this planet. If we can't find a way to preserve what we have now then maybe we didn't deserve to have it in the first place.

 

[Unkotare]

Such as what species? Let's grow their number too so we can start killing them again!

< That's my sarcastic unhappy face.

Do you cry every time you see a hamburger?

Motherfucker you have no idea how awesome my hamburgers are. Or for that matter my ribs, my chicken, or any other type of delicious meat that I can cook to perfection.

But it horrifies me how efficient and methodic humans have become at eliminating the fauna and creatures that form the beauty of this planet. If we can't find a way to preserve what we have now then maybe we didn't deserve to have it in the first place.

Well, if the dinner...I mean whale...is no longer endangered then I guess we have, haven't we? So quit yer bitchin' and cook some to perfection.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Do you cry every time you see a hamburger?

Motherfucker you have no idea how awesome my hamburgers are. Or for that matter my ribs, my chicken, or any other type of delicious meat that I can cook to perfection.

But it horrifies me how efficient and methodic humans have become at eliminating the fauna and creatures that form the beauty of this planet. If we can't find a way to preserve what we have now then maybe we didn't deserve to have it in the first place.

Well, if the dinner...I mean whale...is no longer endangered then I guess we have, haven't we? So quit yer bitchin' and cook some to perfection.

Dude I would love to cook up some whale and eat that delicious shit... But I would much rather show my kids those whales jump out of the ocean 10 or 15 years from now.

 

[Unkotare]

Motherfucker you have no idea how awesome my hamburgers are. Or for that matter my ribs, my chicken, or any other type of delicious meat that I can cook to perfection.

But it horrifies me how efficient and methodic humans have become at eliminating the fauna and creatures that form the beauty of this planet. If we can't find a way to preserve what we have now then maybe we didn't deserve to have it in the first place.

Well, if the dinner...I mean whale...is no longer endangered then I guess we have, haven't we? So quit yer bitchin' and cook some to perfection.

Dude I would love to cook up some whale and eat that delicious shit... But I would much rather show my kids those whales jump out of the ocean 10 or 15 years from now.

There's no reason you can't do both.

 

[Smilodonfatalis]

If there were only 21,000 humans on earth, Homo sapiens would be considered an endangered species.

21,000 is not a big number. Consider this: There are 6 billion people on earth. Compared to this number 21,000 is paltry.