Petition the PM, on-line in 2 mins, to save the fish stocks

[ColinW]

Once upon a time there were herds of buffalo in the USA so big it took hours for one them to pass. They had been hunted sustainably by the Native Americans for a thousand years. The white settlers, armed with "high tech" hunting equipment and not burdened by consience, wiped them out in twenty years. In Wurzel's world, the empty plains left by the white hunters (who were of course only making a living) were the way God intended that country to be, free from all those animals trampling all over it.

[wurzel]

Just as an additional thought. The Whale Hunting Industry collapsed and was banned, with a few exceptions, due to the following reasons:

 

1. Global Warming?

2. Overfishing?

 

Answer: Over-fishing.

 

What has happened since:

 

There are still whale hunters out there, not as many I admit, but they are there, and complaining that the stocks are so good now, that commercial whaling can start again. Why. Because hardly any whales have been taken for the last 30 years.

 

In other words they have managed the problem.

 

Painful. yes. But who caused the pain. The whalers

 

 

Did it collapse or was it banned?

[wurzel]

Once upon a time there were herds of buffalo in the USA so big it took hours for one them to pass. They had been hunted sustainably by the Native Americans for a thousand years. The white settlers, armed with "high tech" hunting equipment and not burdened by consience, wiped them out in twenty years. In Wurzel's world, the empty plains left by the white hunters (who were of course only making a living) were the way God intended that country to be, free from all those animals trampling all over it.

 

 

Also a very good way of bringing the native Indians to heel, which was probably the reason for it.

 

Fish are proving to be much more difficult.

[barry luxton]

No. For the reasons stated. I don't say that we should not try. However the main influence comes through the pressure on the national governments who are afraid of being voted out of power by their own electorates. Hence France behaves the way it does. Its population sets fire to sheep, demands a ban on beef imports when there is no reason and gets its way. We have to start doing the same from the bottom up as well as the top down

 

 

Good afternoon Henry,

 

Are you saying that we should act like the french by any chance?

[seaside]

Did it collapse or was it banned?

 

Like all else, a combination of factors, but essentially due to the stocks being greatly diminished the price of whale related products rose substantially whilst at the same time the technologies associated with two of the prime consumers - corset makers and household lighting - were rapidly changing. Artificial 'whalebone' was introduced for the former and petroleum oil the latter after the invention of the kerosene lamp.

 

Whale hunting continued well into the 1870s and 1880s, driving Sperm and Right whales to near extinction and eventually whale products became so expensive there was no market for them, so a straightforward commercial decision - no profit - no whaling.

 

As for the buffalo, they were primarily killed for their liver and hump meat for feeding railroad workers, or once the leather companies found a way to utilize the bull hides and were paying $3.00 a piece for them, in 1872 alone, a million buffalo were killed for their hides

 

In either case, the rest of the carcasses left to rot on the plains.!!!!

[Trubshaw]

Like all else, a combination of factors, but essentially due to the stocks being greatly diminished the price of whale related products rose substantially whilst at the same time the technologies associated with two of the prime consumers - corset makers and household lighting - were rapidly changing. Artificial 'whalebone' was introduced for the former and petroleum oil the latter after the invention of the kerosene lamp.

 

Whale hunting continued well into the 1870s and 1880s, driving Sperm and Right whales to near extinction and eventually whale products became so expensive there was no market for them, so a straightforward commercial decision - no profit - no whaling.

 

As for the buffalo, they were primarily killed for their liver and hump meat for feeding railroad workers, or once the leather companies found a way to utilize the bull hides and were paying $3.00 a piece for them, in 1872 alone, a million buffalo were killed for their hides

 

In either case, the rest of the carcasses left to rot on the plains.!!!!

 

As now happens with discards in the sea.

[Trubshaw]

Barry,

 

As far as the French are concerned, their governments listen to their electorates, as if they do not, they get voted out of power. Therefore what the French people want is got for them through the French intransigence at the EU. The trouble with this country is that when only 27% odd of the electorate bother to vote anyway, the government thinks it can do as it likes and ignore the wishes of the people.

 

I am not saying or advocating rioting, setting fire to sheep etc.

Edited December 5, 2006 by Trubshaw

[barry luxton]

Barry,

 

As far as the French are concerned, their governments listen to their electorates, as if they do not, they get voted out of power. Therefore what the French people want is got for them through the French intransigence at the EU. The trouble with this country is that when only 27% odd of the electorate bother to vote anyway, the government thinks it can do as it likes and ignore the wishes of the people.

 

I am not saying or advocating rioting, setting fire to sheep etc.

 

That was a bit of a sit on the fence answer Henry. If you did condone the way some of the french conduct themselves while protesting it would do your petition most harm. People are quick to forget anarchcist examples of their behavoiur, i.e. the south east motor way was turned into a lorry park again last week because of one french cleaner apparently. Disblo.......gusting. Did you agree with their actions Henry. Happens quite a lot as the uk is considering building permanant lorry parks . If not, why did you feel the need to bring the french into the argument then Henry.

 

cheers barry

[Jaffa]

As now happens with discards in the sea.

 

eh?

[Jaffa]

Like all else, a combination of factors, but essentially due to the stocks being greatly diminished the price of whale related products rose substantially whilst at the same time the technologies associated with two of the prime consumers - corset makers and household lighting - were rapidly changing. Artificial 'whalebone' was introduced for the former and petroleum oil the latter after the invention of the kerosene lamp.

 

Whale hunting continued well into the 1870s and 1880s, driving Sperm and Right whales to near extinction and eventually whale products became so expensive there was no market for them, so a straightforward commercial decision - no profit - no whaling.

 

As for the buffalo, they were primarily killed for their liver and hump meat for feeding railroad workers, or once the leather companies found a way to utilize the bull hides and were paying $3.00 a piece for them, in 1872 alone, a million buffalo were killed for their hides

 

In either case, the rest of the carcasses left to rot on the plains.!!!!

 

What do you make of the modern arguments over whaling Seaside?

 

The Norwegians, Japanese and Icelanders point to healthy stocks which they believe they should be allowed to hunt. I recoil a fair bit, as of i'm of that age group that were brought up on Greenpeace etc; like it was Blue Peter . On the one hand I find whaling distasteful; on the other hand I find it hard to see a rational reason to oppose those cultures that wish to do it .

 

Just wondered how you see it?

 

Chris