Japan is now trending international after their whaling research killed 333 whales in the process. The Japanese four-ship whaling fleet returned on Thursday following their tour in the Antarctic Sea.
Japan's latest whaling hunt is found to be controversial as their fleet went home with a massive number of dead whales. According to Northern Star, calls for the Australian Government have been increasing as many urge to prevent Japan from further hunting. Australia is playing a key role in the launch of the case and the Australian Marine Conservation Society is demanded to file legal action against the country. ACMS Director Darren Kindleysides said that it must be ensured that 2016 would be the last year of Japan's so-called scientific whaling program.
Sunshine Coast Daily wrote that Australia is also urging other countries to participate in actively pursuing legal action against Antarctic whaling. Japanese authorities said that a fleet of whale hunting vessels went home to their port after three-months of expedition. Despite the ruling of International Court of Justice from two years ago, the latest trip was still be able to proceed though it was part of illegal hunt and must be needed to cease. Japan's fisheries agency reports that the hunt led them to capture 103 males and 230 female minke whales.
90% of these females are pregnant as reported by The Marshall Town. Representatives from Japan Whaling Association said a large range of information such as population, age, structure, growth rates and others are needed to manage and conserve of future whales. The 333 quote is said to be a third of average for Japan's annually hauled. But for now, it is the set maximum number of kills allowed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for research purposes.
Japan's program aims to have a total sample of 4,000 whales in the next 12 years. It also intends to resume commercial whaling.
