May 19, 2002

What the label doesn't say

by Mark Brazil

Scandals about deception in product labeling have been in the news of late, with both the expiry dates and the origins of dairy and meat products called into question. While not as big a news item, the labeling standards for whale meat take deception ...

Whaling: A live issue over death

May 19, 2002

Whaling: A live issue over death

by Mark Brazil

Whales dolphins and porpoises, the aquatic mammals collectively called cetaceans, number less than 80 species, or fewer than 2 percent of all mammals. They are, however, probably the most talked about and written about of all wild animals — despite being some of the ...

Where kujira cuisine is a matter of course

May 19, 2002

Where kujira cuisine is a matter of course

by Mick Corliss

Eating at Taruichi can be a bit daunting. First there’s the decor. For those not cowed by the dried, meter-long whale’s phallus dangling overhead, the next challenge is the menu. For some Japanese, whale meat is nostalgic fare, but what was school cafeteria food ...

May 19, 2002

A young man and the sea

by C.W. Nichol

June 10, 1966. There was an iceberg in sight, and the water temperature was 3.7 degrees. The Japanese whale-catcher No. 17 Kyo Maru was off Newfoundland, having drifted through the brief summer night and resumed the search for migrating whales at first light. At ...

May 19, 2002

Thar she blew!

by Gary Tegler

TAIJI, Wakayama Pref. — From the lead boat it was difficult to see the spray rising from the waters off Tomyo Point. The onshore breeze dispersed it before it could rise too high and the choppy waters forced the rowers to concentrate on their ...

Humpback whale

| Apr 12, 2002

Humpback whale

by Rowan Hooper

* Japanese name: Zatokujira * Scientific name: Megaptera novaeangliae * Description: Measuring 12-14 meters, weighing 25-30 tons and with flippers up to 5.5 meters long, the humpback whale is unmistakable. It is black, with white patches on the flippers, which may also be encrusted ...