JARPN II WHALING FLEET RETURNS FROM WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 004949 SIPDIS STATE FOR D, G and OES/OA - MHAYES AND JFIELD EAP/J USDOC FOR NOAA/NMFS - US IWC COMMISSIONER HOGARTH AND McCARTHY SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EFIS KSCA IWC JA ETRD SUBJECT: JARPN II WHALING FLEET RETURNS FROM WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC REF: A) 05 TOKYO 2193; B) 05 TOKYO 2932; C) 05 TOKYO 6131; D) 06 TOKYO 2073; E) 06 TOKYO 2229; F) 06 TOKYO 2848; G) 06 TOKYO 2965; H) 06 TOKYO 4424 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. Japan's whaling mothership under JARPN II (Second Phase of Japan's Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Western North Pacific),its annual lethal research whaling program that started in 2000, returned to Hakodate, Hokkaido in northern Japan in the morning of August 21, about one month earlier than originally scheduled. Two sighting/catching boats that were part of the voyage arrived in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture and Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, both southern Japan, on August 23. A dedicated sighting vessel is scheduled to return to Kushiro, Hokkaido, on August 30. The expedition took 100 Minke, 100 Sei, 50 Bryde's, and 6 Sperm whales. Meat from the whales, except for Sperm, will start to be sold in late September across Japan. END SUMMARY -------------- -------------- Increased Request from the Public for Commercial Whaling -------------- -------------- ¶2. In its press release, the Fisheries Agency of Japan (FAJ) announced that the whales from JARPN II, as in previous years, preyed upon a variety of marine products such as Japanese anchovy and krill. According to Takumi Ikejima, Director for General Affairs at the Institute of Cetacean Reasearch, more than 90 percent of the meat from this expedition will be sold via Kyodo Senpaku, the traditional distribution service that reaches fish markets and school lunches from late September. Prices of red meat from Minke and Byde's will be Yen 1,950 (USD 16)/kg, and Sei Yen 1,900 (USD 16)/kg. Because mercury levels in Sperm whales in the Western North Pacific far exceed the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) standards, the ICR does not sell Sperm whale meat at this time (ref H). In the meantime, our FAC contact said that it has received an increasing number of phone calls from across Japan seeking resumption of commercial whaling since the June 2006 IWC Meeting in St. Kitts. ¶3. The following is Post's unofficial translation of FAJ's Press Release, dated August 18, 2006: Begin Press Release: 
Subject: The completion of the 13th Expedition of the Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Western North Pacific (Offshore) and the Research Fleet's Arrival Into Port -------------- --- ¶1. Completion of Offshore Research and Research Fleet's Arrival Into Port -------------- --- This fiscal year's Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Western North Pacific (Offshore research) will be completed as of August 21. The research fleet (headed by Chikara Tamura, Director for the Ecology Research Office at the Institute of Cetacean Research) will arrive into port as follows: (1) Mothership "Nisshin Maru" (8,030 tons, 126 crew members including Captain Tomoyuki Ogawa) Arrival Date: 11:00 am, Monday, August 21 Place: Hakodate City, Hokkaido (2) Catcher and sighting vessel "Yushin Maru" (720 tons, 21 crew members including Captain Kiyoji Hirose) Arrival Date: 11:00 am, Wednesday, August 23 Place: Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture (3) Catcher and sighting vessel "Yushin Maru No.2" (747 tons, 20 crew members including Captain Kiyoshi Matsuzaka) Arrival Date: 11:00 am, Wednesday, August 23 Place: Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture [Catcher and sighting vessel "Kyo Maru No.2" (747 tons, 20 crew TOKYO 00004949 002 OF 002 members including Captain Toshiyuki Miura) is scheduled to arrive in Kushiro City, Hokkaido on August 30.] ¶2. Overview of Research Results -------------- (1) Duration: From May 23 (departure) to August 21 (arrival),2006 (2) Research Sea Area: Off Sanriku to South of Kamchatka Peninsula (3) Organization Conducting the Expedition: Institute of Cetacean Research (4) Overview of This Fiscal Year's Offshore Research Results: As in previous years, Minke whales were confirmed to prey upon a variety of marine products such as Japanese anchovy, saury, krill, Japanese sand lance, etc. in various waters and timeframes. Sei whales used to be confirmed to prey upon animal planktons such as copepoda and krill. However, this year they were found to prey upon mainly Japanese anchovy. Byde's whales were confirmed to prey upon mesopelagic fish such as Vinciguerria nimbaria, in addition to Japanese anchovy and krill. Sperm whales were, as in previous years, confirmed to prey upon mesopelagic squid and mesopelagic fish. In addition, a great number of large cetacean such as Blue amd Fin whales were observed. (NOTE) Research whaling is based on Article VIII of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (IWC Convention) and conducted by permission of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. For further information, contact Mr. Moronuki, Whaling Group, Far Seas Fisheries Division, Fisheries Agency, Tel: 03-3502-8111 ex. 7242 Direct 03-3502-2443 Visit also URL that carries this press release: http://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/release/index.html End of Press Release DONOVAN