Whales and whaling are not the only marine mammal related activity in Japan. A
somewhat lesser known history relates to the hunt for seals. Seal hunts have played a
role in northern Japan, especially in Hokkaido. Here, the indigenous Ainu as well as
Japanese settlers consistently made use of the marine fauna passing along it shores,
including several seal species. In Ainu culture, the seal hunt left cultural traits such as
rituals on the departure of the soul from a dead animal, which included seals. While
these traits do exist, these are not as plentiful as, for example, whales and whaling in
Japanese society. What can be said, however, is that seal skins were important trade
goods between the Ainu of Hokkaido and Sakhalin with the Japanese, at least since
the seventeenth century. When the fur seal herds of the North Pacific were discovered as a commercial commodity, many Ainu became part of their large scale
exploitation—both voluntarily and involuntary. Moreover, northern Japan served
as an important hub for foreign vessels aiming to reach North Pacific waters to hunt
seals. Nowadays, however, seals are no longer exploited commercially. Those seals
that can be found along Japanese shores are hunted due to their negative impact on
salmon fisheries. It is meat from these hunts that is sold in limited amounts in
northern Japanese supermarkets.
3.2.5 Other Regions and Countries
Contemporary discussions around marine mammal hunts oftentimes focus on current whaling and sealing activities and specifically those regions or countries in
which either commercial hunts (e.g. Canada, Japan, Norway, Iceland) or subsistence
hunts (e.g. by the Inuit) are conducted. It is easily forgotten that both whaling and
sealing have a long-standing history all over the world. Some countries that have a
whaling and sealing history are now outspoken opponents of any marine mammal
hunts. In Australia, for example, there is a rich history of whaling and sealing. In
fact, sealing was so important to the settlement of Tasmania that even up to this day
the demography of the island is an effect of sealing and associated settlements. While
colonial sealers forcefully subjugated the local aboriginal population and exploited
their sealing skills, they paradoxically are also responsible for the preservation of
aboriginal cultures and languages: through marriage with aboriginal women and the
development of creole languages and practices the total colonial eradication of
aboriginal culture was prevented. The effects were so long-lasting that Lynette
Russel even goes so far as to say that these mixed communities have provided the
basis for the contemporary Aboriginal community in Tasmania.
14
Australia also has had a long-standing whaling history. Like sealing, whaling was
an important industry when Australia was colonised. Exports to Europe and Asia
provided the young colony with the revenue to establish sustainable industries and
economies. Some time from the eighteenth century until 1978, Australia had been a
whaling nation. Just to name two examples out of many all over Australia: on the one
14 Russell (2012), p. 113.
3.2 Marine Mammals and Human Societies
49
somewhat lesser known history relates to the hunt for seals. Seal hunts have played a
role in northern Japan, especially in Hokkaido. Here, the indigenous Ainu as well as
Japanese settlers consistently made use of the marine fauna passing along it shores,
including several seal species. In Ainu culture, the seal hunt left cultural traits such as
rituals on the departure of the soul from a dead animal, which included seals. While
these traits do exist, these are not as plentiful as, for example, whales and whaling in
Japanese society. What can be said, however, is that seal skins were important trade
goods between the Ainu of Hokkaido and Sakhalin with the Japanese, at least since
the seventeenth century. When the fur seal herds of the North Pacific were discovered as a commercial commodity, many Ainu became part of their large scale
exploitation—both voluntarily and involuntary. Moreover, northern Japan served
as an important hub for foreign vessels aiming to reach North Pacific waters to hunt
seals. Nowadays, however, seals are no longer exploited commercially. Those seals
that can be found along Japanese shores are hunted due to their negative impact on
salmon fisheries. It is meat from these hunts that is sold in limited amounts in
northern Japanese supermarkets.
3.2.5 Other Regions and Countries
Contemporary discussions around marine mammal hunts oftentimes focus on current whaling and sealing activities and specifically those regions or countries in
which either commercial hunts (e.g. Canada, Japan, Norway, Iceland) or subsistence
hunts (e.g. by the Inuit) are conducted. It is easily forgotten that both whaling and
sealing have a long-standing history all over the world. Some countries that have a
whaling and sealing history are now outspoken opponents of any marine mammal
hunts. In Australia, for example, there is a rich history of whaling and sealing. In
fact, sealing was so important to the settlement of Tasmania that even up to this day
the demography of the island is an effect of sealing and associated settlements. While
colonial sealers forcefully subjugated the local aboriginal population and exploited
their sealing skills, they paradoxically are also responsible for the preservation of
aboriginal cultures and languages: through marriage with aboriginal women and the
development of creole languages and practices the total colonial eradication of
aboriginal culture was prevented. The effects were so long-lasting that Lynette
Russel even goes so far as to say that these mixed communities have provided the
basis for the contemporary Aboriginal community in Tasmania.
14
Australia also has had a long-standing whaling history. Like sealing, whaling was
an important industry when Australia was colonised. Exports to Europe and Asia
provided the young colony with the revenue to establish sustainable industries and
economies. Some time from the eighteenth century until 1978, Australia had been a
whaling nation. Just to name two examples out of many all over Australia: on the one
14 Russell (2012), p. 113.
3.2 Marine Mammals and Human Societies
49