Bob W wrote: > [...] >> Norway has a traditional history of whale hunting. Australian >> aborigines have a traditional history of hunting dugong (which >> may be threatened). The former is condemned but the latter is >> allowed. Go figure. > > It's quite easy to figure, actually. One of them is large-scale, > global and industrialised, the other is subsistence-level and local.
Actually, it isn't that simple. An endangered species is endangered whether it's hunted with rifle or a spear. Also "subsistence-level" hunting isn't, as the people do not need to hunt to eat. And they often use modern technology to hunt (eg even if they use spears they travel around in modern motor boats). (Note that I do not dispute their right to hunt, if it is sustainable.) The important management issue is whether or not the level of harvesting is sustainable. The idea that industrial is bad and pre-industrial is good is too simplistic. Keith McG -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net