Whale War between Japanese hunters and Sea Shepherd to escalate

News item: Japan requests that Australia prevent the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Steve Irwin from leaving port this December to harass its whalers in the Antarctic.

Reaction: Isn't a similar request made every year, to no avail? Japan may not like it, but Capt. Paul Watson and his ragtag band of whale-loving vegans will remain a proverbial thorn in Japan's side as long as it has funding and, thanks to the popularity of Animal Planet's "Whale Wars," there appears to be no shortage for next season's campaign.

And that Southern Ocean campaign, which will launch Dec. 1, figures to  resemble something out of this world, thanks to a swift new boat that looks like a space vessel, can travel at 40 knots and plow through waves and deflect harpoons.

The boat is named Earthrace and its New Zealand owner/skipper, Pete Bethune, told the Sydney Morning Herald he was lending his support because he can't stand the thought of whales being slaughtered in "my backyard."

When I talked to Watson recently he said he had something special up his sleeve and was planning a seasonlong, rather than partial campaign against Japan, which annually targets about 1,000 minke whales in what it claims is a research effort.

With the extra boat (Sea Shepherd plans on using three vessels for the campaign) the group does not have to worry about leaving the whalers on their own while returning to Australia for a lengthy refueling process. Of course, the escalation might be dangerous because Japan is weary of what it refers to as acts of piracy against its fleet.

At a recent International Whaling Commission meeting, Japanese delegation member Jun Yamashita said, "It can only be described as a miracle that there has been no death or large-scale accident to date."

Yamashita added: "We cannot tolerate such audacity. We ask for all appropriate measures, including a ban on the ship from leaving port, so that we can prevent these acts from being repeated."

In case you're wondering, a film crew from "Whale Wars" will be with Sea Shepherd shooting for Season Three of the series.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Earthrace, which is powered by biodiesel and can reach speeds of 40 knots and deflect harpoons, will be used in Sea Shepherd's campaign against Japanese whalers next season in the Antarctic. Credit: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Comments

[Andre from Sacto]

Jun Yamashita said, "It can only be described as a miracle that there has been no death or large-scale accident to date."

Unless you count the three Japanese seamen killed aboard the accident prone Japanese whaling vessels over the years. The Japanese whalers are their own worst enemies.

Mr. Yamashita is also blithely ignorant of the whales killed by the grenade tipped harpoons. As these "research" ships consider these mammals as 'fish' is it any wonder that their seamanship is poor and their research is panned? What credibility do they have left? If they want to research something how about they research the decline of the tuna stocks worldwide.

I had a chance to see the Earthrace boat when it paid a visit to Ventura a few years back. Despite the absolute failings of the ANZAC governments it is nice to see these countries citizens taking on these poachers themselves. Heroes all of them!

[Harrt]

Poachers don't get to complain. If they were in Africa, the Japanese poachers would be shot dead on site. They're lucky Captain Watson is committed to non-violence.

[Derp]

What the Japanese are doing isn't illegal. The boats are basically terrorizing people trying to make a living. Borderline if not on target terrorism and piracy. The boats should be scrapped and the crews arrested.

[A Hut]

What the Japanese are doing *IS* illegal. The "scientific research" is bogus. Japanese "whale research" is the laughing stock of science. Its just a front for poaching whale meat. Sea Shepherds are not terrorists. They do not harm or kill. The Japanese are the killers and the terrorists of whales.

Much of the territory that Japanese Whalers hunt, is in Australian waters, where
any type of whaling is illegal. Its only a matter of time before the Australian government has had enough and will seize these illegal vessels of Japan.

[Tula]

The Japanese whalers spent years illegaly killing whales in the southern sanctuary but since Sea Shepherd decided to take them on inumerous whales have been saved. They feel they are loosing face but the truth is they are loosing respect worldwide with this horrible slaughter.

[Fred]

I think this URL might be interesting for some posters here:

Animal Planet presents "THE LEGAL DEBATE OVER WHALING " on its "Whale Wars"
web page.
http://animal.discovery.com/tv/whale-wars/legal-debate/

"Top legal experts hash out the complicated issues surrounding whaling from all sides, answering questions about what is and isn't illegal on the high seas, the origins of the legal documents shaping this argument, and the cultural and historical context that informs our ideas of whaling today."

[Fred]

I am afraid that Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is doing more harm than good.

"Bullying won't stop Japanese whaler"
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25190904-7583,00.html

by Barry Cohen, who represented Australia at the Pew Whales Symposium 2009 in Portugal. He was the Australian environment minister from 1983 to 1987.

I wish I can hear more about the recent IWC meeting from the Australian delegates. It takes time to go through IWC's web page http://www.iwcoffice.org/index.htm

[AnimuX]

They say that bullying will not stop Japanese whaling. Well decades of diplomacy and public outcry around the world haven't stopped Japan either. In other words, unless Australia makes this a law enforcement issue or somehow the Japanese whaling industry goes bankrupt (unlikely considering that it already operates on government subsidies) then nothing will stop Japan.

[Andre from Sacto]

To those who would argue that the SSCS has done more harm than good I would like to politely point out one singular fact:

This year the Japanese whaling fleet missed its quota by 300 whales. This was due to direct conservation/intervention by the SSCS.

As the 'scientific whaling' is funded by the commercial profits from previous expeditions this means that the Japanese whalers will have approximately 1/3 less funding next year.

If the SSCS and others can shut them down for another season or two then the commercial venture of 'scientific whaling' will go bankrupt with out further government funding.

This is the definition of effectiveness. A defination that the IWC or our poor excuse of a IWC representative, Bill Hogarth, cannot claim.

[Freedom Fighters from Colorado]

This is ridiculous! The Japanese are not breaking the law but the Sea Shepherds are! They are guilty of harrassment and endangering the lives of the people on both ships. If they don't like what is going on...then put their energy into changing the law but DO NOT illegally harrass and endanger the lives of others!! We too would like to know what the true use of the whales is...doubtfully all are used for research and they are probably taking more than what is necessary, although that does not give the Sea Shepherds the right to do what they are doing. Two wrongs do not make a right!!!!

[Frank Line]

If they need a piper to join there ranks let me know

[You Are No Freedom Fighter]

Freedom Fighter?? pfft!!! You are no freedom fighter!! You are all about wholesale slaughter on defenseless whales!! It is one thing to hunt a deer (YOU eat what you kill) but these whales are being killed as a novelty! The Japanese claim to do research on these whales that are over the quota... Tell me, what has the research yielded? Can the Japanese tell me what the research has yielded? I know what it has yielded... senseless slaughter!!

Go Sea Shepherds!!

P.S. Cool new boat!! Cant wait to see it on Animal Planet

[AnaKinG]

Killing of any life in general is bad, not just whales. We should just stop killing, including plants. Plants have spirit and soul just as animals do. So we should just stop arguing and stop killing of any kind. Don't kill cow, don't kill deer, don't kill corn, don't kill anything that live. If you kill plants, you are as bad as those whalers. Recognize your sin, and please cease to exist.

Thanks, and may the peace be with you.

[cbr1000]

It is interesting how hypocrisy of the West will never stop to exist.
Four millions Africans were killed in Congo, thousands of Africans and their children are dying because of huger and malnutrition and here we have people from the rich nations protesting and fighting for animal rights. Who cares if whales are killed or extinguished when our brothers and sisters are dying because West politicians are treating them as unpeople and are not interesting in their fate?
However, politicians love people who fight for animal rights; for ants, frogs and butterflies because they project their fears and anger into completely unimportant things and the media gets their intention instead of reporting of real problems and manipulations of millions of citizens.

[Judd]

Sorry, but I think the Human race is doing just fine as our population increases by the second. If we don't do anything about the animals there may soon be none left!!!

[AnaKinG]

CBR1000 -

Hypocricy of politicians is nothing new. That's just their nature and that's what they need to survive.

Insanity is really the ignorance of common westerners who single handedly drove most of the rare animals to extinction. Now the sinful decendents who are beyond their self-righteous ignorance believe that they are doing the right thing by forcing their so-called ethical belief onto what they call "Monkeys" - us. Of course, "us" Monkeys in their eyes have no soul, no value, no culture. It doesn't occur to all mighty westerners that their untested so-called conservationism might have consequences beyond "saving whales". You really should just watch the reply to this post and enjoy. You'll see comments like "Oh - if you learned proper english, learn how to spell, you'll get more respect MORON". that in translation = "Monkeys have no right to have opinion, you Monkey!". You'll see other comments like "Oh, Japanese don't really need to eat whales, or research claim is BS!". Translation "Monkeys don't have culture. Monkeys don't have right to have their own perogative."

Here's my suggestion to both Japanese and all you self-righteos sinners. Go learn your history, and fix the sins of your ancenstors. Japanese: go make peace with South Korea, China, etc whoever you inflicted tremendous pain to in the past. Those guys are still sore. Pay tribute to those who were attacked in Pearl Harbor, etc etc etc.
Westerners: I don't even know where to start, there's so many. But like CBR1000 suggested, starting in Africa is probably a good one, since YOU are responsible for the mess that they are in.

Peace,

And oh yeah, if you are vegan, please recognize your sin as you stuff your face with vegetables as plants also have living soul. Stop killing of any kind.

[confucius]

How many miles does that eco-friendly boat get per gallon? When a ship goes down and the oil spill occurs, and maybe someone might get injured or even die, who is responsible? Not captain crunch, he will claim "they did it on their own free will". Do you think he will come and save you? You are on your own, left high and dry.

If whaling is illegal, why doesn't SS take the whalers to court? Because it is LEGAL.

And please stop killing vegetables and fruits, they are living things which have souls.

[Michiel de Ruyter]

I ate whale flesh near the Seto-Ohashi bridge near Okayama, and it was delicious.

Japanese should not have the right to kill 1000 innocent defenseless whales? Even though the number of minke whales has increased dramatically in the past 20 years? In fact some ocean conservatists now say there might be too many......
Whales however, in the mind of dumb Watson lemmings, are much more defenseless and innocent than ordinary fish, or cows, pigs etc. Those can be slaughtered without Watson doing anything. After all piracy is much more fun than protesting an ordinary farm in Idaho, France or Brazil.
Of course Western nations can go and slaughter some 20 million pigs and 5,5 million cows a day, but oh no, Japanese, Norwegians and Icelanders cannot kill 1000 minke whales per year.
Give me a break. Watson should be put in prison. I don't get the Japanese anyway. Just torpedo the eco-terrorists.

[Michiel de Ruyter]

ps. to the ignorant Japan basher who said Japan needs to make peace with Korea. Well, in 1956 they did and reached an agreement with all nations involved in the war, promising to pay a certain amount. They did pay up. Also, 7 different Japanese prime ministers have apologized for the war. It's just never enough for the essentially racist Koreans and jealous Chinese. Apologizing for Pearl Harbor? When did America apologize for the mass murders in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Or for killing approximatily 2 million Vietnamese and spraying them with chemicals...or for the massive financial and military support it gave to the Khmer Rouge mass murder and the Stalinist regime until 1945.....

[Mike]

For those obfuscating the Whaling issue by chastising the "West" for not caring about Africa...

Do you know how much $ the United States (for one) gives to Africa? Billions of dollars per year. Billions!! The estimate is $9billion in 2010.

China on the other hand...what are they doing for anyone but themselves?

As far as this topic, Sea Shepard may be acting illegally but they are imminantly MORAL. The Japanese whalers, on the other hand are illegal AND immoral. I have no concern what-so-ever for their safety.

[James]

Some (non-vegan) food for thought: if the supposed law being broken states that a country may engage in whaling for research purposes, then fails to define "research" or set a limit, how can any country possibly break the law, so long as it follows its own policy?

You may argue that this law is flawed (you'd even have my sympathy on that), but the Japanese are not breaking the so-called law ("so-called" because there is no such thing as international law, because there is no such thing as an international law giver with enforcement power). Until and unless the international treaties and regulatory bodies change the rules, Japan is breaking the spirit, but not the letter, of the law - and the letter of the law is all that the law is.

[mista matt]

some of sea shepherds more effective acts
http://www.supergreenme.com/go-green-environment-eco:Sea-Shepherd-Conservation-Society

[mista matt]

japans science explanationy stuff video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CSA0WuQzmQ&feature=related

[Derpa]

AnaKinG was must you act like one giant tool who opinions are the only thing that matter in this world.

[Tim Hurst]

Peaceful protests are ignored, international law takes years to change, whales are dying to fatten someones bank account. The only way to get something done in this world is to roll up your sleeves and do it. I salute SSCS for taking action when no government body would. If the Japanese are doing research, why are the only "research vessels" made to kill or package whale? Where are the other research vessels that are not made for specifically killing whales? It's a lie to cover up a for profit whaling operation, and anyone who tells you different is lying. The powers that be in this world are old and outdated and need to be replaced by something new, progressive, and sustainable. No matter what we do to this planet it will still be here it's just a matter if we will be here. To the old guard and naysayers that think nothing is wrong take your head out of the hole and pay attention! If you see what's going on in this world you would be pissed off. Also why do some of you defend the actions of rich people who rape our natural resources to line their pockets?