Japan suspends its whaling expedition after harassment by Sea Shepherd anti-whaling group
TOKYO — Japan has temporarily suspended its annual Antarctic whaling after repeated harassment by a conservationist group, a government official said Wednesday.
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ships have been chasing the Japanese whaling fleet for weeks in the icy seas off Antarctica, trying to block Japan's annual whale hunt, planned for up to 945 whales.
Japan has halted the hunt since Feb. 10 after persistent "violent" disruptions by the anti-whaling protesters, said fisheries agency official Tatsuya Nakaoku.
So far, the attacks have not caused any injuries or major damage to the vessels, he said, but the protesters are throwing rancid butter in bottles and once the protesters got a rope entangled in the propeller on a harpoon vessel, causing it to slow down.
"We have temporarily suspended our research whaling to ensure safety," he said. The fleet plans to resume hunting when conditions are deemed safe, he added, but declined to say how long the suspension will last.
The Sea Shepherd group has been shadowing Japan's whaling fleet for several years, and its campaign has drawn high-profile donor support in the United States and elsewhere and spawned the popular Animal Planet series "Whale Wars."
Last year, one of the group's boats sank after colliding with a Japanese vessel. The boat's captain, New Zealander Peter Bethune, was later arrested when he boarded a whaling ship from a Jet Ski, and was brought back to Japan for trial. He was convicted of assault, vandalism and three other charges and given a suspended prison term. Bethune has since returned to New Zealand.
Japan's fisheries agency has called Sea Shepherd a terrorist group for its militant actions.
The whale hunts, which Japan says are for scientific purposes, are allowed by the International Whaling Commission as an exception to the 1986 ban, but opponents say they are a cover for commercial whaling because whale meat not used for study is sold for consumption in Japan.
Nakaoku said the anti-whaling ships have been chasing the Japanese fleet right behind the lead whaling ship, Nisshin Maru.
"It's extremely regrettable that our research activity has been obstructed by the acts of sabotage, which could lead to serious injuries or damage," Nakaoku said. "We hope to return to normal operation as soon as possible."
The Japanese fleet left Japan late last year, and its ongoing expedition is planned for several more weeks.
Japan has failed to fulfill its catch quota in recent years due to escalating protests by the anti-whaling campaigners. Last year, Japanese whalers ended up catching only about half of their target number.
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-- Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press
Photo: The Japanese whaling ship Nisshin Maru arrives in the Tokyo in April 2010, its hull stained by red marks left by Sea Shepherd whaling protesters. Credit: Jiji Press / AFP/Getty Images
Go Sea Shepherd! Thank you for putting your life on the line to save these beautiful creatures from our oceans......
Posted by: A Armstrong | February 16, 2011 at 08:47 AM
In our oceans.:)
Posted by: A Armstrong | February 16, 2011 at 08:48 AM
Go Sea Shepard! Who do the Japenese think they they are fooling with there "Research" propaganda? Where are the results of the Research, why are they selling the meat and why are they paying off represenatives of poor countries on the Whaling Commision for their votes. It's a joke and an insult to anyone with the slightest bit of intelligence.
Posted by: Larry DeSantis | February 16, 2011 at 11:19 AM
When is it okay to hunt in a sustainable ecosystem?
Is it okay to take 900+ wales from a growing worldwide population of 773,000? (source: Wikipedia)
How is this different from eating fish or beef?
Don't some animal rights proponents decry conditions for farm raised animals and prefer animals who live a more natural and wild life?
Posted by: Thom McNabb | February 17, 2011 at 12:47 PM
GO SEA SHEPHERD!!!! Every day Japan's phony research vessels are not hunting whales equals that many more whales who will live.
Posted by: Eden | February 17, 2011 at 01:56 PM
This is a beautiful thing! Way to guy Paul and the whole crew!!! Persistent!
Posted by: Nick | February 17, 2011 at 03:22 PM
When are these Nihonjin going to perfect tissue-cultures so they only need occasional biopsy samples from real whales instead of their lives? Whale killing needs to be ended, it's obsolete. There's more money in tourist trips and real research (divers and minisubmarines swimming with whales and observing) nowadays. Whether it's Iceland, Norway, Japan, or any others who take whales commercially, the Nantucket sleighride needs to be scrapped.
Posted by: MalikTous | February 17, 2011 at 10:00 PM
Whoop Whoop - go Sea Shepherd go !!!! You are all angels in my eyes. Heroes every one of you !!!!!!
Posted by: Gwen Hillman | February 17, 2011 at 10:58 PM
This article is far too lenient on the Japanese whalers, when it is so absurdly obvious they are NOT researchers.
Glad the Sea Shepard was successful, for now.
Posted by: Daniel Carvalho | February 18, 2011 at 04:02 AM
I have read about the Whale Warriors. The two books are awesome and I am totally inspired by the strength of your convictions. Your actions speak louder than words and the world is sorely in need of people of your calibre.
Posted by: Helena Martin | February 18, 2011 at 05:01 AM
Thank you, Japan. I admire so much of your culture but cannot respect the whaling and grisly slaughter of dolphins.
Surely your otherwise fine national can find other ways to feed your populance. Please make your present moratorium on whaling permanent, and stop the heart-breaking killing of dolphins. I will continue to admire much of your culture but will donate as much as I can possibly afford to 'Sea Shepherd' and other such organizations. I fear ocean pollution will kill these creatures off soon enough and we will all be the poorer for their absence...
Posted by: Mary Burton | February 18, 2011 at 11:58 AM
Let's please dispel a common misunderstanding here- the Japanese do NOT have any rights to whaling in Antarctic waters that are being denied by the Sea Shepard. Nothing is being taken away from the Japanese that was theirs to own. They haven't lost anything. They haven't been robbed. There has been no piracy.
As long as the Sea Shepard doesn't hurt people, and gives fair warning which they have, there's nothing wrong with their activism.
Posted by: chris | February 26, 2011 at 10:52 AM