Sea Shepherd bushwacks Whaling surveillance vessel
by Takver - Sydney Indymedia
Wednesday Jan 23rd, 2008 1:36 AM
Sea Shepherd has challenged the Japanese surveillance vessel shadowing them, and has criticised the efforts of Greenpeace to disrupt the refuelling of the Nisshin Maru whaling factory ship. The refuelling procedure was done in the Antarctic Treaty Zone in violation of that treaty, which Japan is a signatory to.

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The Steve Irwin was diverted from the whaling fleet to pick up the two activists, who had been held hostage on the Yushin Maru No 2 for 3 days, from the Australian Government ship Oceanic Viking. Since then they have been tailed by a mystery deep sea trawler, the Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 which appears to have little fishing equipment and an unusual amount of surveillance and communications equipment for a trawler.

Sea Shepherd have labelled this ship a spy ship associated with the whaling fleet to shadow the Steve Irwin and communicate the co-ordinates back to the whaling fleet. It has been shadowing the Steve Irwin for the last week keeping a distance of 7 to 10 miles. For the last day, both ships have been moving rapidly to the east towards the location of the Japanese fleet, threading their way through a floating archipelago of small to medium sized icebergs.

As it passed an iceberg, the Steve Irwin dropped a fast Delta boat to hang close to the berg, while the Sea Shepherd helicopter the "Kookaburra" landed on the berg while the Steve Irwin resumed course to the east.

As the Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 sailed sailed past the berg the Delta crew roared out from behind to confront the Japanese vessel and the helicopter flew overtop to document the encounter. The engagement was staged in an attempt to expose the purpose of the Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68.

The Japanese ship turned tail and ran to the west at the sight of the Delta and the helicopter and as the Steve Irwin also came around 180 degrees to turn the tables, chasing the spy ship instead. The Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 was clearly intimidated by the sudden appearance of the Delta boat, the helicopter and the about face of the Steve Irwin.

No attempt was made to damage the Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 according to Captain Paul Watson "They are not part of the whaling fleet," he said "Although there is no doubt they are connected to the fleet. We were not going to waste our disruption materials on a vessel not involved with the actual killing of whales."

Nisshin Maru, refuelled, heading back to whaling Grounds

The Nisshin Maru is now refuelled and heading back to resume the hunt in the whaling grounds. Captain Paul Watson criticised the efforts of Greenpeace to disrupt the refuelling of the Nisshin Maru whaling factory ship. The Panama registered Oriental Bluebird was in violation of the Antarctic Treaty by refuelling the Nisshin Maru inside the Antarctic Treaty System zone. Japan is a signatory of the Antarctic Treaty.

"Greenpeace had the opportunity to prevent the refuelling. They were there and they allowed the refueling to proceed," said Captain Paul Watson. "That is unforgivable. The reason they gave for backing off was that is was too dangerous. Of course it's dangerous. Stopping the whaling fleet is not a game. If Greenpeace is not willing to take the risks they should at least cooperate with those who are willing to take such risks."

President of the Institute of Cetacean Research, Mr. Minoru Morimoto also criticised Greenpeace, “This was a very dangerous stunt that put lives at risk and did nothing for their cause” Mr. Morimoto said. “Refueling operations are ongoing following which our research will continue” he added. He did not comment on the illegality of refuelling in the Antarctic treaty area.

In past seasons the Sea Shepherd has forced the disengagement of the Nishin Maru from the Oriental Bluebird during refuelling just at the approach of a Sea Shepherd ship.

"We could have been there to stop the refueling but Greenpeace refused to supply the coordinates. This caused us to fall behind a day. We could have had them and we could have stopped them," said Captain Watson. "This refusal by Greenpeace to cooperate with Sea Shepherd is going to get a lot of whales killed and that is unconscionable. It's a disgrace."

The Steve Irwin continues to head eastward towards the Japanese whaling fleet which continues to lie some 20 hours to the east. The Esperanza from Greenpeace and the Oceanic Viking, the Australian customs and fisheries vessel continue to shadow the Nisshin Maru and the whaling fleet.

"They know we are coming and they have two choices. They can keep running and not kill whales or they can stop to catch whales and we will catch up with them," said Captain Watson. "We prefer to engage them but we have the satisfaction of knowing that while they continue to run from us, whales will not be killed."

The Southern Ocean now has eleven ships heading eastwards near the coast of Antarctica playing a very serious game over whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. There are seven ships in the whaling fleet plus a mysterious spy ship. Added to this are the two whale defending ships from Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace, and the Australian Customs and Fisheries Patrol vessel Oceanic Viking on a mission to monitor the Japanese fleet. There are also surveillance flights by an Australian Government chartered