Whale Slaughter Continues as Sea Shepherd Prepares to Return

As predicted by both Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd with their ships heading to port low on fuel, the whalers have returned to their bloody trade of slaughtering whales, killing at least 5 according to early reports from the Oceanic Viking passed on by Greenpeace. Sea Shepherd are vowing to refuel and return to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to stop whaling again this season.
The resumption of whaling was confirmed by a statement from the Institute of Cetecean Research in Tokyo “The ICR temporarily suspended the research while Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd were harassing our vessels,” the Director-General of the Institute of Cetacean Research in Tokyo, Mr Minoru Morimoto said. “We suspended the research to ensure the safety of our crew and scientists as well as those of the activists dangerously attempting to interrupt our program.”
There is a global moratorium on whale hunting in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Japan continues to hunt under a scientific research loophole of the International Whaling Commission, even though the hunt is a thinly disguised commercial operation. Endangered species such as the Fin whale continue to be slaughtered, despite their listing under CITES, which Japan is a signatory to. Japan continues to contravene the Antarctic treaty by the presense of armed officers, refuelling in the treaty zone, and failing to submit Environmental Management Plans in case of a maritime disaster in the Treaty zone.
Mr Morimoto then proceeded to attack selected media reports for "infactual reporting": “Unfortunately, too many journalists have thrown aside their responsibilities for factual reportage and instead get away with writing false assertions by these groups as if they were fact,” he said.
The Sea Shepherd to dock in Melbourne
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Ship Steve Irwin is heading for Melbourne to resupply, arriving on Saturday February 2. It is still being tailed by the Japanese registered Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68, which according to media reports carries a crew of armed Japanese coast guard officers onboard. Sea Shepherd have called for donations and volunteer replacement crew to continue the disruption of Japanese whaling this season.
Captain Paul Watson has stated he wants to head back out to confront and disrupt the whaling fleet for the rest of the whaling season.
“We continue to be pursued by the Japanese vessel Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68,” said Captain Paul Watson. “This vessel has maintained a distance of 7 miles and has tailed the Steve Irwin since January 15th.”
Japan Coast Guard spokesman Takashi Matsumori said on Tuesday, January 29th "Coast guards are there with a view to protect human lives and assets as they have suffered damage at the hands of activists," The Japanese Fisheries Agency officially requested the Coast Guard protection and the Japanese government approved the request. Matsumori declined to give details about the current Coast Guard operation, citing security reasons, but said officers had the right to carry guns or other weapons. The guards "could make arrests if activists enter a ship without permission of the captain," he said.

“We believe that the armed Japanese Coast Guard officers are on the Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 and that their task is to prevent us from interfering with Japanese whaling operations,” said Captain Watson. “They have been certainly relaying our positions to the whaling fleet.”

On January 15th two Sea Shepherd crewmembers, Giles Lane from Briton and Benjamin Potts from Australia, boarded a harpoon vessel, the Yushin Maru No. 2, which resulted in an international incident that was resolved only when Australia agreed to transfer the crewmembers from the Japanese vessel back to the Steve Irwin. Members of the Coast Guard were not able to take action as they were on a different ship which was not nearby. Shortly after the crewmembers rejoined the Steve Irwin the Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 arrived and has tailed the Steve Irwin ever since.

The Australian Customs and Fisheries vessel Oceanic Viking was required by the Australian Government to remove their guns prior to heading into the Southern Ocean to monitor the Japanese whaling fleet. Sea Shepherd has called sending armed Japanese military officers into the Antarctic Treaty Zone as a violation of the Antarctic Treaty.

Sea Shepherd calls for Donations to help Refuel

“I would like to turn the ship around within 10 days,” said Captain Paul Watson. “We have new crew flying in from around the world. We have ordered the spare parts we need and we are anxious to return to defend the whales. This is a retreat for supplies only, we have not surrendered the Sanctuary to the whale killers. We will be back as soon as possible.”

This is in stark contrast to Greenpeace which has abandoned its chase and disruption of whaling this season to focus on its campaign in Japan. Greenpeace were criticised by Sea Shepherd for not committing to return to harass the whaling Fleet this season.

“It’s been a long voyage for many of the crew and because we are volunteers, about half the crew have to leave to return to jobs and family,” said 2nd Officer Peter Hammarstedt. “The rest of us are a little tired but we remain enthusiastic about stopping the poaching of whales in the whale sanctuary. We have already hurt the Japanese fleet economically. They will not get their quota. We need to get back out to sea and stop the harpoons for another three weeks. Every whale saved is a victory.”

Sea Shepherd has put out a call for donations and sponsorship to refuel and resupply the ship. The Sea Shepherd needs to purchase 200 tons of fuel. Supporters can sponsor a ton for $800, a half ton for $400, a quarter ton for $200. The ship also needs 15 barrels of oil. Supporters can sponsor a barrel for $400. The crew is also soliciting donations for all the vegetarian food they can get - canned, dried, frozen.
“We can stop the whaling if we can continue to chase them and harass them,” said Captain Paul Watson. “We’re not deterred by the Japanese Coast Guard. Over the last 30 years I have battled the Navies of Norway, Denmark, Portugal and the Soviet Union and the Canadian Coast Guard. We were not deterred after being fired on by the Soviets and the Norwegians and we will not be deterred by the Japanese. They are the criminals illegally slaughtering whales and we are the defenders upholding international conservation law in accordance with the principles of the United Nations World Charter for Nature.”