JAPANESE whalers face the threat of their worst Antarctic season as conservation activists tighten their hold on the whaling fleet.

A fuel resupply that may be vital to keeping the fleet in the Southern Ocean was being thwarted by the Sea Shepherd activists, who have preoccupied the fleet.  

More than a fortnight into a shortened season, few, if any, whales are believed to have been killed. For the activists, the tantalising prospect is rising that for the first time in decades of protest, whaling will be effectively shut down.  


''We're doing pretty good at it,'' Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson said yesterday, ''even though we're not being as proactive as in other seasons.'   '

Last summer the fleet killed 506 minkes and one fin whale, despite what the Institute of Cetacean Research said was 31 days of violent interruptions by Sea Shepherd.

This year the activists' attacks on whaling ships have been limited to skirmishes with flares, stink bombs and attempts to foul propellers with ropes, in contrast to the collisions that climaxed with last year's wreck of Sea Shepherd's fast boat, the Ady Gil.

Instead, the presence of Sea Shepherd's three-ship fleet and its beefed-up helicopter capacity is proving a match for a whaling fleet, which is reduced to four vessels - factory ship Nisshin Maru and three harpoon boats.

Since finding the fleet in pack ice south-east of New Zealand on New Year's Eve, perhaps hours after it arrived in the whaling grounds, Sea Shepherd's boats Steve Irwin and Bob Barker have been tagged by at least two of the three harpoon ships. The group's Australian-registered fast interceptor boat, Gojira, tried to reach a fleeing Nisshin Maru without success, but late on Wednesday found the Korean-owned tanker, Sun Laurel, inside Antarctic Treaty waters and close to the international dateline.

Captain Watson said the Sun Laurel's captain admitted being there to refuel the fleet, but said he had not been able to do so. Sea Shepherd was watching the Sun Laurel, and would block a refuelling attempt.

''I think they're desperate for fuel,'' Captain Watson said. ''As long as our ships can prevent any transfer, the fleet will not be able to extend their killing season beyond the first week in February.'' He believed the Nisshin Maru, informed by the harpoon ships, was staying out of helicopter range.

Sea Shepherd's larger ships, which chose not to engage in a fuel-burning pursuit of the Nisshin Maru, have enough in their tanks for the Steve Irwin to stay in the Antarctic into February, and Bob Barker into March.  

The Institute of Cetacean Research does not comment on the fleet's movements, and made no statement on the Sun Laurel. It has repeatedly called for Australia to stop condoning the group's actions.

seems that whaling is becoming more expensive for the japs. I wonder what the break even point is before they throw in the towel

How so?

Hey still seem to be well supported.

No they don't, but most currently against them won't change regardless of what they do.

Yes Green that is right.  What a good and very worthwhile cause it is.  Please send your donations in.   

Infarction wrote on Jan 16^th, 2011 at 7:07am:


The tactics they are using are dangerous and contravene a number of internationally agreed laws regarding safe navigation and avoidance of collision at sea. Should anyone die as result of these tactics, Sea Shepherd will be solely responsible.  They have already lost one vessel through unsafe navigation and were lucky no one was killed then. Even Greenpeace disowns them and their tactics and they are costing the anti whaling movement the moral high ground.

Say next year because of these tactics Japan decides to send a couple of warships to escort the whaling fleet. What then? Does Australia respond in kind? There is then the prospect of a Southern Ocean version of the Cod War erupting, the potential for serious loss of life and very damaged relations between Australia and Japan.

They are doing incredibly stupid and dangerous things in antarctic waters and telling everyone about it, thinking they have the moral high ground. There is no need to sensationalise that. It is only the good grace of the Japanese that is keeping this from turinging into a disaster.

They are putting up with a lot of crap and illegal activity from Sea Shepherd. If they wanted to be nasty about it they could kill the lot of them and get away with it. Instead they are hoping Australia will come to it's senses and reign them in before any lives are lost.