Operation Musashi - Chasing the Japanese Whaling Fleet

Friday, December 19, 2008
Japanese Whaling Fleet Is On the Run
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Steve Irwin now has the entire Japanese whaling fleet on the run.

At 2345 G.M.T. the Steve Irwin intercepted the Japanese harpoon vessel Yushin Maru #2 inside the Australian Antarctic Economic Exclusion Zone at 64°26 South and 132° 40' East.

The encounter took place in dense fog and in dangerous ice conditions. The Steve Irwin launched a Delta boat with a crew to attack the Yushin Maru #2 with rotten butter bombs. Unfortunately the wind increased to fifty knots with blizzard conditions. Captain Paul Watson called the small boat crew back for safety reasons when they were halfway to their target some three miles away.

The Yushin Maru #2 then headed due North to lead the Steve Irwin away from the whaling fleet. The decoy did not work. The Steve Irwin is now in pursuit of the whaling fleet.

They have ceased whaling operations and they are now running from the Sea Shepherd crew.

The Yushin Maru #2 was the same vessel that the Steve Irwin crew boarded in January 2007. This year the crew observed that the Yushin Maru #2 has set up large netting to be run along the side of the ship to prevent boarding parties from going over the side. When the whalers realized that the Steve Irwin was onto them, they immediately ran on deck to deploy the netting.

"It looks like Whale Wars, season #2 is officially underway," said Captain Paul Watson. "We've got them on the run. They are not in the Ross Sea where they said they would be. They are in Australian waters. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is officially calling on Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett and Foreign Minister Stephen Smith to order the Japanese fleet to comply with the orders of the Australian Federal Court and to cease and desist from killing to whales in Australian waters."


http://www.seashepherd.org/

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[Remy R-emy Remy]

Hopefully not. We don't really need any more action, we need peace. Good job Paul, keep 'em running my friend.

[vampirella30]

while we sit in the warm and say we hate whale hunting, Paul and the Sea Shepherd are out in the cold doing what we dream we could. Thank you so much for helping to save the whales.

[animalpolice]

They're no Terrorists, they're no Pirates...they're Heroes. What I talking about? SEA SHEPHERD!

[bobilator1]

The problem is not the huntings whale is the abuse they do in it. They already hunt sea animal to extinction in there water.

[33stink]

that would be so kickass ! let them destroy whaling ships ! and especially all the Yushin maru's that are to come !

[elsamuraiguapo]

I love Japan and Japanese culture, but personally I would love to see the Sea Shepherds MD-500 replaced with an Apache to destroy whaling ships on sight.

It's a small minority of the Japanese that actually consume whale meat and support this inhumane activity.

[Chloe Buckingham]

lt takes 2,000 gallons of water to make one pound of beef. (Zaproot, March 11, 2008, 1:30, watch?v=AqinaneamsU)

[amiebuffalo]

I don't like the idea of war or violent, but humans are taking things for granted and becoming too selfish. In china, the river dolphins are left by a 100 & what did 1.3 billion chinese did to help? nothing !

I dont want to see the same fate for the whales. I'm giving full support to SSCS, Go get them !!

[lymonguy2441]

this year the murderous whalers were shut down for a month, a month nice work sea shepherd and good luck next year with your faster ship, go get 'em sea shepherd

[tycondoe]

you guys are fucking legends sink thier ships

[SlickHolden]

Comeone paul don't let them win. We can keep the bastards honest !.

Watch out for the 1 month old rotten butter lol. Butter the most dangerous thing to the Japanese fake whalers lol.

[LibertyBelle69]

YEAAAAH!

One smart crew!