Collision and confrontation with Japanese whaling fleet

Despite repeated assaults by frustrated and increasingly violent Japanese whalers, the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin continues to stand guard behind the Japanese floating abattoir called the Nisshin Maru. The three Japanese harpoon boats are not in the area but the Sea Shepherd crew is prepared to obstruct them should they return.
The Japanese have been accusing Sea Shepherd of trying to obstruct their props with ropes yet the whalers have been trying to do the same thing to the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin. They are accusing the Sea Shepherd crew of throwing rotten butter (which the Japanese refer to as "acid") at them yet the whalers are throwing golf balls and chunks of metal at the Steve Irwin crew. In addition, the Japanese are blasting the Sea Shepherd crew with water cannons and Long Range Acoustical weapons - a sonic gun that causes disorientation, nausea and deafness.

"I find it interesting that so called experts and politicians are quick to condemn Sea Shepherd's tactics for upholding conservation law yet say not a word about the escalating physical violence directed at us by the whalers who are breaking the law," said Captain Paul Watson. "Their position of siding with the poachers seems to be that if we did not put ourselves in this situation we would not be experiencing such violence. The same could be said for any policeman and Sea Shepherd is not down here to protest whaling, we are down here to obstruct illegal whaling as defined under international conservation law. We are down here to enforce the law, not to break it."

There is a legal precedent for Sea Shepherd's intervention and that is the United Nation World Charter for Nature that allows for non-governmental organizations to uphold international conservation law and in Section 21(e) specifically in areas beyond national jurisdictions.

The Japanese whale poachers have the advantage of superior ships, faster, more powerful ships, they have weapons and they have the support of their government that will defend whatever actions they take including the killing of our crew if that should occur.

On February 6th, two incidents occurred where the Steve Irwin collided with harpoon vessels as they forced their way past the Steve Irwin's blockade in their pursuit of their poaching activities. These collisions were not intentional on the part of Sea Shepherd.
"Earlier we filmed a whale being illegally killed and we watched as that whale endured an agonizing death, thrashing about in its own blood for twenty-five minutes," said Captain Watson. "We view the killing of that whale as cold blooded murder and we are committed to doing everything we can, short of inflicting injuries ourselves, to protect these defenceless, gentle, intelligent and socially complex sentient beings."

The harpoon boats have not returned to the Nisshin Maru since the last incident occurred at 1800 Hours on February 6th.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has made it clear to the government of Australia that our interventions which are becoming increasingly more dangerous because of Japanese aggression can be avoided by Peter Garrett and Kevin Rudd simply making good on their pre-election promise to take the Japanese whalers to court.

"Because Garrett and Rudd have reneged on their promises to us, the people of Australia, we have been forced to defend these whales as Australian citizens in these hostile and remote waters simply because someone has to," said Andrew Perry of Hobart, Tasmania.

http://worldagainstwhaling.webs.com/

http://www.seashepherd.org/

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• japan
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• whaling
• paul
• watson
• Confrontation
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• ramming
• collide
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• sea
• shepherd

[wedgetv31]

the last whales on earth ? GO GO home leave alone the whales

[jibety66]

u know how they say its research why r they killing so many whales then

[catguy43]

Kermitfrog101 , The harpoons are also grenade-tipped.

[guythatEATStheCHIP97]

you don't get it if we upset the balance in nature even if one little thing is messed up it affects every thing including us. So if you fuck you if you think animals are not important

[guythatEATStheCHIP97]

did you know its the law not to be whaling in those waters? and the Japanese say they are whaling for "RESEARCH" so your argument makes no sense.

[RyuChief]

why are animals less then humans? we kill eachother for fun, animals only for food, we destroy the entire planet with our gasses and such, animals dont do anything, we fuck up forrests, animals live in then with balance and harmony, we give out billions and billions on useless wars and researches, when on the other side humans are starving to death or dehydration, im not saying we dont do anything good, and animals dont do anyhting bad, but you tell me exactly why we are better then animals?

[RyuChief]

+ 3

[sexymalcom1970]

live and let live

[Kermitfrog101]

Violent? Those Japs are the violent ones!!! They deserve a little punishment! I think they deserve a life in federal prison considering the thousands of whales they have brutally slaughtered. Whale populations may have recovered in ancient times, because they used primitive methods of catching. But now, with huge harpoons that ELECTRICUTE their victims , the whaling must end! I agree with Richardcameron, mindless criminal!!!!!!

[Kermitfrog101]

You mean vice versa?! Those traditions include killing a thousand Minke and Fin whales. A THOUSAND!!!! Thats not tradition, thats just a bunch of criminals killing helpless and endangered whales for their own profit. That is what sea shepherd is trying to stop