Operation Musashi - Japanese Whalers Playing Dangerous Games

At 0500 Hours Sydney, Australia time on February 4th, the three harpoon vessels of the Japanese whaling fleet literally attacked the Steve Irwin.

The Yushin Maru #2 has rejoined the fleet after leaving the area on December 20th with propeller damage. All three harpoon ships moved in to flank the Steve Irwin as the Sea Shepherd ship continued to chase the factory ship Nisshin Maru.

The Yushin Maru #2 initiated the attack by cutting dangerously close across the bow of the Steve Irwin from port to starboard in seas that were far from calm. The other two harpoon vessels Yushin Maru #1 and Yushin Maru #3 made the same dangerous maneuvers

The movements of the Japanese vessels are especially dangerous in the choppy seas and dense fog conditions.

"It has given us some very dramatic footage for the next season of Whale Wars," said Captain Paul Watson. "But if their intention was to intimidate us, it did not work. When it comes to playing chicken on the high seas, we have much more experience than the whalers."

Today is day four of the Steve Irwin's pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet and four days in which not a single whale has been killed.

"The crew is feeling very good, very happy and we are all enthusiastic about keeping the whales safe for as long as we can," said Amber Paarman of South Africa.

The whaling fleet is crisscrossing the Ross Sea erratically. The whalers appear to becoming increasingly frustrated and angry that Sea Shepherd has shut down their whaling operations.

日本捕鯨船団　ロス海で危険行為

４日シドニー時間午前５時頃、日本捕鯨船団の三隻のハプーン船がスティーブ・アーウィン号を襲撃した。

第二勇新丸は昨年１２月２０日にスクリュー故障を起こし一時的に南極海を離れていたが、再び捕鯨船団に加わった。

ハプーン船は工船日新丸を追跡し続けるスティーブ・アーウィン号の両側から攻撃をするため、所定位置に移動した。攻撃を開始したのは第二勇新丸であった。スティーブ・アー­ウィン号の船首に異常接近し、左舷から右舷にもの凄い勢いで横切ったのだ。また勇新丸と第三勇新丸も同様にスティーブ・アーウィン号に異常接近した。

日本捕鯨船団のこういった行為は荒波が続き視界が濃霧で遮られた大海では非常に危険である。

「捕鯨船団の危険極まりない行為は次回のWhale Warに劇的なシーンを加えた」とキャプテンポール・ワトソンは述べた。「しかし、彼らが我々を脅かすためにこういった行動をおこしているとしたらそれは全く無意味である­。我々の方が捕鯨船団よりも臆病者を脅かすという点では経験があるからだ。」

スティーブ・アーウィン号が捕鯨船団を追跡し始めたから四日が経った。その間クジラは一頭も殺されていない。

「スティーブ・アーウィン号の乗組員はみな幸せであり、クジラを出来る限り捕鯨船団から守れるということに興奮しています」と南アフリカ出身のアンバー・パーマンは答えた­。

捕鯨船団はロス海をジグザグに交差しながら航海している。捕鯨船団はシーシェパードが捕鯨活動を停止させたことに大変苛立っているようだ。

http://www.seashepherd.org/

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Operation
• Musashi
• Japanese
• Whalers
• Playing
• Dangerous
• Games
• ross
• sea
• 2009
• shepherd
• paul
• watson
• yushin
• maru
• whaling
• antarctica

[Airoceisis9]

yes. it's prohibited to bring military class weapon into that area as well as refueling in that area.

[rcc1111]

I know right i joined my schools Journalist class just so i can right about them in the School News Paper

[condorlegion89]

Why doesn't Argentina have a sea shepherd as well? we are so close to antartica its not even funny lol. We should definetly have one. How do they get the boats? I would be glad to be part of it.

[lymonguy2441]

in this video we see the whalers using L.R.A.D. long range acoustic weapons, military grade weapons being used in the Australian EEZ which is in violation of international law along with all of their other practices

[Sharky2055]

Keep up the good work! I wish the American media would report this as it happens!

I know you people take extrodinary risks. Please, just do it smartly. You're great people for it doing it.

[novolo]

this is great work you're doing and you must keep at it...

cant wait for the new seasn to come out and see that boarding party try to get all the tapes from the steve irwin!

that is too funny, i am dying to know what was the coast guard's excuse was to board a ship and take private property tapes...  WTF??? lol

in their faces

keep up the good work!

[langcory69]

I love sea shepherd

[kingkribe]

Yes This year!

[c0linaf]

was this this year? or was it the year animal planet showed it on tv?