Japan Whale Return Doubt

THE captain at the helm of the annual anti-whaling campaign is 75 per cent certain Japan will give up on its controversial annual whale hunt.

Steve Irwin captain Paul Watson made the predicition as Sea Shepherd returned to a heroes' welcome in Hobart declaring victory in the Southern Ocean.

Captain Watson said whalers faced substantial debt and the fleet abandoned its annual hunt a month early.

"They're US$200 million in debt in subsidy loans to the Japanese government. I think the Japanese government is trying to find a way out of this, because there's no demand for whale meat any more," he said.

Official numbers show 170 minkie whales and two fin whales were killed this season, well under the quota of 985.

"Eight-hundred plus whales are swimming free, thanks to these guys and were getting towards the end of this sorry episode in human history of the slaughter of the great whales," said Greens leader Bob Brown.

Senator Brown joked to Captain Watson that an end to whaling would be the ultimate victory.

"We'd like nothing more than to see you unemployed."

Activists from the Steve Irwin and Bob Barker were greeted by a cheering crowd as the vessels were searched by the Australian Federal Police after they docked.

"This is the third year that the AFP have boarded and searched us," Captain Watson said.

"They're always looking for the same thing - photographs, film, they want to look at our computers, GPS, looking for weapons like stink bombs, sling shots, things like this.

"They just have to go through it because of the treaty obligation with Japan.

"I notice it doesn't go the other way though; the Japanese never co-operate with any Australian requests for searches.

"All I can say to the Japanese who every year say 'you guys are eco-terrorists, you're criminals' is 'look, arrest me or shut up'.

"Sea Shepherd operate within the boundaries of the law and we don't injure anybody.

"AFP haven't seized anything, they've been very friendly."

Senator Brown said the AFP action was disappointing.

"Enough is enough. The Australian government should lodge an official complaint with Japan for wasting the time of our diplomats and police and I have written to the Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, urging him to do so."

Captain Watson said that while they were celebrating a victory for whales, Sea Shepherd's job was far from finished.

"Now we have to go to the coast of Libya to protect the blue fin tuna."

Paul Watson rejects eco-terrorism label

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Sea
• Shepherd
• conservation
• society
• whale
• wars
• japanese
• whaling
• success
• southern
• ocean
• ICR
• cowards
• retreat
• meat

[Zeruju]

"THE captain at the helm of the annual anti-whaling campaign is 75 per cent certain Japan will give up on its controversial annual whale hunt. Steve Irwin captain Paul Watson made the predicition..."

-> Japan's whaling budget has been quadrupled for the 2011/2012 season. In addition armed extra ships will escort the whaling fleet. So Paul Fatson was wrong as always.

[sorryimsogreat2]

@Zeruju

Not quadrupled. But yes, funds that were meant for tsunami relief efforts have basically been stolen from the people by the government. 

[poleWatson]

sea shepherd ship..

Brigitte Bardot　racist

[sorryimsogreat2]

@poleWatson

Yup, anyone against the slitting of the throats of live animals is a racist.

[jukio02]

racist whites. 

[sorryimsogreat2]

@jukio02

lol

you keep thinking that

[Ameer18]

@jukio02 Wow hear is the pot callin the kettle black. That entire sentence sounds racist and unlike you i actually have been discriminated agains't by people of all races. So according to you a white person has more of a say in these matters then a black or brown person eh? I gotta question for ya..............SENSE WHEN ASSHOLE!!!

[jukio02]

@Ameer18 only whites matter in issues like these

[Ameer18]

@jukio02 are you color blind or just stupid? Ive seen shitloads o people who are not white (myself included) that support ocean preservation and what SS is doing to help. have you even seen their videos. There are asian, latin, black, and white people who have assisted in watsons campaign to end whaling.

[Ameer18]

@createsignaccountin unless you african then shut yer mouth. U don't speak for us!

[Ameer18]

@poleWatson well as someone who is black and has endured racism i fail to see how supporting SS or paul watson to be in anyway racist. But of course japanese nationalists and their western japanophile supporters probably know that already which is why you sir are full o shit!

[sorryimsogreat2]

@createsignaccountin

Shows you're flawed thinking. You think this is a race issue. That is obviously not the case.