Sea Shepherd Attacked By Japanese Whalers In Antarctic

SYDNEY — Japanese whalers blasted water from a cannon at conservationists who hurled bottles of rancid butter and paint during a clash Monday in frigid Antarctic waters, officials said.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society also accused the whalers of throwing hunks of metal and golf balls at its members, lightly injuring two activists in the fracas. Japanese officials said only a water cannon was used.

The group _ which routinely harasses the Japanese whaling fleet during its annual hunt in the Antarctic Ocean _ sent a helicopter and two inflatable boats toward a Japanese harpoon ship early Monday in heavy seas about 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) southeast of the Australian state of Tasmania, said Paul Watson, the group's leader.

Japan, which has described the Sea Shepherd protesters as terrorists, plans to harvest up to 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales this season. Under International Whaling Commission rules, the mammals may be killed for research but not for commercial purposes. Opponents say the Japanese research expeditions are simply a cover for commercial whaling, which was banned in 1986.

The whalers opened up on conservationists on one raft with a water cannon, knocking one man off his feet and leaving him with cuts and bruises, Watson told The Associated Press by satellite phone.

Another protester was hit in the face with a large chunk of metal lobbed from a harpoon boat. He was wearing a shield on his helmet, but still suffered bruises, Watson said.

The Japanese also aimed a "military grade" noise weapon that can cause deafness and vomiting at the Sea Shepherd crew, Watson said. Some felt its vibrations but were too far away to be otherwise affected, he said.

Toshinori Uoya, a Fisheries Agency official in charge of whaling, said Sea Shepherd members initiated attacks on the whalers and the Japanese used water cannon in self defense.

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"It's so aggravating to hear them making groundless accusations," he said. "We acted only in self defense, to chase them away."

Uoya said activists on two rubber boats hurled bottles containing rancid butter and paint onto the main harpoon vessel, Nisshin Maru, and its two accompanying boats, Yushin Maru and No. 3 Yushin Maru. They also threw ropes in front of the fleet, trying to block their way.

He said the Japanese government lodged a protest with the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands _ where the Sea Shepherd's vessel, Steve Irwin, is registered _ and requested their cooperation to prevent violent protests.

Protesters aboard the ship, named after the late Australian conservationist and TV personality Steve Irwin, set off from Australia in early December for the remote and icy Antarctic Ocean, chasing the whaling fleet for about 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) before stopping two weeks ago in Tasmania to refuel. The group found the whalers again on Sunday and resumed their pursuit.

"I will not allow them to kill a whale while we're here, and they know that," Watson said on Monday. "I'll literally rip their harpoon off their deck if I have to."

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Associated Press Writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

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On the Net:

Sea Shepherd: http://www.seashepherd.org/

Comments

[NihilisticDissent]

935 minke whales and 50 fin whales is not researching, that is harvesting.

[KPinSEA]

Terribly biased headline HuffPo ... who attacked who?

Watson just won't be happy until his reckless seamanship and poor preparation gets a member of his crew killed.

[story1]

In the news: "Japan has rejected the ridiculously generous compromise offered by the United States that would have legalized North Pacific whaling by Japan in return for a gradual 20% per year decrease in the whales killed in the Southern Ocean"
Japanese whalers are ignoring international laws and treaties. Whaling is big business with lots of profit.
By ignoring warnings and fishing in the Southern Seas Sanctuary, whalers are speeding up the destruction of the ecosystem.
We need to think of the future of our children, not only in their lifetimes, but in ours. If all wildlife disappears, man won't have long to live.

[story1]

Whalers are breaking international laws and treaties and hunting and killing whales in a sanctuary where they are prohibited to do so. Although the practice is illegal, there is not a single country enforcing the law. Whaling is big business with high profit.
Anyone closing their eyes on this crime probably does not want to be reminded of the precarious balance of the ecosystem and the imperious need to protect wildlife. Why root for criminals if they are breaking laws to further endanger the world we will be handing to our children?
If you don't agree with what Watson is doing, then start your own campaign to help enforce codes established by many courts and the UN (by the Oceans and Law of the Sea)
When all animals will become extinct, man will follow. Is this the future we want to hand out to the next generations? Or even face in our generation's time?
No amount of money will save man from extinction.

[Suzique]

Considering what these jerks have done and continue to try to do to my home province - Go Whalers. If these idiots insist on polluting the waters, charge them. Watson is an eco-terrorist and he needs to be shut down.

[story1]

so the whaling vessels break international laws and treaties, all the while ignoring the fragile balance of the ecosystem, and go on a killing rampage forbidden in a sanctuary for mammals.
Who should be called a terrorist in this case?

[rocketman69]

read the STORY. Research is legal and the terrorists are the ones holding the biological weapons (rancid butter) and preventing the Japenese from the important research (maybe they're doing cancer research on whale embryonic stem cells).

[KPinSEA]

The one initiating a confrontation while employing violence.

I feel terrible for the well-intentioned youths that end up on Watson's Ship of Fools, he's an object lesson in ideology overcoming common sense and basic seamanship ... numerous injuries to his own crew, all brought about by lack of training and preparation as they engage in highly dangerous activities.

He won't be happy until he gets one of them killed and can talk about how the Japanese martyred them.

[RightWingMarine]

so this group uses biological weapons, pollutants, and attempts to strand another's ship in the antartic because they have a political disagreement. Why are these people called anything other than terrorists and pirates. Why shouldn't the whaling vessel act to defend itself?

[joetherealist]

These pirates are pretty cool, huh? Why shouldn't we sink the whalers?

[rocketman69]

I'd like to see the pirates walk the plank into the icy waters with nothing but rancid butter to wear.

[petzl]

Since all the incidents off Somalia's coast have proven piracy is a viable
business model, why is the Sea Shepherd even bothering with butyric acid attacks?
Just board and commandeer all offending whale ships, keep them until their Japanese,
Chinese, and Russian owners pay the ransom. That puts out of commission for a while,
and pays for Sea Shepherd's expenses. The worst that can happen is a warship appears
to guard its own nationality's vessel; but that warship will only guard and never arrest.
So, consider piracy: it could be the answer for saving the Earth's dwindling whale populations.

[Helzapoppin]

what is with the freaking Japanese and whaling?

[rocketman69]

You don't respect their culture.

[norsegirl]

If you have ever seen “Whale Wars on Animal Planet there is no way that you could not have the upmost respect for the team of the Sea Shepherd. These impassioned environmentalist are an inspiration to all those who do their part each day for the environment. One of the crew members once made a selfless off-hand comment that I think about nearly every day, she said, (paraphrase) “whales are more important to the environment than people.” This is why they put their lives at risk every day.

The Japanese are wrong plain and simple. They live in a take all society with little regard for the long term effect of their actions. I praise the efforts of the crew of the Sea Shepherd for their selfless actions. Keep up the good work!

[gypsymanme]

I think given Paul Watson's past disregard for truth, and even human life, I am more inclined to believe the story told by the crew of the whaling vessel. I oppose whaling but I also oppose the Sea Sheppard Society and their self aggrandizing leader Watson. He seems to care a great deal about those causes that can bring him the most fame.

[story1]

Please check your fact and the laws already in effect.
WHALING IS PRACTICED ILLEGALLY iN THE WATERS OF THE SOUTHERN OCEAN WHALE SANCTUARY

[gypsymanme]

Which 'fact' is that? The supposed incident in which a whaler threw metal at a protester? I can see why you would think it was a fact because Paul Watson said it. Watson seems to be a firm believer in the ends justify the means philosophy. Of course many think this is fair ball until the time that they become the 'end' that the 'means' is used against.
I happen to think that whaling is atrocious and should be banned. This said, I still must disagree strongly with the tactics used by Watson and his disciples over the years. The same people that often champion a man like Paul Watson chaff at the idea of a Jerry Falwell. In reality they are the same type of zealot. I have no doubt there are many wonderful people in the environmental movement as I am sure there are Christians but when their leaders come to believe they are society's conscience they have crossed a dangerous line.

[rocketman69]

Doesn't his boat have a propeller that can cause horrible injuries to whales and other smelly sea creatures? Maybe the Whalers were protesting his hypocracy.

[story1]

Listen to Captain Watson's interviews:
http://audio.webmasterradio.fm/NonMembers/12-18-08-Captain-Paul-Watson-Whale-Wars.mp3

[TekBoss]

The Captain of the Sea Shepard is a total whacko, and the Japanse are lying and are clearly doing commercial whaling.

If the international community does not step in and stop this whaling, someone is going to get seriously hurt, or worse.

[story1]

It is a shame as well a a threat for the ecosystem and the future of this planet that
WHALING IS PRACTICED IN THE WATERS OF THE SOUTHERN OCEAN WHALE SANCTUARY.

Please support the efforts of Captain Watson and his crew. They are our only hope for enforcing the international laws to save the whales in what is supposed to be protected waters.

[story1]

Keep in mind the whale hunting vessels are operating in illegal territories.
http://www.seashepherd.org/who-we-are/mandate.html