Anti-whalers, Japanese fleet fire water cannons

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ADELAIDE, Australia – Activists vowing to stop the killing of whales exchanged water-cannon fire with a Japanese whaling fleet they are tailing in the Antarctic Ocean, as sea confrontations that have led to collisions and a sunken vessel continue.

The Sea Shepherd conservation group said its ships, the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker, confronted the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru early Monday.

"The factory ship turned on their water cannons and were surprised when the Steve Irwin responded with a more powerful water cannon that had a couple of the whalers diving for the bridge doors," said a Monday statement from the group.

On Saturday, the Bob Barker and a Japanese harpoon boat collided in icy Antarctic waters, causing minor damage to both vessels. A Japanese whaler struck Sea Shepherd's high-tech speed boat Ady Gil and sheared off its nose on Jan. 6. The Bob Barker then came to rescue the crew of the Ady Gil, which sank a day later.

Japanese Fisheries Agency official Shigeki Takaya condemned the use of water cannons after Monday's confrontation. "As we have always said, we condemn the act. It is totally unforgivable," he said.

A Japanese foreign ministry official said Japan lodged a protest with the Netherlands and Togo over the water cannon fire in the Antarctic Ocean — the countries where the Steve Irwin and Bob Barker are registered.

"We asked the respective governments to stop the ships from obstructing our whaling activities," the official said, speaking anonymously, citing departmental policy. He declined to elaborate further.

Sea Shepherd, a U.S.-based activist group, sends vessels to confront the Japanese fleet each year. Two major clashes have already occurred this year, one a collision that destroyed a Sea Shepherd vessel.

Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson said his activists have prevented the whalers from catching any whales since Saturday.

"We intend to turn these three whaling-free days into three whaling-free weeks," Watson said in the statement. "I am confident that once again we will severely cut their kill quotas and we will once again negate their profits."