Sea Shepherd // Current

Japan's whaling fleet sets out for Antarctic

The main ship in Japan's whaling fleet set out for the Antarctic on Monday for its first hunt in the region since limping... more

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Japan will not hunt humpback whales this year

The whaling fleet is scheduled to put to sea in a matter of days and has set a target of 850 minke whales and 50 fin whales,... more

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Whaling target proves protests are working

Opponents of Japanese whaling are pointing to a reported cut in the coming Antarctic season's quota as evidence that the struggling industry is in retreat.

The Antarctic minke whale quota this summer will be reduced from 850 to 700, according to the respected Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

The federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, said that if the report was accurate, the change would be the first reduction in the target since 1987.

"But the Government's objective remains: bringing an end to all commercial whaling, including whaling in the name of science," he said yesterday.

The whales campaign co-ordinator for Greenpeace International, Sara Holden, said: "We are seeing the beginning of the end of whaling in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary."

The Asahi report cited opposition from Australia and other countries, protests in the Southern Ocean and a slump in domestic consumption of whale meat among reasons for the cut. Japan sets its own quota for "scientific research" under International Whaling Commission rules.

Last season Japan told the commission it had taken 551 whales, fewer than it expected, because of "relentless interference" from environmentalists and Australia's official surveillance of the fleet.

This year it apparently still plans to take 50 fin whales. Commission scientists heard that the whalers had trouble finding the fins last season. Processing the giant animals was also difficult.

The fleet is expected to depart for the Antarctic within days, but without the usual fanfare. A traditional public farewell is not expected, according to a Greenpeace whales campaigner, Reece Turner.

He said the industry was also troubled by the announcement that a high-profile whale meat shop in Tokyo would close in 2010 because of financial problems. And for the first time, the fleet would not be 100 per cent Japanese-crewed because of resignations of former crewman.

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So if opposition is starting to work, what else can be done to quickly bring an end to the whale hunts?Opponents of Japanese whaling are pointing to a reported cut in the coming Antarctic season's quota as evidence that the... more

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20 days ago

Sea Shepherd ready to clash with Japanese whalers

The Australian Government is calling for restraint as Japanese whalers and protesters prepare for a confrontation in the Southern... more

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22 days ago

Australia unlikely to monitor Japanese whaling

Australia's government is unlikely to send ships to monitor Japanese whaling in the Antarctic this season, lawmakers said Tuesday, after clashes with activists last year led to a diplomatic protest from Tokyo.

Canberra last year sent a customs and fisheries icebreaker to shadow anti-whaling activists and the Japanese fleet, gathering photo evidence of the yearly research hunt for a possible international legal case against Tokyo.

But after high-seas clashes between the whalers and activists in the frigid Southern Ocean, the brief detention of activists on a whale hunting ship and diplomatic protests from Japan, Environment Minister Peter Garrett would not promise a repeat.

"The Japanese whaling fleet is expected to launch within the next month, yet still the government refuses to take any active steps to prevent this annual slaughter," Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert told reporters.

Despite the moratorium on whaling, Japan is allowed an annual "scientific" hunt, arguing whaling is a cherished tradition and the hunt is necessary to study whales.

Japan's whaling fleet will leave for the Antarctic within weeks and intends to cull 850 minke and 50 fin whales in the Southern Ocean this season, Australian lawmakers said. Japan has yet to confirm the hunt target.

"I urge Minister Garrett to take action before we have to sit by and once again watch our endangered whale population slaughtered under the guise of Japanese "scientific research,"" Siewert said.

Seven out of the 13 great whale species are classed as endangered or vulnerable by environment group WWF, including fin whales. Japan last year retreated on a plan to hunt endangered humpback whales after international protests.

Garrett said this week Australia's center-left government had been clear about its opposition to Japanese scientific whaling and recently named an ambassador for whale conservation.

"Everything that we said that we would do in order to engage on this issue we have done and we'll continue strong diplomatic engagement in the mean time," Garrett said.

Environment watchdog Greenpeace has also decided not to send an anti-whaling ship south this year amid expectations Japan may send a coastguard ship with the fleet to ward off activists.

The hardline Sea Shepherd conservation group, which led last year's campaign, launching stinkbombs and boarding a Japanese ship, said it would again disrupt the hunt and hoped to double its protest fleet this year to two ships.

"I don't care if they send the whole Japanese navy down there. We're not going to be intimidated," Sea Shepherd founder Captain Paul Watson said. Watson, in claims rejected by the Japanese, last year claimed to have been shot at from a whaler.Australia's government is unlikely to send ships to monitor Japanese whaling in the Antarctic this season, lawmakers said... more