Battered whalers limp home
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Japanese whalers have returned to port after violent clashes with conservationists in the Antarctic Ocean damaged ships and left the catch well short of target.
Some ships had mangled guard rails and large scratches, which officials said was the result of heated run-ins with a boat operated by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a militant environmental group from the US.
The fleet killed 679 minke whales and one fin whale in its five-month hunt, the Japanese Fisheries Agency said. Its goal was up to 935 minke and 50 fin whales.
Three boats docked in Shimonoseki about 800 kilometres southwest of Tokyo yesterday, with the mother ship due today. Two ships returned to Japan last week.
Kazuo Yamamura, president of Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha, which operates the whaling fleet, said he was upset by the damage. "I'm enraged, and my blood is boiling with anger."
The company has blamed Sea Shepherd, saying protesters escalated the clashes, ramming two Japanese boats and pelting whalers with acid-filled glass bottles.
Japan's whale hunt is allowed under international rules as a scientific programme, despite a 1986 ban on commercial whaling. Whale meat not used for study is sold in Japan, which critics say is the real reason for the hunt.
Whale was widely eaten in Japan when other meats were scarce after World War II. It is no longer a common food although meat from the hunt is still sold.
Australia has said that the whales do not need to be killed to be studied, and has started a nonlethal research programme.
This year, the Sea Shepherd chased the whalers more than 3200km through the Antarctic Ocean. Captain Paul Watson said he broke off the chase in February because there was too great a risk of a serious injury at sea, with increasingly hostile exchanges between the two groups. He vowed to return to the Antarctic next whaling season.
- AP
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Sea Shepherd proves once again that action speaks louder than words. My only regret is the fact that I am 64 years old. If I were 25 again I would volunteer for the Sea Shepherd Wale campaign. Way to go guys!
Every time I donate to Sea Shepherd, I get such a rush of joy. I feel that my money is truly going to fight for the poor, innocent creatures of this world.
I want to congratulate you guys for that awesome job you being doing saving all those whales Im glad somebody actually care for those awesome animals that has being killed for those stupid japenese hunters, they dont think in the dark future we are going to have if they dont stop killing all those whales they do whatever for money not carring for future generations... thanks Sea Shepherd at least somebody care.
We can help end the whale slaughter if we all let them know and follow up--that we will boycott as many japanese products as possible.ESPECIALLY JAPANESE CARS.I for one will never buy a japanese car until they stop illegal or any other type of whaling....
Well done Sea Shepherd, lets hope your efforts encourage more donations, my money is well spent with you.
Well done Sea-Shepherd!
As the generation that ate whale meat slowly dies (people that ate it after world war II) the demand for this nostalgic flesh will also drop from the Japanese side.
Congrats to Seashepherd and her crew. Its great to see people with the balls to do what is rite. Greenpeace should take notes and grow some.
Good work Sea Shepherd.. if only we can get a decent representative at the IWC - but like the Australian government, New Zealand is too worried that going against the Japanese is going to effect their trade relations.
Animal suffering? Human rights? Lets be the first to make deals with China, but we can't have those conditions in our country.
This article should be front page.
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Hi all you supporters of Sea Shepherd,
We are holding a huge charity fundraising screening of THE COVE movie at the Paramount Theatre next Thursday night 27th August at 6.30pm. Please invite all your friends and family to come along. All proceeds are going directly to help Sea Shepherd in its campaigns to Antarctica and Taiji. Tickets can be purchased through Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Wellington. Contact Lisa on 027 286 8642 or email lisa@seashepherd.org.nz for tickets. Please get in early to book your seat. A great opportunity to help out a great cause. :)