Ice, blizzards trap whaling foes

ADAM LAU

SLOW MOTION CHASE: Members of protest group Sea Shepherd prepare a boat to pursue Japanese whalers through icy Antartic waters.

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Whalers and conservationists are locked in a slow motion chase through icy Antarctic waters - a chase upon which the sun will not set.

Antarctica is currently experiencing 24 hours of sunlight each day, giving the foes ample time to watch for each other as they inch their way through heavy ice and blizzards.

Protest group the Sea Shepherd has found the Japanese whaling fleet in Australian waters, just off the Antarctic coast.

The Sea Shepherd's ship Steve Irwin is trying to catch up with the Japanese to lob "rotten butter bombs" onto their decks.

Sea Shepherd boss Paul Watson claims whales have been killed in Australia's whale sanctuary, and has called on the Australian government to order the fleet out.

"Absolutely they've been whaling in Australian waters in the last week," Watson said.

"They didn't come here to look at penguins."

Watson was not able to produce evidence the Japanese had taken whales in the sanctuary.

He criticised the Australian government's actions.

"They haven't done anything, this is all diplomacy, same old, same old."

Watson said both vessels were working their way out of heavy ice, as well as fighting blizzards, 50-knot winds and sub-zero temperatures.

He said the Sea Shepherd group found the Japanese whaling fleet from the air, in Australian waters, off the Wilkes Coast in western Antarctica.

The whalers have just crossed into French waters near Adelie Land, and will soon re-emerge into Australian waters, according to Capt Watson.

A spokeswoman for Environment Minister Peter Garrett said in the absence of evidence that the Japanese had been whaling in Australian waters, she would refer to previous statements by the minister.

Earlier this month Garrett called for calm in Antarctic waters. He said Australia opposed whaling and had conveyed this to the Japanese through "intense diplomatic engagement".