Well, Japanese whalers not ninjas, but we really do seem to have some pirates here.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is a non-profit, registered tax-exempt organization in the United States, and a registered Stichting (foundation) in The Netherlands. It is a non-governmental, primarily maritime and self-proclaimed policing organization, and undertakes campaigns which it says are guided by the United Nations World Charter for Nature (1982) and other statutory laws protecting marine species and environments.
01/15/2008
Sea Shepherd is Engaging the Japanese Fleet
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Steve Irwin has intercepted the Japanese whaling fleet.
Sea Shepherd has five vessels in sight.
Four vessels plus the supply vessel Oriental Bluebird were located on the Sixty Degree South line at 2415 Hours GMT. The Factory ship Nisshin Maru is about 400 miles to the northwest of the position of the rest of the fleet.
When located, the Oriental Bluebird had the catcher ship Kyo Maru alongside transferring supplies. The Yushin Maru has also been visually identified by name.
Upon spotting Sea Shepherd, the crews of both ships began running along the decks releasing the lines to get underway. The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin is in full visual pursuit of the entire Japanese whaling fleet minus the Nisshin Maru.
Sea Shepherd has notified the Greenpeace ship Esperanza of the coordinates of the Japanese fleet as promised although Greenpeace refuses to reciprocate with the coordinates of the Nisshin Maru. Sea Shepherd is releasing the coordinates of the fleet to the public at 60 Degrees 02 Minutes South and 77 Degrees 38 Minutes East.
Weather conditions are perfect. Calm seas with excellent visibility.
"We have them on the run," said Captain Paul Watson. "We will hound these poachers for as long as we can and when we catch up with them we will disable their equipment and do everything physically possible short of inflicting injury on the crew in order to stop their illegal activities."
Japanese whaling spokesperson Greg Inwood confirmed with New Zealand radio that the fleet has been running for days in fear of Sea Shepherd catching them
The Steve Irwin has a helicopter in the air and a fast boat approaching the whalers with the main vessel only seven miles to the rear of the fleet and closing. The small boat has a crew of four including three Australian and one American.
01/15/2008
Japanese Whalers Kidnap Two Sea Shepherd Whale Defenders
Despite repeated demands by the captain of the Steve Irwin, the Japanese whaler Yushin Maru No. 2 has refused to release the two Sea Shepherd crewmembers he took hostage.
The much faster harpoon vessels have eluded pursuit from the Steve Irwin and have disappeared from the radar screens.
"Needless to say we are worried about our two crewmembers," said Captain Paul Watson. "The Japanese ship has not responded to a single message from Sea Shepherd and we have no way of knowing just how they are being treated. They have been kidnapped and they are being held against their will by outlaw whalers."
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has lodged a complaint with the Australian Federal Police, with the Australian government and with the British Embassy. The two missing crewmembers are Benjamin Potts 28 from Melbourne and Giles Lane 35 from Brighton, England.
The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin found the Japanese whaling fleet at 0015 GMT Hours on January 15th, 2008. It was the entire Japanese whaling fleet minus the factory ship Nisshin Maru. The ships scattered as the Steve Irwin approached going in different directions. The Steve Irwin decided on focusing pursuit on the Yushin Maru #2, a large hunter killer vessel.
Benjamin Potts and Giles Lane boarded the Yushin Maru No. 2 to deliver a letter informing the Japanese captain that Japan was in violation of international conservation law by targeting endangered whales in an established whale sanctuary in violation of a global moratorium on commercial whaling. Both men were assaulted, tied to the rails and then taken and tied to the radar mast of the ship. A few hours later they were taken inside the ship. The Japanese ship did not respond to a single radio call in English and Japanese from the time of interception onward. Their radios have been silent.
Last year the Japanese whalers vowed to bring any captured whale defenders back to Japan to place on trial under charges of "eco-terrorism."
The good news is that there has been no whaling in the Southern Ocean for the last five days and with the Nisshin Maru over 1,000 kilometres to the northwest heading towards South Africa, there will be no resumption of whaling for at least another week. There are no whaling ships in the whaling area south of the sixty degrees south line of latitude. The whaling area has been effectively cleared and the whaling ships are scattered.
The Steve Irwin will remain in the area to continue to pursue whaling ships with the objective of preventing the resumption of whaling activities. There are 32 crewmembers remaining on the Steve Irwin. The Sea Shepherd ship and the whaling vessels are in the area of 60 Degrees South and 78 Degrees East about 2500 miles southwest of Fremantle, Western Australia and 2800 miles southeast of Cape Town, South Africa.
01/18/2008
Japanese Poachers Release Sea Shepherd Hostages
Benjamin Potts and Giles Lane were transferred from the Yushin Maru No. 2 to the Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking early in the morning at 0200 Hours Melbourne time (1300 Hours GMT). The two men were transferred to the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin at 0930 Hours Melbourne time (2030 Hours GMT).
Both men were happy to be reunited with their shipmates and eager to return to chasing the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Oceans. Both men reported that although they were roughed up when they first boarded the whaling ship, that they were treated well during their time onboard. The only injury was a bruised wrist suffered by Giles Lane.
“It did not take long before the whalers realized that they made a huge public relations mistake in keeping us on their ship,” said Benjamin Potts. “We made it clear to them that Sea Shepherd was committed to stopping their illegal whaling activities.”
“Although we appreciate the concern that people have expressed for our welfare, it is important to remember that this is not about us.” said Giles Lane. “It’s about stopping this cruel and illegal whale hunt. The treatment that we received was trivial in comparison to the suffering that the whales experience at the hands of the Japanese whalers. They may have been rough with us but at least we were not harpooned, electrocuted and mutilated. This is not about us, it’s about the whales.”
The Steve Irwin is continuing its pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet. “This is the 8th day that whales have not been killed,” said Captain Paul Watson. “Every day that we stop the whalers is a victory. We will continue to intervene, harass, block, and obstruct the whalers at every opportunity.”
The Steve Irwin is presently at 59 Degrees 46 Minutes South and 85 Degrees 59 Minutes East and on the tail of the Japanese whaling fleet.
The Australian court has ruled that the Japanese whaling fleet cannot kill whales in Australian Antarctic Territorial waters. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is prepared to work with the Australian government to uphold the court’s ruling to ban the Japanese fleet from Australian waters.
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Friday, January 18, 2008
1100 hours (Melbourne time)
Statement of Giles Lane
“After our 48 hours of captivity, I’m pleased to have rejoined the captain and crew of the Steve Irwin. I am unharmed and ready to continue disrupting the whaling of the Japanese fleet in the Southern Ocean. It was worth the risk and time in order to inform them of their illegal activities and stop them killing whales whilst we were aboard.”
Statement of Benjamin Potts
“I’m happy to be back aboard the Steve Irwin with my crew. I’m pleased that everything worked out and that no-one was hurt, and also that we were successful in placing the world’s attention on the illegal slaughter of whales in a whale sanctuary in the Australian Antarctic Territory. To the Japanese people, we have nothing against you as a people. I enjoy Japanese culture, but your barbaric slaughter of intelligent and endangered marine mammals must stop before you drive them to extinction.”
Man, whether you agree with what they're doing or not, it sounds like a lot of fun.
