Sea Shepherd Launches Operation Waltzing Matilda

[Van Housing]

he Federal Opposition is calling on the Government to support new legislation which would ban Japanese whalers from using Australian planes to spy on protesters.

It has been revealed Japanese whalers have been chartering Australian planes to track the activity of anti-whaling ships in the Southern Ocean.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt says legislation to ban Japanese whalers using Australian services will be introduced by the Greens into Parliament today.

He says the Government should join the Coalition in supporting the bill.

"Planes are taking off from Australian airports to support Japanese whaling, to capture information, to spy on protesters," he said.

"It's time to end the practice of spy flights in support of Japanese whaling in Australian waters.

"It is time to make it absolutely clear that Australia should not be a platform for spy flights in support of Japanese whaling. The challenge for the Prime Minister is to live up to his word and support this legislation as well."

Greens Senator Rachel Siewert says it is unacceptable that whalers are able to use Australian resources to monitor anti-whaling ships.

"We need to make sure the law is absolutely clear, that Australian resources cannot be used for that [and that] boats involved in whaling operations are banned from our ports," she said.

"The Australian Government says it is acting to try and stop whaling, but one of the activities they can do to help stop whaling is to ensure that no Australian resources are used to aid whaling."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...tion=australia


Aiding whaling could soon be a crime

The federal government isn't ruling out support for an Australian Greens bill which would see anyone convicted of helping a whaling operation go to jail.

The legislation would make it illegal to assist a whaling venture, including providing surveillance information and financial and material support.

Anyone convicted of the offence would face two years behind bars or a maximum fine of $110,000.

Greens senator Rachel Siewert, who introduced the draft laws to the Senate on Thursday, said they were a response to revelations last month that a company associated with a Japanese whaling fleet had hired Australian planes to track an anti-whaling protest ship's movements.
continues:
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news...0204-nes0.html

[SwagmanShurms]

Originally Posted by Van Housing

The federal government isn't ruling out support for an Australian Greens bill which would see anyone convicted of helping a whaling operation go to jail.

The legislation would make it illegal to assist a whaling venture, including providing surveillance information and financial and material support.

Anyone convicted of the offence would face two years behind bars or a maximum fine of $110,000.
continues:

Thanks for the update Woz. Call me cynical or disillusioned but I think it's probably more apt to change the word 'would' to 'could' in all of the above. As far as I can tell, political noise is often high on the subject from both the Federal Govt and the opposition but to coin a well known phrase from my old part of the world, they are all pants and no trousers.
I will stand corrected if wrong but cannot see any change on action or pursual of the culprits of these crimes when it comes to enforcing these laws

[ozchile]

Well done Woz.
There's an obvious support for them in Torquay, many many cars brand a sticker on their window. And the odd local wearing a tee, hoodie or cap.
I've chatted to some at the stall they have at the market held on the foreshore once a month. It would definitiely take committment for anyone wanting to partake in volunteering, it wouldn't be a picnic.

[Van Housing]

No, it would definitely not be an easy task taking on the whalers - the risks are great and the conditions not ideal .... however the crew are passionate and willing to suffer serious injury or even die defending the whales, and as long as they are out there making life difficult (and expensive) for the whalers then there is reason to hope that the Japanese govt will close the "industry" down.

However, as you pointed out there are other ways to support Sea Shepherd, from donations of supplies or money, to buying t-shirts or other merchandise, or volunteering to assist on stalls etc promoting marine conservation.
http://www.seashepherd.org/matilda/support.html
http://www.seashepherd.org/get-involved/

I know that there are many members on here that are disgusted by whaling and consequently support Sea Shepherd's campaign to end the whaling industry - your support is much appreciated.

[Van Housing]

On February 6, 2010 at approximately 0430 hours (Melbourne time), the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker reengaged the illegal Japanese whaling fleet at 67 degrees 10 minutes South and 67 Degrees 07 Minutes East. Sea Shepherd’s other vessel, the Steve Irwin, is en route to join the action.

The Bob Barker is currently on the tail of the Nisshin Maru and two harpoon ships, where it will attempt to block the slipway of the factory ship until the Steve Irwin arrives.

Stay tuned for campaign updates!

from:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100205-1.html

[Two Yanks]

Graet job in keeping us informed. It is such a tradgedy that they continue to thumb their noses at everybody. We should all protest by not buying anything from japan! I drive German!

[Van Housing]

The Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker has shut down illegal whaling operations in Antarctica. The ship with its volunteer crew has caught up with the Nisshin Maru factory ship and is actively blocking its slipway. The Nisshin Maru will be unable to process whales as a result of Sea Shepherd’s efforts.

The Bob Barker intends to stay in this position off the stern of the Nisshin Maru until the whalers return home or until they run out of fuel. Sea Shepherd’s other ship, the Steve Irwin, is racing to the area to join the action.

Four other whaling vessels are in the area surrounding the Nisshin Maru and Bob Barker. They include: the Yushin Maru 1, 2, and 3 as well as the notorious Shonan Maru 2, which one month ago today sank the Sea Shepherd Ady Gil in an act of blatant aggression.

Says Captain Chuck Swift, “As we sit in the shadow of this cetacean death machine, I’m proud to captain this ship and fine crew on such a noble mission. We will end these illegal operations once and for all, thanks to support from our staff and supporters the world over.”

[Van Housing]

At 1209 PM Fremantle, Australia time, the Yushin Maru 3 intentionally rammed the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker, penetrating it's hull and endangering the lives of it¹s crew. The collision occurred at 65 degrees 21 South, 67 degrees 58 East, about 180 miles off Cape Darnley in the Australian Antarctic Territory.

The Bob Barker had been actively blocking the slipway of the Nisshin Maru, the Japanese whaling fleet’s factory ship when the collision occurred. Four harpoon ships, the Yushin Maru 1, 2, and 3 and Shonan Maru 2, were circling and making near passes to the stern and bow of the Sea Shepherd vessel. The Bob Barker did not move from its position. At which point, the Yushin Maru 3 intentionally rammed the Bob Barker, creating a 3-foot long 4-inch deep gash in the mid starboard side of the Sea Shepherd vessel above the waterline.

No crew was injured during the collision. The Bob Barker continues to block the slipway of the Nisshin Maru, preventing the transfer of slaughtered whales and effectively shutting down illegal whaling operations.

The incident demonstrates a continued escalation of violence by the illegal whalers in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

Said Captain Paul Watson from the bridge of the Steve Irwin, currently en route to join the action, “Because the whalers got away basically scot-free with the outrageous sinking of the Ady Gil, they now apparently think they can do whatever they want and they appear to have no qualms about endangering Sea Shepherd crew. What we really need is for the governments of Australia and New Zealand to step up and start enforcing maritime laws in these waters, or who know what the whalers will do next. Australian and New Zealand lives are at risk every day in these waters."

The crew of the Bob Barker noticed that the Yushin Maru 3 stopped moving in the water shortly after the impact, and appeared to be falling behind as the Bob Barker maintained its position on the stern of the Nisshin Maru. It’s possible the Yushin Maru 3 damaged itself in the collision.

The Japanese whalers are far more aggressive this year than in past campaigns.



from:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100206-1.html

A video of the collision is here :

(note that the Yushin Maru 3 sounds no warning, and turns just before collision in an unsuccessful attempt to make it appear that the Bob Barker initiated the collision - the ICR has not released it's own footage of the collision, presumably because it is self-incriminatory)

[Van Housing]

The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin joined the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker this morning at 0700 Hours (Sydney time). Both Sea Shepherd ships are now on the tail of the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru.

The Japanese fleet was running fast to the Northeast not knowing that the Steve Irwin was on a course of Southwest coming directly for them. With the fleet doing 15 knots, and the Steve Irwin doing 15 knots, the Steve Irwin and the whaling fleet closed the gap at 30 knots cutting the rendezvous time in half.

The Steve Irwin sat motionless by an iceberg for two hours at a distance of thirty miles to allow the Nisshin Maru to continue towards it. At a distance of only three miles, the Steve Irwin got underway and intercepted the Nisshin Maru.

As the Steve Irwin passed by the Nisshin Maru, 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 as the frigid water struck their bridge wing deck.

The Steve Irwin is presently tailing the Nisshin Maru a few cable lengths and slightly to the port side of the factory ship. Across from the Steve Irwin, the Bob Barker is tailing the Nisshin Maru slightly to the starboard side.

Following in the wake of the Nisshin Maru are the Japanese vessels Shonan Maru 2, Yushin Maru 1 and Yushin Maru 2. There is no sign of the Yushin Maru 3.

Six ships, two from Sea Shepherd and four vessels from the Japanese fleet, are heading at full speed northeastwardly.

"Not a single whale has died since the Bob Barker intercepted the fleet at 0100 Hours on February 6th. It is now the third day that the whaling fleet has been unable to kill a whale. We intend to turn these three whaling free days into three whaling free weeks," said Captain Paul Watson. "I am confident that once again we will severely cut their kill quotas and we will once again negate their profits."

The Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker have enough fuel to pursue the whaling fleet for another month.

"It does not matter where they go, east or west along the Antarctic Coast," said Steve Irwin 1st Officer Locky MacLean. "We intend to stick to their rear like glue and we will not allow a single whale to be loaded onto the decks of that foul floating abattoir."

There are 41 crew (29 men and 12 women) on board the Steve Irwin from Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Estonia, France, Japan, Hungary, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States (15 nationalities).

There are 30 (6 women and 24 men) crew on board the Bob Barker from Australia, New Zealand, United States, Sweden, United Kingdom, and South Africa (6 nationalities).







from:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100208-1.html


Two Sea Shepherd activist ships are in pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean, exchanging water cannon fire with the whalers.

from:
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-n...0209-nnzu.html

[Scrap]

take that you scum sucking pigs...consider your asses karate chopped!!!

[Van Housing]

"Japanese media is reporting that the country's fisheries minister is considering scaling back its so-called research whaling in the Antarctic.

In exchange the Japanese want a resumption of commercial whaling in their own waters."

continues:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...09/2814348.htm


It appears the Japanese govt is feeling the pressure of world-wide condemnation brought about by Sea Shepherd's high-profile whale defense. However, the issue is not the number of whales killed but rather that they kill them at all - so "scaling back" will not end their international shame.

[Van Housing]

The Sea Shepherd ships Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker have successfully escorted the Japanese whaling fleet out of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

After repeated orders from Sea Shepherd to desist their illegal activities and remove themselves from the Southern Ocean Whaling fleet, the Nisshin Maru, Yushin Maru, Yushin Maru #2 and Shonan Maru #2 have crossed north of sixty degrees and continue to head North by Northwest.

“We did not actually expect them to follow our orders to quit the Whale Sanctuary but they have indeed exited and are now running outside the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.” Said Captain Paul Watson. “They have not killed a single whale since February 5th. We intend to turn four whaling free days into weeks.”

continues:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100209-1.html

[Van Housing]

"Japanese media is reporting that the country's fisheries minister is considering scaling back its so-called research whaling in the Antarctic.

In exchange, the Japanese want a resumption of commercial whaling in Japanese waters.

Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper is reporting that fisheries minister Hirotaka Akamatsu will outline his proposal at the meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Morocco in June.

The plan to scale back Antarctic whaling in exchange for the resumption of commercial hunts of Minke whales off Japan's coast represents a major shift in policy.

Japan is reportedly already discussing the proposal with anti-whaling nations such as the United States and pro-whaling countries such as Norway.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society rejects such a compromise and will continue to oppose any whaling activities in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

“All whaling must cease in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary,” said Captain Paul Watson. “This is a whale Sanctuary. What is it about the word Sanctuary that Japan does not understand? The Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is an established Sanctuary under International Agreement. Unless the designation is revoked, the protection of the Sanctuary under international conservation law will be a major priority for Sea Shepherd.”

Allowing Japan to kill whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is like allowing bank robbers to rob a bank if they agree to take less money than they wanted to take in the first place.

Commercial whaling is also prohibited by the Antarctic Treaty. The killing of endangered Fin and Humpback whales are also prohibited under International Conservation Law.

“What Japan is requesting is permission to legally kill whales in their own waters in return for reducing their kills in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary,” said Captain Watson. “This is unacceptable. The quota for the Sanctuary must be zero.”"

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100210-1.html

[Van Housing]

"A battle erupted between the Sea Shepherd ships Bob Barker and Steve Irwin and the Japanese whaling fleet when the whalers ignored a warning from Sea Shepherd to not reenter the Southern Ocean Sanctuary.

The Japanese fleet was escorted out of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary at 1530 Hours on Tuesday, February 9th. They left the Sanctuary at 60 Degrees South and 76 Degrees and 36 Minutes East.

The fleet fled north on a course of 310 Degrees to the position of 57 Degrees 14 Minutes South and 69 Degrees 6 minutes East and then turned back one hundred and eighty degrees and headed back towards the Sanctuary on a course of 230 at 1700 Hours on February 10th.

At 1650 on Thursday, February 11th the Japanese fleet reentered the Whale Sanctuary at 60 Degrees South and 62 Degrees East.

As the Japanese fleet reentered the Whale Sanctuary, the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin pulled up alongside the Nisshin Maru to deliver a message by loudspeaker in Japanese warning them not to enter the Whale Sanctuary. The Nisshin Maru responded with water cannon and LRAD fire. The Steve Irwin returned water cannon fire.

The Steve Irwin then attempted to launch a helicopter when the three harpoon vessels moved in with water cannons and LRADs blazing in an attempt to destroy the helicopter on the deck. The Bob Barker moved into position to block the harpoon vessels and the Steve Irwin was forced to fire warning flares in front of the harpoon vessels to force them to back off.

The six ships, four whaler and two conservation vessels, engaged for over five hours. There were many near misses but no collisions. There were no injuries.

A Sea Shepherd Delta launched from the Steve Irwin annoyed the harpoon vessels with rotten butter bomb attacks.

All ships have backed off and the convoy of whalers and anti-whalers continues in a Southwestern direction into the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

“Tomorrow marks a full week that not a whale has been killed,” said Captain Paul Watson. “Our goal now is to make it two weeks and then three weeks. We will not tolerate the death of a single whale. If they attempt to kill and transfer a whale to the Nisshin Maru there will be inevitable collisions, because we will neither move out of harms way nor cease blocking the slipway. That I can promise.”"

from:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100211-1.html

The Steve Irwin and whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru


The Steve Irwin confronts harpoon vessel Yushin Maru


The Bob Barker and Steve Irwin confront whalers

[Van Housing]

It has been a week since Sea Shepherd shut down all whaling activities by the Japanese whaling fleet. Not one whale has died in the last week, and Sea Shepherd’s next goal is to turn this shut down into a second week and then a third.

“We will not tolerate the death of a single whale while we are chasing this gang of poachers,” said Captain Chuck Swift of the Bob Barker.

The Institute for Cetacean Research (ICR) issued a media release today claiming that three Japanese whalers had been injured by Sea Shepherd in the confrontation on Thursday.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society rejects this claim.

“This is just the latest ploy by Japan to gain sympathy,” said Captain Paul Watson. “The Shonan Maru 2, the Yushin Maru 1 and the Yushin Maru 2 attacked the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin and attempted to destroy the Sea Shepherd helicopter on the deck with high powered water cannons. The crew of the Steve Irwin retaliated by firing warning flares and using a Delta inflatable to toss bottles of rotten butter onto the decks of the whalers. It was a very tense five-hour confrontation, but there were no collisions and no injuries.”

Claims by Japan that rotten butter caused injuries to sailors is bogus. The Japanese whalers are always claiming that Sea Shepherd is throwing acid at them, insinuating that it is a caustic liquid like sulfuric acid, when in fact it is simply rotten butter, which is also known as butyric acid (just as milk has lactic acid and orange juice has citric acid). Butyric acid is a foul smelling substance but does not cause harm upon skin contact. It is less acidic than beer.

The Sea Shepherd ships did not attempt to foul the propellers of the Japanese whalers as claimed by the ICR. Both the Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin deployed a long hawser astern of both ships to discourage the harpoons vessels from making intimidating attacks with water cannons and Long Range Acoustical Weapons (LRADs). The only danger of entanglement was when the harpoon vessels approached the Sea Shepherd ships. Deployment of prop fouling gear is defensive and not offensive.

The three harpoon vessels in the Japanese fleet are faster and more maneuverable than the two Sea Shepherd ships. Japanese claims that Sea Shepherd attacks their ships are ridiculous, considering that Sea Shepherd ships do not have the speed to intercept a harpoon vessel. Sea Shepherd inflatable boats are deployed to toss the rotten butter bombs onto the decks of the Japanese whalers.

The Japanese accusation that the Steve Irwin uses a water cannon are amusing considering that there are six water cannons on the Nisshin Maru and two each on the harpoon vessels. This means 12 water cannons to Sea Shepherd’s one. Sea Shepherd mounted a water cannon for this year’s campaign to defend itself from water cannon attacks by the whalers.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society strongly condemns the Japanese whaling fleet for reentering the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and intends to prevent any illegal whaling activities in the Sanctuary. All illegal whaling operations have been shut down for the last week and Sea Shepherd intends to shut down operations for another week to cost the Japanese whaling fleet profits and to cut the lethal kill quota.



from:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100211-2.html


The Japanese whalers claim that the Butyric Acid that Sea Shepherd is throwing causes corrosive injuries to the whalers.
Spitting on them would cause more acid damage.

from:
Which Arsenal is Used by Terrorists?
http://www.seashepherd.org/operation...errorists.html

[Van Housing]

On February 11th, during a confrontation between Sea Shepherd and the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru 2, an incident occurred that provided an excuse for the Institute for Cetacean Research (ICR) to issue a media statement accusing Sea Shepherd of injuring three Japanese crewmembers with butyric acid (rotten butter).

According to the ICR media release, the three men were injured when butyric acid splashed into their faces.

Captain Paul Watson doubted the story because butyric acid, which is essentially rotten butter, is non-corrosive, nontoxic, and organic. It does not burn nor does it cause eye or skin irritation.

In reviewing video footage of the confrontation, the Sea Shepherd crew discovered the real source of injuries for the three Japanese crewmembers. The three crew were indeed injured because they shot themselves in the face with pepper spray.



The video clearly shows three Japanese crewmembers on the deck of the Shonan Maru 2. Two of the crew are wearing metal tanks on their backs with nozzles in their hands looking just like the ghost busters. A third crewmember is standing by. The video shows the two crew with the tanks aiming their nozzles at the Sea Shepherd crew in an inflatable boat. The nozzles send out a blast of pepper spray towards the Sea Shepherd crew and the camera. However the wind was not in favor of this Japanese tactic and the pepper spray is blown back into the faces of the three crew, who can be clearly seen rubbing their eyes. They appear to be suffering irritation to their eyes.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will be posting video footage as proof that the media release by the ICR was a lie and an attempt to accuse Sea Shepherd of injuring Japanese crewmembers.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has never caused a single injury to any person since the organization was founded in 1977.

“I think this video absolves Sea Shepherd of any wrong-doing and demonstrates that the Japanese whalers routinely spin their stories to demonize our efforts to defend the whales from their illegal activities,” said Captain Paul Watson.

The Sea Shepherd ships Bob Barker and Steve Irwin have had the Japanese whaling fleet on the run for eight days without a single whale being killed. The Nisshin Maru is continuing to head westward and the fleet and the Sea Shepherd ships are now 2000 miles south of South Africa.

from:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100212-1.html


edit: The video can now be viewed here:
http://www.seashepherd.org/matilda/video.html

[Alice in Kombiland]

Originally Posted by Van Housing

http://www.seashepherd.org/matilda/video.html

This is really funny. How stupid is that, I thought it would be common knowledge that if you spray something into the wind it would come back to you.

[Van Housing]

The crews of the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker celebrated Valentine's Day by painting the Research sign on the side of the Nisshan Maru with red paint. The paint represented the blood of the whales, exposing the bogus nature of so-called research by the Japanese whaling vessels.

The word "research" is in English and not Japanese, because the Japanese fully understand that the whaling is a commercial operation. It is only the West that the Japanese whalers are trying to fool.

The Japanese whalers have not killed a whale for ten days now because of Sea Shepherd’s intervention.

The Japanese Institute for Cetacean Research has accused Sea Shepherd of harassing the fleet each day. Of course Sea Shepherd is harassing the fleet. We did not come down here to hang banners.



Sea Shepherd ships have a single objection - to cut kill quotas inflicted by the illegal poaching operations of the Japanese whaling fleet.

For those who accuse Sea Shepherd of being criminals, Captain Paul Watson has only this to say: "If we are criminals, either arrest us or shut the hell up. I'm getting pretty fed up with whiners who can't back up their ridiculous accusations with the law. Cite a law that we have broken, cite a violation. The truth is that there have been no violations and we have not been charged with a single criminal act or maritime violation in six years of opposing these poachers."

Sea Shepherd, on the other hand, can cite laws, such as: the regulations of the International Whaling Commission, the Antarctic Treaty, the Law of the Sea, and an Australian Federal Court order prohibiting Japanese whaling in the Australian Antarctic Territorial waters.

Japanese whalers are barred from entering Australian and New Zealand waters. Sea Shepherd ships are not barred. Japanese whalers are barred from Indonesian waters. Sea Shepherd ships are not. If a Japanese whaling ship enters an Australian or New Zealand port it will be arrested. Sea Shepherd ships are not arrested.

So who indeed are the criminals? The poachers illegally killing endangered and protected whales inside the boundaries of an established international Whale Sanctuary, in violation of a global moratorium on whaling, and in contempt of an Australian Federal Court order, OR the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which is simply trying to stop these illegal activities, and doing so in a responsible manner without causing injuries or breaking the law?



Tomorrow marks the 70th day since the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin departed Fremantle to begin Operation Waltzing Matilda.

"This is a long protracted campaign involving three vessels coming from three different countries under different flags and with volunteers from 18 nations. We are navigating the most remote and hostile waters in the world and we are opposing an increasingly aggressive opposition. We have lost one ship and had another damaged. But, we are cutting their kill quotas and costing them their profits and thus Operation Waltzing Matilda has been a success," said Captain Watson. "We will not retreat and we will never surrender the whales of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to the poachers from Japan."

from:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100214-1.html

[Van Housing]

"The skipper of the Sea Shepherd vessel that was sunk in a Southern Ocean collision last month has today boarded the Japanese whaling security vessel that hit his boat.

New Zealander Pete Bethune used a power-ski, under the cover of darkness, to clamber aboard the Shonan Maru No 2, said the anti-whaling group's leader, Paul Watson.

“His mission is to attempt a citizen's arrest of the skipper of Shonan Maru No.2 for the destruction of the Ady Gil and attempted murder of six Ady Gil crew,” Captain Watson said.

He said Mr Bethune had a bill for $3 million to present to the Japanese boat's skipper and a demand for surrender.

But Captain Watson said he anticipated Mr Bethune would be taken prisoner on the vessel when the Japanese crew discovered he was there."

from:
http://www.theage.com.au/environment...0215-o0cf.html


So what will the criminal whalers do? They cannot enter Australian or New Zealand waters to return him, and there is no Oceanic Viking nearby to collect him - on the other hand, if the Japanese follow-through with their previous threats and take him back to Japan to face terrorism changes, it will inevitably cause international anger, shame and embarrassment and guarantee that their illegal whaling makes major news in both Japan and abroad. Interesting times ahead ....

[Van Housing]

At 0629 Hours (Perth Time), New Zealand Captain Pete Bethune of the recently sunk Sea Shepherd vessel Ady Gil breached the Japanese government security ship Shonan Maru 2 and successfully boarded the vessel under cover of darkness.

His mission is to attempt a citizen’s arrest of the skipper of the Shonan Maru 2 for the destruction of the Ady Gil and attempted murder of the six Ady Gil crewmembers.

At 0600 Hours, Captain Bethune (of New Zealand) left the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin on a Jet Ski driven Larry Routledge (of Great Britain).

The Jet Ski lay in wait for the Shonan Maru 2 to approach. With the Japanese vessel making 14 knots through the water, Routledge maneuvered the Jet Ski into position under the anti-boarding spikes along the port side of the Shonan Maru 2.

Captain Bethune made the jump and climbed onboard the whaling ship without being noticed. Captain Bethune is presently onboard the Shonan Maru 2 awaiting sunrise to make his presence known.

Captain Bethune also has a bill for $3 million dollars to present to the Master of the Shonan Maru 2. The bill is for the cost of replacing the Ady Gil.

Captain Bethune will be demanding that the Shonan Maru 2 Captain surrender himself to Sea Shepherd or take his ship to the nearest Australian or New Zealand port to turn himself in to legal authorities.

Captain Bethune will make it clear that he does not wish to return to a Sea Shepherd ship without the Captain of the Shonan Maru 2.

Sea Shepherd anticipates that the Japanese will hold Captain Bethune as prisoner onboard the Shonan Maru 2.

“This was an impossible mission,” said Captain Paul Watson. “Captain Bethune boarded a Japanese whaling fleet security ship at high speed in total darkness, breached the spikes and anti-boarding nets and is presently onboard and the Japanese crew are still not aware that he is there. He is there to demand justice for the sinking of his ship.”

Letter to Shonan Maru.

Invoice for the Ady Gil.

from:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100214-2.html




Update: Sea Shepherd Captain Detained Onboard Japanese Whaling Vessel

At 0630 Hours, Sea Shepherd Captain Peter Bethune of the vessel Ady Gil, which was sunk by the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru 2, boarded the whaling ship to conduct a citizen’s arrest of the skipper of the Shonan Maru 2.

Captain Bethune boarded the whaling ship under cover of darkness from a Jet Ski as the Shonan Maru 2 was travelling at 14 knots in the Southern Ocean. His first attempt failed when he fell into the frigid waters, but despite this the crew of the Shonan Maru 2 failed to see him and he successfully boarded the whaler without detection.

Captain Bethune’s breaching the security of the whaling fleet security vessel remained undetected for one and a half hours.

At 0800 Hours, once the sun had risen, Captain Bethune calmly knocked on the bridge wing door, entered the wheelhouse, and presented himself to the Captain of Shonan Maru 2 where he informed the skipper that he was under arrest for the sinking of the Sea Shepherd ship Ady Gil on January 6th, 2010.

All radio communications with Peter Bethune ceased at 0805. The Shonan Maru 2 did acknowledge that Bethune was onboard.

The Sea Shepherd ships Steve Irwin and Bob Barker continue to pursue the Japanese whaling ship Nisshin Maru eastward across the Southern Ocean. The ships are presently south of Australia’s Heard Island.

from:
http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-...-100215-2.html