Sea Shepherd releases new video of Southern Ocean collision, icebreaker arrives to defend whalers

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Ida Torres in National with 14 Comments
Sea Shepherd releases new video of Southern Ocean collision, icebreaker arrives to defend whalers

After a collision in the Southern Ocean between Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ships and a Japanese whaling vessel, the conservation group has made public new footage of the Nisshin Maru pushing the Bob Barker into a South Korean fuel tanker.

Sea Shepherd Australia released the video in response to claims by the Japanese government’s Institute for Cetacean Research (ICR) that it was the anti-whaling group who was at fault in the incident that left three SSCS ships damaged in the Southern Ocean. According to SSCS, the whaling fleet’s enormous factory ship the Nisshin Maru, rammed four ships in one hour, damaging the Sam Simon, the Steve Irwin, the Bob Barker plus their own South Korean fuel tanker, the Sun Laurel. The 8,000-ton factory vessel then left the scene according to the SSCS.

Shortly after the incident, the ICR and the government of Japan announced that it had temporarily suspended the hunt due to the inability to refuel. Another statement from them quickly followed, this time exonerating themselves of the incident and putting the blame firmly back on the anti-whaling group. But Sea Shepherd Australia said the newly released video is “clear footage of who rammed who”. The organizations’ director, Jeff Hansen, added that “To see this massive bully factory whaling ship, that dwarfs the Bob Barker vessel, come crashing down on the bridge section is a clear indication that these whale poachers have absolutely no respect for not only cetaceans, but also human life.”

Sea Shepherd had hoped that because of this incident, the whaling fleet would suspend their whaling operations, but an official with Japan’s Fisheries Agency told Agence France-Presse, that the incident with Sea Shepherd vessels had not permanently suspended the hunt for this season. In fact, Japan has sent another vessel, a giant military icebreaker, to apparently bolster its whaling fleet in the wake of the conflict. The 12,500-ton Shirase, operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, has appeared 50 nautical miles of where the whalers currently are.

[ via Digital Journal ]
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  • BradT123

    Since 1986 Japan has killed 20,000 whales in the Antarctic
    International Whaling Sanctuary. In 26 years, how much research have the
    published in scientific journals? Zero. Not one. Clearly, its not research.
    Anyone can see that.

    If it’s not research, then Japan is in serious violation of
    international law. But no country will enforce these laws, because Japan is a valued trading partner.

    The only organization trying to stop this blatantly illegal
    whaling is Sea Shepherd.

    If someone was killing cats in your neighborhood, and the
    police would not act, would you? If you physically stopped them from killing
    those cats yourself, or damaged the tools they used to kill cats, would you be an eco-terrorist?

    No more lies about research or media spin about this “research”
    nonsense. The Japanese whalers are criminals.

    Whales are among the most highly intelligent creatures on
    earth, with complex social structures and advanced communication ability.

    There are many cases of whales committing acts of self sacrifice to save other whales. In the Antarctic, it is not uncommon for a mother to approach the whaling vessel after it’s calf has been harpooned, apparently in an attempt at rescue. Then, the Japanese slaughter the mother as well. Yay Japan. Let’s make some money!

    God speed, Sea Shepherd.

    • Think

      You’ve copied and pasted a Sea Shepherd PR release. Actually the ICR has published many papers in scientific journals. They’re not particularly good or necessary science, their performance as a research organization is low, especially given the scale of funding, but they have published.

      I have no idea why Sea Shepherd make such false statements, as it only destroys their credibility and that of their cause, but I guess you have proven to us why. Their adherents believe them and copy and paste them all over the internet thereby creating a false consensus or impression which Sea Shepherd can then milk for donations.

      The other one is usually that the Japanese Government spent foreign donations which they did not do.

      • Paul McCarthy

        you’re the one making false statements Most of their papers are published in in house fisheries journals. A study of their papers lists about 10-12 as being published in mainstream scientific journals.

        • ddpalmer

          So you admit there are at least 10 or 12 research papers published in mainstream scientific journals. And 10 or 12 is more than the ZERO that BradT123 claims isn’t it?

          • Think

            Yes, it’s true. I agree with Paul McCarthy on this. It’s an embarrassing small figure, especially for the 100s of millions poured into their industry and the 10s of thousands of whales killed … but it’s not zero as SSCS say and I have no idea why they keep making such false statements. It’s a disrespect of their followers and only leaves them open to valid criticism in Japan.

            The quality and necessity of them has also been criticized.

            Another exercise which is worth doing is reading the ICR’s journal. It really is an appallingly transparent propaganda device that would fool no one in the West. They even line up schoolchildren to lie for them.

            Paul, I am completely against the slaughter, and direct action, but critical of the way in which the campaign is represented, and it’s complete lack of representation in Japan.

    • StrangeCults

      You guys remind me of blind religious cults…. The intentions that the followers have are good but their led by questionable people who do questionable things..

  • Sun Wu

    I would like to refer anyone interested (and repeating Paul Watson claiming to be rammed) to the ICR-website where you can find a video WITOUT ANY CUTS showing the Nisshin Maru approaching the free Sun Laurel with the Bob Barker suddenly overtaking on its starboard side.
    QUESTION: the Sun Laurels Portside was free, but obviously Nisshin Marus attempt to refuel failed…why? Maybe because overtaking Barker went right in front of her? :)
    Also, for the non-seaman among us, on the video now provided there is something we seaman call ‘swell’.
    Even without any wind there almost always big waves (swell) can be found, a result from storms far away. On the video most ships movement are a result of these long, big waves, since all ships are moving.
    PS: @ Think
    these waves are the reason why two ships will not come close to each, not even if under command of unprofessional Beach-boys in an attempt to become famouse on TV, if they do not have to transfer something which can’t be transfered by Inflatables! :)
    So please let me (being a liscensed captain) tell you: the picture showing Barker and Irwin alongside to eachother is DEFINATELY not a document of a tea-party. As you might have noticed, SS has inflatable which are perfectly suited for transferring crew in desperate need of different company and/or tea.
    Steve Irwin was refueling, if you do not believe it: please, why don’t you tell us what Irwin’s engines run on? Air and love….
    Hammerstedt just put Southern Ocean in an serious threat of an oil-spill once again when overtaking Nisshin Maru and getting right in the way of 10 000 tons in motion.
    But Spills caused by Watson seem to be Ok as we have already found out when Ady Gil was sinking.

  • Sun Wu

    I have watched some Whale Wars for the first time. I worked hard on my mobil-internet-connection and after a couple of hours of loading it alllowed me to watch the first 12 minutes of season 2 / episode 11…
    “…they (the whalers) need start to learn we are a threat…”
    During this only 12 minutes I have ever watched Watson (choreographic TV-reasons) manoevered the Irwin in front of Nisshin Maru once the Nisshin Marus bow missing the Irwin by 5 m.
    But worse: Paul Watson was holding directly at a whaler at FULL SPEED…in the last seconds the Whaler turned away, because Watson would not have done so.
    Assuming all Whale War episodes are similar to first 12 minutes of season 2/episode 11…and assuming most people, much more JOURNALISTS who intend to write about Watson inform themeselves about their subject of interest…
    QUESTION assuming all this: how can anyone claim (and publish it being a ) being rammed by Japanese with Paul Watson publishing and promoting evidence on TV himself, that he is a nutcase, and permanently trying to get Japanese involved in collisions for years…?
    I do not get it!!! What is wrong with journalism. This is not the only evidence on making me feel media in 21st century is not meeting its standarts anymore.
    In Interviews Watson even claims knowing how media work…he is even admitting that he is instrumentalizing journalists in order to meet his obsession…
    Where is the journalist advising Paul Watson of better starting to see someone of professional nature instead of repeating this nutcase saying he was rammed.
    Dear Journalists, could you please watch a few episodes of Whale Wars on animal plannet before making complete fools of yourself?
    Thank you, Watson needs you to mobilize funding in his mad attempt to prolong Japanese whaling. And you do hime the favor just like he wants you to.

  • AnimuX

    Most people don’t realize this conflict didn’t start with sea hippies driving inflatable boats around whalers on TV. The world’s whaling industries drove nearly every species of large whale to the brink of extinction — some to less than 10 percent of their original numbers.

    Japan has historically subverted and violated international whaling regulations including ignoring size limits and species protections, hunting out of season, exceeding quotas, and even facilitating ‘pirate whaling’ (poaching) all over the world. Today, Japan continues to kill whales and pretends the slaughter is ‘scientific research’ but it’s just one more example in a long history of bad behavior.

    Annually, Japan’s whalers kill endangered fin whales, endangered sei whales, vulnerable sperm whales, rare bryde’s whales, common minke whales (many from the threatened J-stock), and Antarctic minke whales (the IUCN states this species is also in decline). Not to mention up to 20,000 small cetaceans like dolphins including rare beaked whales and a dall’s porpoise hunt called ‘clearly unsustainable’.

    The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea states in article 65 that all nations shall cooperate for the conservation of marine mammals through the appropriate international organization. When it comes to whales that refers to the International Whaling Commission — the same IWC that has prohibited commercial whaling since the 1985/86 season, declared the Southern Ocean a whale sanctuary, and repeatedly called upon Japan to stop killing whales.

    Unfortunately, Japan’s government continues to prop up the whaling industry with tax funded subsidies. According to Jun Morikawa, author of “Whaling in Japan: Power, Politics, and Diplomacy”, the whaling continues for the benefit of corrupt bureaucrats who ensure there will be funding in the fisheries budget only to later leave public office and take high paid jobs in the commercial whaling industry. This type of corruption is so common in Japan’s government they have a word for it: ‘amakudari’.

    In fact, today most Japanese people don’t even eat whale. It may have been a substitute meat during the post WWII food shortages but as soon as Japanese families could afford other meats they stopped buying whale and demand has dropped consistently for decades. Just last year Japan’s government failed to sell 75% of the meat at auction and over time has stockpiled thousands of tons of whale meat in cold storage. If the government did not include whale meat in compulsory school lunches, most Japanese children would never know the taste of whale.

    So what we have here are repeated attempts to refuel whale poaching ships that are killing protected animals in an international wildlife sanctuary where refueling is prohibited. The activists repeatedly attempt to prevent the refueling and the poaching and in response the poachers have taken to ramming and throwing explosives at unarmed protesters.

    Thankfully, Sea Shepherd Australia is motivated and determined to continue interfering with this poaching and has successfully sent the whalers home in previous seasons with a small fraction of the intended quota. Despite the aggression shown by Japan’s government funded whale poachers, the volunteer-activists continue to uphold international conventions for the protection of whales.

  • Sun Wu

    Although nobody probably is getting the context: Berlusconi seems to be back and will be saving Europe, Watson will take care of the whales, and of course, Obama is breaking his promises and man made global warming is a joke (says Heatland)…
    I don’t get it…could you please write it again? Yes, I will start to work on believing Watson was rammed by the whalers…everything else is too painful. And if I still have any doubts I just watch these 40s-videos released by Watson…and I will not ask myself why Watson is not publishing the 10 minutes before and after the incident.
    Berlusconi is back…just someone else who knows how to use the media. His way is even more effective: just by the paper of TV-station and it will definately publish what you tell them to!
    Shit, wellcome in the age of stupid…Watson, my dear friend, go ahead and save the whales from the Asians….it is working, I feel better already.
    Watson and Berlusconi for President…too bad Gadafi is dead, and Strauss Kahn too much of a joke. But Sarcozy will come back for sure. His wife seems to have the same plastic surgeon like Berlusconi anyways, they probably meet in the waiting room and plan the next Bunga, while Carla is being exhamined, or lifted.
    Watson is not our corrupted Elite, nope, he is fighting it with every whale he saves. Finish these Sushi-freaks, make a decent shop suey and give Senakaku to the chinese. May I suggest something? Just give some of these Japanese fishing vessels to Watson. You say they the Japanese Fisherman won’t like it?
    Who cares…

  • Whaleblubber001

    That was funny! It’s too bad the “sheep” involved with the Sea Shepard group still don’t understand that the clips they post would be more watched on “Worlds Dumbest” or “Jackass”. Maybe you could have your own show on Tru TV called ‘Worlds Dumbest Pirates”

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Neil-Hunt/100000103376482 Neil Hunt

    The original judge had it RIGHT! Shame on the latest one –and yes it is the Japanese whalers who are blatantly Pirating under the guise of the ‘so-called ‘research’ law (research my—!) & cheerfully torturing, maiming & butchering these wonderful marine-mammals purely for greed in supposedly protected Antarctic waters! I whole-heartedly cheered the crew last season for stopping the slaughter & wish I had the means to assist them in doing so this time! Without the admittedly sometimes questionable activities of Sea Shepherds vehemently caring crew NOT ONE of you Watson-baiters would even know about or care about that illegal & cruel slaughter of these magnificent creatures going on down there! FOR SHAME!!!

  • http://twitter.com/SnowOwlFan Herbert Shallcross

    If it is legal for President Obama to send snipers to kill pirates, the Japanese are within their rights to ram pirate vessels.

  • Cyndi Schwartz

    And a U.S. judge said SEA SHEPARDS are pirates?!! The Japanese whaling fleet are not only pirates, but their murderers!!!! They could have killed the people on the Bob Barker!! I’d like to know when someone is going to put a stop to this loophole that allows them to murder whales!! Why do you have to kill such a majestic creature to study it?!!