Today, SSS Bob Barker caught up with the Japanese whaling fleet’s factory vessel, the Nisshin Maru, in the Cooperation Sea, 280 nautical miles East from Australia's Antarctic Mawson's Research Station, which is 2,425 nautical miles Southwest of Perth, Western Australia and 2,606 nautical miles Southwest of Tasmania (at the position of 64 Degrees 36 Minutes South and 75 Degrees 06 Minutes East). It is now 17 miles from Australia's Davis Research Base. The Yushin Maru No. 2 was found with the Nisshin Maru. The Dutch-flagged, Dutch-owned, Australian operated Bob Barker confirmed a visual identification on the Nisshin Maru at 10:00 Hours AEDT. This position places the factory vessel in the Prydz Bay off the Ingrid Christensen Coast of Princess Elizabeth Land, in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Captain of the Bob Barker, Swede Peter Hammarstedt, reported that the Yushin Maru No. 2 tried to obstruct the Bob Barker from shutting down the Nisshin Maru and Japan’s illegal whaling operations by dangerously criss-crossing the bow of the Bob Barker, coming as close as 600 yards and threatening to deploy prop fouling devices. Captain Hammarstedt has made the following statement: “We found the Nisshin Maru drifting off-guard in the early hours of the morning. We suspect that at first light, they intended to begin processing whales from the nearby Yushin Maru 2. But along with the rising sun, the crew of the Cetacean Death Star saw the Bob Barker on the horizon, coming to shut down their poaching operations today, and hereafter. My crew and I are elated today because we are now certain beyond doubt not a single whale will ride up that morbid slipway I see before me on this beautiful morning. All of our crew, on-shore volunteers, staff and supporters should feel very proud knowing that because of their passion and support these majestic and beautiful whales are safe. We will stay on that slipway and make every effort to ensure no whales are killed on Sea Shepherd watch. The sanctity of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary has been restored.” Sea Shepherd Australia Director, Jeff Hansen, said, “The world’s last remaining whaling factory ship, the most evil vessel ever built, was shut down today by Sea Shepherd. This vessel and its illegal cohorts are in contempt of the Australian Federal Court and have no place being in an established whale sanctuary off Australia's Antarctic coast. This is a final nail in the coffin of Japan’s illegal whaling that has no place in the 21st century. It’s time the Japanese whale poachers got the message; you’re not welcome in Australian waters, go back to Japan and take your illegal, cruel and barbaric whale poaching operations with you.” The Bob Barker is now half a mile behind the Nisshin Maru, 17 miles off the coast of the Australian Antarctic Territory. The SSS Steve Irwin is heading to that position at full speed with the Yushin Maru No. 3 following. The Steve Irwin is 250 nautical miles from the Nisshin Maru. The Yushin Maru No. 1 was last reported hundreds of nautical miles to the East of the Cooperation Sea and low on fuel. The SSS Sam Simon is still escorting the Korean flagged whaling fleet tanker, Sun Laurel, some 600 nautical miles from the Nisshin Maru. Operation Zero Tolerance Co-Campaign Leader Bob Brown says,” One cannot even begin to imagine the massive pain and suffering that these whales endure when they are chased, hunted and have an explosive harpoon shatter through their body. Not to mention the helplessness their families would feel watching and hearing one of their own in such pain. To know that the whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary are safe fills me with absolute joy. It’s a good day for the whales, it’s a good day for Sea Shepherd!” The Sea Shepherd ships have been in full pursuit of the Nisshin Maru since January 29th. The pursuit has covered 2,550 nautical miles from the middle of the Ross Sea to the Cooperation Sea. Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru The Nisshin Maru from the bow of the SSS Bob Barker SSS Bob Barker finds the Yushin Maru No. 2 https://www.seashepherd.org.au/news...er-is-on-the-slipway-of-the-nisshin-maru-1495
Thank you to everyone at Sea Shepherd for your unwavering dedication and commitment. Fantastic result!
bit of a broad statement to say they have stopped whaling in the southern ocean, not stopped for good but delayed for this season to some degree maybe, the japanese as is their wont will do as they please. just as important is the welfare of wild animals and herd animals on shore. len
The Japanese government subisidises the whaling industry with taxpayer money and there is even suggestions that money donated for the tsumani victims is being used also. https://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2013/s3682204.htm
Apparently it's not over. Tv news tonight had a story about the Sea Shepherd trying to prevent them hauling in a whale caught inside Australian territorial waters yesterday.
The whalers by far. Throwing rancid butter and fowling props doesn't make them militant. Me wanting to give each boat several torpedoes for use does.
I despise the japanese hunting in the southern ocean designated whale sanctuary zones . Our pacific ocean is being pillaged to depletion and where do they get off harvesting time and again in other nations territorial waters ?
Didn't you feel the irony in my bad english View departure of Nisshin Maru from Japan, looks like real military parade. How can journalists call militant, group of conservationist. To me it looks like a shameless lie as an American war on terror. How to terrorize someone and not be a terrorist, simply call the other terrorist. Unlike Greenpeace they now have the four ships, says a lot about the support that they have.
No military parade for the last couple of years. The ICR now sneak out at night with no fanfare. With support for their operations 15000km from local waters, redirection of rebuilding capital and international outcry, Japan arent risking public perceptions. Some folks also call the Dalai Lama a terrorisits for splitism within China, local truths have been manipulated by public powers. Looks like SSCS has a job on their hands. Yushin Maru has threatened the Sam Simon with a broadside swipe, allowing them to refuel in the SOWS against international regulations. We welcome the ICJ case in May 2013!
all this quiet meaningless effort of ships floating around teh southern ocean keeping people gainfully employed i suppose trying to stop the japanese who are unstoppable, yes it is great they save some whales, but having no effect on a permanent stop to whaling, and while there all the pillaging of fish from those water by many nations, new zealand and sth africa, plundering the seas in all food chains the japanese plundering south sea island of their marlin and tuna, now plundering the ocean for the food of whales krill to make health supplement for humans. not only whales and money donated wasted on those piracy carrying ons. where is this huge dutch trawler that was bought over here to rape our waters? most aussies can't afford our own sea food (fish) the prices inflated by treating it like a commodity, all fishing like farming should be local for local people affordably. teh way our food security chain is going we might have to eat from the whale families. len
Have you watched, "The Cove"? It did change a lot of opinions in Japan, and made a great many people in charge of whale meat going to the public, "lose face" and their jobs. The Sea Shepherds have done a great service in slowing, and stopping when they can. Maybe it is because I have swam with wild whales and wild dolphins that I look do not look at them as food, or perhaps it is the high mercury content. Either way, I utterly disagree with your assessment of the situation Len. Lastly, IMO it isn't that the Japanese Whaling fleet is trying to keep people employed, it's more about making a profit under the guise of "tradition."
