Fed: Anti-whalers to resume chase of Japanese

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2008
Fed: Anti-whalers to resume chase of Japanese

By Charisse Ede

MELBOURNE, Feb 14 AAP - Anti-whaling protest ship the Steve Irwin will return to the
Southern Ocean tonight to resume its chase of the Japanese whaling fleet.

The Sea Shepherd vessel has spent 12 days in Melbourne undergoing repairs, refuelling
and resupplying, and new crew members have been brought on board.

Steve Irwin captain Paul Watson said Victorians had donated money for fuel and other
supplies during its stay in Melbourne.

"We are anxious to return to the coast of Antarctica," Sea Shepherd cook Amber Paarman said.

"Every moment that we are not on the tail of the Japanese fleet means that the lives
of the whales are in peril."

Last month, two crew members of the Steve Irwin climbed aboard the whaling boat Yushin
Maru No. 2 in Antarctic waters and were detained by the crew for three days.

They were eventually handed over to an Australian Customs vessel before being returned
to the Sea Shepherd.

A diplomatic row erupted last week between Australia and Japan when the federal government
released graphic images of an adult and a calf minke whale being dragged on board a whaling
ship.

Mr Watson said the Steve Irwin was due to leave Melbourne at 8pm (AEDT) tonight.

He said they intended to harass and intervene in "illegal" Japanese whaling for the
next four to five weeks, when the whaling season was due to end.

"In January we prevented them from slaughtering whales for three weeks, we cost the
Japanese over $2 million dollars in fuel during the pursuit, and we exposed their illegal
whaling activities worldwide," he said.

"And most importantly we got the story into the Japanese media. This provoked a real
debate in Japan on the cost of whaling to Japan's reputation."

Mr Watson said he was working to secure a second ship to enable a non-stop pursuit
in the 2008-2009 whaling season.

The 32 crew members on board the Steve Irwin include 15 Australians and volunteers
from New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Sweden, South Africa, the Netherlands, Britain
and Spain.

AAP ce/jl/de

KEYWORD: WHALING

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