Chase Carries On As Activists Fail To Stop Whaler Refuelling

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday January 23, 2008

Andrew Darby

GREENPEACE has failed to prevent the refuelling of the Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru at sea in the Antarctic, increasing the vessel's endurance against anti-whaling activists.

Greenpeace campaigners yesterday ran a gauntlet of icy water cannon from above when they squeezed a small boat between the factory ship and its resupply vessel, Oriental Bluebird, temporarily delaying the refuelling.

But as the ships' hulls came together, the activists moved clear and the refuelling lines were hooked up.

"It was too dangerous to stay," said Dave Walsh, a spokesman on the Greenpeace ship Esperanza.

The director-general of the Institute of Cetacean Research, Minoru Morimoto, said Greenpeace activists entangled themselves in ships' cables as they tried to intervene in the refuelling. "This was a very dangerous stunt that put lives at risk and did nothing for their cause," Mr Morimoto said. Oriental Bluebird had been delayed from refuelling the Nisshin Maru for up to 10 days as the factory ship tried first to steer clear of activists from Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd, and then weathered Southern Ocean gales.

But without a refuelling capability for their own ships, both groups must guard reserves, and Greenpeace has just spent 10 days chasing Nisshin Maru.

"For sure, it's an issue," said Greenpeace International's whales campaign director, Sara Holden. "We said all along we can only stay for a limited period of time."

Sea Shepherd's leader, Paul Watson, indicated his ship might have greater endurance. "The Steve Irwin is prepared to chase the Japanese fleet for weeks if need be to keep them fromillegally targeting whales."

Greenpeace said Nisshin Maru was refuelled south of the 60 degrees south line, contravening the Antarctic Treaty, of which Japan is a signatory.

Japan's administrative Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Toshiro Shirasu, said in Tokyo that for safety reasons whaling had not resumed while Greenpeace continued to obstruct the fleet.

He said Japan had urged the Netherlands, which has registered the Steve Irwin, to properly deal with it after last week's incident when two Sea Shepherd activists boarded a catcher boat and were detained before the Australian Government patrol ship Oceanic Viking intervened.

The Australian Customs patrol ship Oceanic Viking last night began its mission of gathering evidence for a potential international legal action against the whaling.

Oceanic Viking arrived as Nisshin Maru was transferring frozen whale meat to Oriental Bluebird, according to Mr Walsh.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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