Home | Friday 19th August 2011 | Issue 784
GETTING THE HUMPBACK
It looks like all the blood, sweat and tears in the icy Antarctic seas have paid off for Sea Shepherd, the direct action anti-whaling group. Some Japanese officials are looking for ways to end the annual ‘scientific’ whaling expeditions in the Southern Ocean. A senior member of a government review panel set up to advise options after last years ‘disastrous’ season (thanks to Sea Shepherd, whalers returned with only a fifth of their allocated quota of 1000 whales) has raised the stakes by openly calling for a halt.
Japanese consumer advocate Hisa Anan rejected any scientific need to kill whales. “Research whaling has been conducted for more than 20 years now, I think they’ve gathered enough scientific data and even if they want more, they can conduct non-lethal research.’’
Unfortunately Ms Anan is in a minority on the all-important Fisheries Panel and despite losses of £25 million last year – the Japanese authorities may authorise another throw of the dice.
Paul Watson has confirmed that all three of the group’s ships would be positioned in Sydney and Fremantle in October. “We are also looking for a fourth ship,” he said “if they return we will be ready to engage them again.’’
Meanwhile Sea Shepherd activists are readying themselves to disrupt the annual bloodletting of the Grind – the Faroese slaughter of Pilot whales in Operation Ferocious Isles.
