Weblog
02/07: 2008-2009 Whale Defense Campaign: Operation Musashi
the following is straight from www.seashepherd.org !!!!!!!
While in Santiago, Chile for the 60th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Sea Shepherd Conservation Society officially announced plans to return to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to once again oppose illegal Japanese whaling activities. Sea Shepherd is represented at the IWC by Captain Paul Watson, Founder and President of Sea Shepherd, and the Honourable Ian Campbell, former Minister of the Environment for Australia and current member of Sea Shepherd's international Advisory Board.
This year's campaign, Sea Shepherd's fifth campaign to Antarctic waters, will be called Operation Musashi in reference to the legendary Japanese strategist, Miyamoto Musashi. Musashi's Book of Five Rings included the approach of the Twofold Way of Pen and Sword. Sea Shepherd's goal is to send two fast ships to the Southern Ocean with the purpose of continuously keeping the Japanese whaling fleet on the run.
"We intend to sink the Japanese fleet economically," said Captain Watson. "Our strategy is to prevent whales from being killed, to force Japan to spend money on fuel without killing whales. My crew and I will not watch whales die, we will not bear witness to the cruel slaughter of a single whale without risking our lives to prevent its unlawful and cruel murder. If the members of the IWC refuse to act to save the whales, then it is up to us to take this fight onto the high seas where we will prevail in the next season even more successfully than we prevailed in the last season."
The name Operation Musashi was chosen to reflect Sea Shepherd's approach of aggressive, yet nonviolent, confrontation and the increasing global awareness of Japan's ongoing illegal whaling activities; thus the crossed feather pen and katana (sword) under the skull with the imbedded sperm whale and dolphin yin-yang symbol. The Banzai flag background gives reference to the ecological imperialism that Japan is committing against the whales of the Southern Ocean.
Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) was the greatest samurai warrior, strategist, and tactician of all time and is a personal role model and hero of Captain Watson, who incorporated Musashi's ideas into his book Earthforce! An Earth Warriors Guide to Strategy. Sea Shepherd intends to transform Setsuninto - the sword {harpoon} that takes life - to Katsujinken - the sword {harpoon} that gives life. Sea Shepherd's ship, the Steve Irwin, will be outfitted with a very special harpoon for this year's campaign.
Sea Shepherd is not a protest organization. It was established in 1977 to intervene against the illegal exploitation of marine life in accordance with the principles of the United Nations World Charter for Nature. However, as with all Sea Shepherd campaigns, all strategies and tactics are designed to avoid any physical injury to the whalers.
"We have never injured a single person in our 31 year history," said Captain Watson, "and we intend to keep that record unblemished."
25/03: Sea Shepherd Moves North to Protect Seals
from http://www. seashepherd. orgSea Shepherd Moves North to Protect Seals
Many of the crew of the Steve Irwin did not have much time to rest before flying from Australia to Bermuda to join other Sea Shepherd volunteers onboard the Sea Shepherd ship Farley Mowat.
From Icebergs at the bottom of the world to ice floes in the far north, Sea Shepherd crew cannot be accused of fair weather campaigning.
"I haven't seen summer in a long long time," said Amber Paarman 24 from South Africa.
The Farley Mowat with a crew of 19 departed from Dockland in Bermuda at 1700 Hours on March 24th, bound north for the Gulf of St. Lawrence to enter the ice field nurseries where Canada intends to slaughter 325,000 seal pups.
It will only take a few days for the ship to reach the Cabot Strait. Canada has warned the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to not enter Canadian waters. However the ship has the right of passage through waters outside of the 12 mile limit. The ship will not be entering within the 12 mile limit. Most of the seals are slaughtered outside of 12 miles.
Crewmembers have joined the ship from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, France, Great Britain, Sweden, Ecuador and the Netherlands.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has opposed the slaughter of seals since 1977 and has sent a ship into the ice to protect seals in 1979, 1981, 1983, 1998 and 2005. The Society sent crew to the ice in other years by helicopter and has been steadfast in its opposition for over three decades. The slaughter was shut down in 1984 until 1994 and then resumed in 1995.
The Farley Mowat Departs from Dockyard in Bermuda on March 24th, 2008 on the way to protect harp seals in Eastern Canada
Amber Paarman from South Africa casts off the stern ropes on the Farley Mowat and prepares to head North to Canada
side note: the steve irwin is still docked at victoria harbour, docklands melbourne if anyone can wants to go down and see it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
13/03: Sea Shepherd Heads Home As Whaling Season Comes To A Close
from www.seashepherd.orgSea Shepherd Heads Home As Whaling Season Comes To A Close
There are less than 10 days left in the Japanese whaling season, and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s ship, the Steve Irwin, has reached the limit of its fuel reserves.
“We have no alternative but to retreat from the Southern Ocean,” said Captain Paul Watson, Founder and President of Sea Shepherd. “We have just enough fuel to make it back to port. We’ve done everything we can do down here for this season, and it has been an enormous success. I believe we have saved the lives of over 500 whales.”
Since departing Melbourne on February 14, the Steve Irwin has covered over 6,000 nautical miles chasing the Japanese fleet from as far west as 96 Degrees East to as far east as 136 Degrees East. The majority of the chase took place inside the Australian Antarctic Territorial waters between 62 Degrees South and 65 Degrees South. In total, the Steve Irwin pursued the Japanese whaling fleet for over 3,500 nautical miles. The Nisshin Maru was tailed and harassed for over 1,800 of those miles.
Sea Shepherd can reliably report that no whales were killed during the 17-day period of February 23 to March 10. Added to the 3 weeks that Japanese whalers were prevented from killing whales in January, that brings it to a total of 5½ weeks—or nearly half the whaling season—in which no whales were killed.
“Our success will be reflected in the final kill figures,” said 1st Officer Peter Brown. “There is no doubt in my mind that we have made a significant impact on their profits this season, and I am assuming they are not very happy.”
In response to the International Whaling Commission’s condemnation of Sea Shepherd’s interventions in the Southern Ocean, Captain Watson said, “While they were in London talking about whales, we were down here actually protecting the whales. So they can condemn us until the cows come home, but I think we served our clients, the whales, as best we could, and every whale’s life saved has been a victory for us. We feel satisfied for the lives we have saved, and we feel remorse for the lives we were unable to save. The IWC members should feel ashamed for allowing Japan’s criminal poaching activities to continue.”
Sea Shepherd will work to secure a second ship to return to the Southern Ocean next season along with the Steve Irwin, although it is hoping that Japan will choose instead to withdraw from continued illegal whaling in the Southern Ocean.
“We don’t enjoy this conflict with the Japanese,” said Captain Paul Watson. “We do this to defend the whales, not to offend Japan, but if we are offending Japan by defending the whales, then that is the way it must be.”
06/03: Whales Frolic in Peace around the Cetacean Death Ship
from seashepherd.orgWhales Frolic in Peace around the Cetacean Death Ship
The crew of the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin watched a very peaceful sight today as two Humpback whales accompanied by a pod of Pilot whales swam around the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru as if to taunt them for being unable to continue their whaling operations.
One of the whales appeared to be half white, perhaps the half brother or sister to the beloved and famous all white whale Migaloo.
The Nisshin Maru has stopped running and is dead in the water at 63 Degrees 22 Minutes South and 114 Degrees, 37 Minutes East.
The Sea Shepherd crew will not allow any whales to be killed by the Japanese whaling fleet for as long as the Steve Irwin remains with the fleet.
"I have not seen a whale die since I left Greenpeace in 1977," Said Captain Paul Watson. "We will not allow a whale to die on our watch down here and as the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, 'we are prepared to risk our lives, our ship and all,' in order to guarantee that the whales remain unharmed."
The Japanese have not killed a single whale since February 23rd. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society hopes to prevent the killing of any more whales for the next two weeks.
Over the last 36 hours the Steve Irwin has chased the Nisshin Maru westward for over 725 miles in 50 hours averaging a speed of 14.5 knots. During that time, the two ships have passed numerous Piked, Humpback, Pilot, Fin and Blue whales.
"I cannot even begin to describe what a joy it is to see these whales swimming free as the largest whale killing ship in the world cruises harmlessly past them because we are here," said Engineer Jessica Gartlan 20, from Melbourne, Australia.
23/02: Hot Pursuit in a Frozen Sea
check seashepherd.org for more news too >>>Hot Pursuit in a Frozen Sea
Sea Shepherd Hot on the Tail of Japanese Harpooners
The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin in hot on the tail of the Yushin Maru No.2 and is chasing the ship through a snow storm through an obstacle course of icebergs.
"We have them on the run," said Captain Paul Watson. "The Yushin Maru is only a mile in front of us and running at full speed. The Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 which carries armed Japanese Coast Guard officers is one mile behind the Yushin Maru and closing aggressively"
This chase is taking place well inside Australian Antarctic Territorial waters. The position at 1530 Hours (Melbourne time)(0345 G.M.T.) was 62 Degrees 30 Minutes South and 096 Degrees 58 Minutes East.
The Steve Irwin is preparing a boarding party to deliver a warrant ordering the Yushin Maru No. 2 and the other Japanese whaling vessels operating illegally in the Australian Whale Sanctuary to surrender themselves to the nearest Australian port.
14/02: sea shepherd to return to antartica - tonight !!!!!!
(from www.seashepherd.org)Sea Shepherd Launches Operation Migaloo II
The Hunt for the Japanese Whale Poachers Resumes
After twelve days of repairs, refueling, re-crewing, re-supplying and re-provisioning, the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin is returning to the Southern Ocean. The estimated time for departure is 2000 hours Melbourne time on Thursday February 14.
09/02: pottsy (sea shepherd) on ABC's Australian Story - MON!!!!
australian story this week will feature pottsy, one of the crew who got onto the yushin maru II a few weeks back .... it will be aired on ABC this coming monday 11th feb at 8pm. if you miss it then, it will be aired again saturday at 12:30from the ABC website >>>>
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/
"Australian Story returns on Monday night with the inside story of Ben Potts, the young Australian who sailed into worldwide controversy when he boarded a Japanese harpoon boat in the Southern Ocean.
Potts and Briton Giles Lane, both members of the Sea Shepherd conservation group, were held for several days before being freed in a deal worked out by the Australian Government.
Potts returned to Australia at the weekend after a month in Antarctic waters on board the Sea Shepherd vessel, the 'Steve Irwin'.
On Australian Story, Potts along with his friends, family and cabin mates reveal surprising behind the scenes details of the dangerous drama for the first time
28/01: SEASHEPHERD & STEVE IRWIN PREPARED TO RETURN - CAN YOU HELP
Sea Shepherd and the Steve Irwin Prepared to Return to Save WhalesThe Sea Shepherd Conservation ship Steve Irwin is prepared to return to the Southern Oceans Whale Sanctuary.
"I think we have found the means to save these whales," said Captain Paul Watson. "We simply need to keep the Japanese fleet on the run. We need to chase them relentlessly. They cannot kill whales with us on their tails constantly dogging their every movement."
The Japanese fleet still has two months of killing whales ahead of them. The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin has been chasing them for close to three weeks and not a single whale has been taken since January 8th.
"Our objective now is to keep the hunt from resuming before the end of January. Unfortunately our fuel reserves will not allow us to stay longer than that." Said Captain Watson. "Within a few days we will have to head northeast to Melbourne."
The Japanese fleet has moved from the far western end of their hunting zone south of South Africa to the extreme Eastern end near the Ross Sea. They are now moving back to the Eastern side of the zone. The Japanese fleet has used up an incredible amount of fuel moving eight large ships thousands of miles back and forth.
The Nishiin Maru burns 20 tons of fuel per day. The Oriental Bluebird burns 25 tons of fuel a day and each of the smaller ships burns between 5 and 10 tons of fuel a day. The Fukuyoshi Maru No. 2 burns between 15 and 20 tons per day. In total the Japanese whaling fleet has used well over 2,000 tons of fuel at a cost in excess of two million dollars without killing a single whale.
Since the departure of the Greenpeace ship Esperanza, the Nishiin Maru has moved 300 miles east. Accompanied by the Oceanic Viking the whaling fleet is situated east of the 100 Degree East line of Longitude 1800 miles southwest of Fremantle.
In addition to the six ships of the Japanese fleet, there is the supply vessel Oriental Bluebird and the Japanese mystery vessel Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 which has been assigned to exclusively tail the Steve Irwin.
In order to return this season, the Steve Irwin needs support to refuel. The ships needs some repair work done on one of the main engines, a replacement helicopter blade, fresh provisions and some new volunteers.
"Unfortunately we don't have the kind of budget that Greenpeace has," said Captain Paul Watson. "Each year we exhaust our resources on this campaign. We need support to purchase 200 tons of marine diesel fuel. If we can get that support, we can refuel and return."
The Steve Irwin has used 200 tons of fuel since the beginning of the campaign. Sea Shepherd is also looking to recruit new volunteers with mechanical, navigational, medical, seamanship, and cooking skills.
"It there is the will there is a way," said Captain Paul Watson. "We need to make every effort to keep the pressure on the Japanese whaling fleet, to keep them on the move and to keep them from killing whales. Given the fuel, we can keep up the pressure."
Captain Paul Watson
Master - The Steve Irwin
Master - The Farley Mowat
Founder and President of the
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
www.Seashepherd.org
27/01: Greenpeace Protects Japanese Whalers from Sea Shepherd
Greenpeace Protects Japanese Whalers from Sea ShepherdThe Greenpeace ship Esperanza has stopped chasing the Japanese whaling factory ship the Nishiin Maru and is heading back to New Zealand.
Sea Shepherd 2nd Officer Peter Hammarstedt called Greenpeace Campaign Leader Karli Thomas on the Esperanza to request the position of the Nishiin Maru. She responded by saying that it was not necessary for Sea Shepherd to have the coordinates for the Niishiin Maru because the Oceanic Viking would continue documenting the activities of the factory ship to carry on the work that Greenpeace has been doing.
In other words, asked Mr. Hammarstedt, "you aren't interested in Sea Shepherd preventing the killing of whales now that you've left?" Ms. Thomas responded by saying that Greenpeace had no intention of cooperating with Sea Shepherd and then hung up.
From the beginning of this campaign, Sea Shepherd has tried to cooperate with Greenpeace. Sea Shepherd provided coordinates to Greenpeace last year for the whalers and provided the coordinates to the catcher boats this year. Sea Shepherd also offered to share the Sea Shepherd helicopter with Greenpeace. All attempts to cooperate on a united front to protect whales have been rebuffed by Greenpeace.
"I really have to question just what is Greenpeace's motivation in coming down here year after year." Said Captain Paul Watson. "Their campaigns are always more of the same, buzzing about in rubber boats, hanging banners and filming whales being killed. Things have changed dramatically since Sea Shepherd has been intervening. Whales don't die when we show up. Instead the whalers run and they keep running. The whalers have never run from Greenpeace before and they were not running from them this year either. Even the whalers have admitted they have been running from the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin."
What the general public is not aware of is the massive fund-raising advertising campaign that Greenpeace runs every year to raise millions of dollars for a campaign they spend only a fraction of that money on. In addition to television ads Greenpeace has bought the online advertising rights to major newspapers, to Google and other media sites. Whenever anyone clicks on a whale story up pops an ad asking for donations to be sent to Greenpeace.
"This is all well and good," said Captain Paul Watson, "but with the amount of revenue Greenpeace is bringing in why are they leaving for the season? They should get up to the nearest port, fill up their fuel tanks and get back down to the Southern Ocean and continue their campaign. The whalers will be down here for another two months. Plenty of time to refuel and return. But they won't do it. They have their pictures and they have their story and that is fuel enough to generate a fund-raising program for the rest of the year."
If Sea Shepherd had the resources, the Steve Irwin would refuel and return but the annual Sea Shepherd budget of 2 million dollars is very small in comparison to the budget of Greenpeace which is in excess of one hundred million dollars.
"We will do everything we can with the resources we have but I can tell you this," said Captain Watson. "If we had a fraction of the Greenpeace budget we will have two ships down here from the beginning of the whaling season until the end.
The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin continues to pursue the Japanese Catcher vessels in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. The Japanese ship Fukoyoshi Maru No. 2 continues to tail the Steve Irwin to keep the fleet posted on the Steve Irwin's position."
"Because of this spy vessel tailing us we will not be able to close in on the whalers but we can continue to chase them and keep them on the run and if they are running they won't be whaling." Said Captain Watson
from www.seashepherd.org
23/01: Steve Irwin Bushwhacks Japanese Spy Ship
Steve Irwin Bushwhacks Japanese Spy Ship - by Captain Paul WatsonThe Fukoyoshi Maru 68 is a mystery. Its a large fast drag trawler without fishing gear, bristling with surveillance gear and it has been tailing the Sea Shepherd Conservation ship Steve Irwin for a week, always keeping a distance of 7 to 10 miles away.
For the last day, the two ships have been moving rapidly to the east towards the location of the Japanese fleet. Both ships have been threading their way through a floating archipelago of small to medium sized icebergs
Today, the Sea Shepherd crew prepared a surprise for the spy ship. Ducking behind an iceberg, the Steve Irwin dropped a fast Delta boat to hang close to the berg. The Sea Shepherd helicopter the "Kookaburra" landed on the berg and both the boat crew and the chopper waited as the Steve Irwin resumed course to the east.
The Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 sailed right into the trap and the Delta crew roared out from behind the berg to confront the Japanese vessel and the helicopter flew overtop to document the encounter.
The engagement was staged in an attempt to expose the purpose of the Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68.
At the sight of the Delta and the helicopter the Japanese ship turned tail and ran to the west as the Steve Irwin came around 180 degrees to turn the tables, chasing the spy ship instead.
The vessel was clearly intimidated by the sudden appearance of the Delta boat and the helicopter while they were focused on tailing the Steve Irwin some 9 miles ahead of them.
The Delta crew did not attempt to damage the Fukoyoshi Maru No. 68. "They are not part of the whaling fleet," said Captain Paul Watson, "although there is no doubt they are connected to the fleet. We were not going to waste our disruption materials on a vessel not involved with the actual killing of whales."
The Steve Irwin continues to head eastward towards the Japanese whaling fleet which continues to lie some 20 hours to the east.
"They know we are coming and they have two choices. They can keep running and not kill whales or they can stop to catch whales and we will catch up with them." said Captain Watson. "We prefer to engage them but we have the satisfaction of knowing that while they continue to run from us, whales will not be killed."
Captain Paul Watson
Master - The Steve Irwin
Master - The Farley Mowat
Founder and President of the
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
www.Seashepherd.org
(photos from seashepherd)
