All at sea (Sea Shepherd leaving Antarctic waters)

[Barrett808]

All at sea
Andrew Darby, Hobart
February 9, 2007

IT WAS pitched as a high-seas battle between three anti-whaling ships and Japan's six-ship whaling fleet.

But after nearly five weeks in polar waters, the hardline activists of Sea Shepherd are set to leave the Antarctic without having found their quarry, and now are pleading with Australia to let their "pirate" ships land here.

Two Sea Shepherd ships and a Greenpeace vessel, Esperanza, have beens searching the vast Ross Sea for the whalers, which plan to harpoon up to 945 whales this summer.

...

But its ships have found no trace of the whalers. Now, with fuel running low and claims that the Japanese have used satellites to spy on them, Sea Shepherd are in trouble with shipping authorities. The Farley Mowat has been struck off the Belizean ship register, and the Robert Hunter is set to lose its British flag after Japanese diplomatic pressure. Both vessels will then be regarded as "pirate" ships under the UN Law of the Sea.

(more)

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/all-at-sea/2007/02/08/1170524233638.html

[The Stranger]

1. At least they disrupted the "hunt," maybe prevented some of it.

Keep keepin' on, I say.

[geomon666]

2. Do they still hang pirates?

Just curious.

[peacebuzzard]

3. the Sea Shepherd's web site offered a bounty for information as to the

whereabouts of the whale hunt boats. Too bad no info was offered the Captain Watson.

[barb162]

4. The Japanese should quit this crap already

Years ago, they used "scientific inquiry" as an excuse for whale hunt slaughters. Now they just do it because they want to do it.

[Solo_in_MD]

5. The Sea Shepherd society knew the risks when they went "flagless"

However, Australia will let them dock for humanitarian reasons if needed (1st law of the sea is the protection of human life). Whether they will be allowed to depart is another story. Not enough of a sea lawyer, but unless there are violations, its not clear why they would be held, esp with Aus. public opinion so anti whaling.

[Barrett808]

6. But wait! "Japanese Whaling Fleet Forced to Run from Sea Shepherd"

Japanese Whaling Fleet Forced to Run from Sea Shepherd
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2722823&mesg_id=2722823

[Judi Lynn]

7. Great news! More power to them. n/t