Anti-whaling group forced to halt it’s chase of Japanese fleet

Sea Shepherd, the marine conservation group, has abandoned its campaign of action against Japanese whales in the Antarctic due to low fuel in it’s ship.

The ship is headed to Australia to undergo small repairs, whilst it’s crew aim to obtain enough fuel to continue the gripping chase of harpoons.

Paul Watson, captain of the Steve Irwin said that the ship has only enough fuel to be able to reach Melbourne and so has had to abandon it’s pursuit of the Japanese whale poachers.

The campaign saw the Japanese poachers being pursued over an estimated 6000 nautical miles, halfway to Africa and back to an area Southwest of Fremantle, Western Australia.

Greenpeace also called off it’s campaign at the weekend as its ship, the Esperanza, was also running out of fuel following a two week chase of the Japanese fleet’s factory ship.

Greenpeace disapproves of Sea Shepherd’s direct tactics and claimed that it’s tactics had saved over 100 whales by making the rest of the fleet ineffective as the other hunter vessels are unable to operate without the factory vessel.

The Japanese hunt is set to end by mid-April when it’s quota of 835 minkes and 50 fins is fulfilled.

Although commercial whaling was banned in 1986, Japan is permitted to perform culls annually for what they class as cetacean research.

The exit from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary by campaigners will allow for the cull to be quickly resumed and allow the Japanese to get closer to fulfilling it’s quota.

Both groups of campaigners say that they are trying to negotiate with Japan to cancel the hunt altogether and have currently managed to hold up the hunt for three weeks.

Sea Shepherd explained how there was some feeling within Japan that the hunting was not worth the worldwide condemnation Japan is receiving.

This indication that domestic opinion is turning against the hunt sheds a positive light upon the matter. Both groups of campaigners say that they will be returning next year and are currently trying to raise funds to refuel to continue the campaign this year.