Three Injured as Japan Whalers Use Hooks

01/18/2012

SYDNEY, Jan 18, 2012 (AFP) - Three anti-whaling demonstrators have been injured after Japanese crew members used grappling hooks and bamboo poles against them in a high seas clash, activist group Sea Shepherd said Wednesday.
  
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which annually shadows and harasses the Japanese whaling fleet, claimed two activists were struck in the shoulder with iron hooks and one was hit twice in the face with a long bamboo pole.

The Yushin Maru No. 2 (YS2) is tailing the Steve Irwin anti-whaling ship in the Southern Ocean and the incident happened about 300 nautical miles north of Mawson Peninsula in Antarctica, according to Sea Shepherd.

[Meet the Sea Shepherd Crew]
  
"Our small boats were attempting to slow down the Japanese harpoon vessel Yushin Maru No. 2, which is aggressively tailing the Steve Irwin," Captain Paul Watson said on the Sea Shepherd website.
  
During the incident, he said American Brian Race was jabbed twice in the face with a bamboo pole, receiving lacerations above his right eye and on his nose.
  
South African Russell Bergh, a cameraman for cable television channel Animal Planet, was struck in the right arm and shoulder with an iron grappling hook, resulting in deep bruising.

[Watch: The Tools and Tactics of Sea Shepherd]
  
Watson said French photographer Guillaume Collet was also hit in the right arm and shoulder by a grappling hook and injured.
  
Japan's Fisheries Agency disputed the account, accusing the activists of starting the conflict by using ropes to try to disable the ship's rudder and propeller and hurling at least 30 bottles containing paint.
  
"They hurled iron hooks with ropes several times. They cut ropes and nets in floats attached to YS2 to prevent outsiders from climbing aboard,"
Fisheries said.
  
"YS2 gave warnings, by voice and water cannon, to the obstructive activities. It also used bamboo poles to push back the small boats when they tried to cut off ropes attached to floats and nets against trespassers."
  
The Agency called Sea Shepherd's actions "extremely dangerous acts which threaten the safety of our country's vessel and the life of its crew."

Three whaling ships, led by the 720-tonne Yushin Maru No. 2, were seen leaving the Japanese port of Shimonoseki on December 6 for the annual hunt, with security measures beefed up after clashes in previous years.
  
Their mission is officially said to be for "scientific research", with the fleet aiming to catch around 900 minke and fin whales, according to a plan submitted by the government to the International Whaling Commission.
  
Watson said two of the three Japanese harpoon vessels in the area were tailing Sea Shepherd boats as they closed in on their hunting grounds, effectively preventing them from killing whales.
  
"We are almost at the limit of the eastern boundary of their self-assigned hunting area," Watson said. "We should be getting close."  

[See: The Making of Whale Wars]

A second Sea Shepherd vessel, the Bob Barker, is in the area but a third, Brigitte Bardot, was damaged in high seas and forced to return to Australia earlier this month.
  
The Brigitte Bardot was escorted back to port by the Steve Irwin, with the Shonan Maru No. 2 in close pursuit.
  
Three activists from the environmental group Forest Rescue Australia boarded the Shonan Maru as it followed the Steve Irwin back out of port off Australia's west coast on January 7, sparking a diplomatic incident.
  
Japan only agreed to hand the men over after intervention from Canberra, and they were returned to Australia on Monday by a border protection vessel.

- Martin Parry

(photos courtesy of Sea Shepherd)

Related Animal Planet Content

• Watch: The Making of Whale Wars
• Meet: The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
• Learn: More About Japanese Whalers
• Learn: More About Whales and Whaling
• Watch: Whale Wars Clashes and Collisions 

Comments

[Krystal]

Man i hope that Japan gets charged with assault. This is wrong. And something needs to be done about this. I stand by you guys through this as i am a dedicated watcher of your show. Oh and so is my little boy who is always at the edge of his seat rooting you guys on as you proclaim/protect the rights for these beautiful creatures to live amongst us and keep our eco system in check.

[chris]

that would be great if they were charged, but you know they won't. Nothing is ever done about any illegal, aggressive behavior by the Japanese.

[JCSAZ]

You people are idiots. SSCS have been using "illegal and aggressive" behavior since they started. Where's your outrage? Prop fouling? Acid? Broken glass? Polluting the pristine Southern Ocean with all manner of litter and chemicals?

[Andy]

There's a fine line between aggressive and "harmful" behaviour. Sure - both sides are using means that aren't kosher, but I have to take the anti-whaler's side on this.

Sound emitters that can cause helicopter crashes, crashing into ships and hooks. It all seems a bit more serious than tossing glass bottles with rotten milk at the other party. (though I agree that glass splinters are a hazard as well)

[Janette]

Ok, I watch this program religiously. I have seen that the Sea Shepard crew and Bob Barker crew attack them, which provokes the Japanese. But, and I say but...the attacks by the Sea Shepard organization attack with non-lethal force....HARMLESS attacks. This kind of retaliation from the Japanese is criminal. All the Sea Shepard Organization do is try to disable the whaling ships and manufacturing ship to stop the hunts on whales. The Japanese are in the wrong here...like I said CRIMINAL ACTION and they should be punished for this kind of action. I will be watching for the results of this incident closely. Keep up your efforts Sea Shepard....bring a stop to this kind of barbaric action to beautiful creatures of the sea.

[Jeff]

The amount of personal injury is miniscule each year that these two clash. What everyone FAILS to realize is the absolute and total NEGLECT for the law and nature by the Japanese government. How can one people (I understand cultural importance) hunt and kill these beautiful animals each and every year and continue to lie to the world community by saying it is for "scientific research?" This is an absolute outrage in my opinion. Whales were killed thousands of years ago, I understand that. . . . but society as a whole has moved on from where we were back then. Stick to your Fugu and leave the whales alone!!

[Andy]

Perhaps it's time we started distributing flyers to japanese tourists in their own language with graphic pics and sticking really sticky stickers on japanese and sushi restaurants. Japanese public opinion will go a long way in stopping this barbary.

[Igor Purlantov]

The Sea Shepherd's will eventually put the whalers out of business. It is only a matter of time.

www.igor-purlantov.org

[Karen]

Good idea Andy! I'm in!

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I really can not wait for the day till the sea shepards give them what they deserve.

[Christopher]

I have to say well done sea shepard !!! i love watching your show with my partner and our new born baby :) ! the new generation of anti-whales has been born ! Good luck keep up the great work ! You bring hope and inspiration to a man who has lost all respect for man kind !!!!!

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[dennis]

u guys r missing the first most IMPORTANT ISSUE here, waling has been banned for years and only the japs that continue to lie and say they r gathering samples for science, get real! this heartless assault on these and other sea creatures needs to be stopped and monitored , period. the Sea Shepards r using non lethal things while the japs r using criminal acts.

[dennis]

its interesting that the japenese said they were halting waling as of this year and low and behold they r back at it,whats up with that? lies and more lies, they spin the truth to suit their needs, its disgusting, i would be ashamed to be japenese , and they talk about HONOR and SELF RESPECT, what about RESPECTING sea life and ur fellow sailors on the open water risking life and limb, its amazing how some of these comments r so closed minded , UN INFORMED ,and UNEDUCATED

[yoyo]

yall are racist calling them japs rather then calling them whalers. why do you have to point out their nationality? talkin about the japanese are liars and spinning lies it is the whalers not the japanese you should be ashamed