Ocean Conservation / Activism
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Sea Shepherd Spots Dead Whale on Japanese Ship in Australian Sanctuary ... Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Sea Shepherd Spots Dead Whale on Japanese Ship in Australian Sanctuary Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

After five weeks of patrolling the Southern Ocean, Sea Shepherd has located the Japanese whale poachers' factory whaling vessel in the Australian Whale Sanctuary with a dead minke whale on its flensing deck, the first to be documented since the International Court of Justice ruled against their whaling operations in the Antarctic in 2014.

'The whale killers from the Nisshin Maru were caught red-handed slaughtering whales in the Australian Whale sanctuary,' said Captain Adam Meyerson of the Ocean Warrior, Sea Shepherd's newest Southern Ocean patrol ship. 'The Steve Irwin has shut down their illegal operations and caught them trying to hide the evidence.'

'The lack of action by the Turnbull government while whales are being killed in Australian waters just a day after Japan's Prime Minister was on a state visit in Australia shows that the government has no spine when it comes to protecting the wishes of Australians to defend the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary,' Jeff Hansen, managing director of Sea Shepherd Australia, said.

'The fact that the Japanese crew went to cover up their harpoons and the dead minke whale on deck just shows that they know what they're doing is wrong,' said Captain Wyanda Lublink of the MY Steve Irwin. 'They know they are in contempt of the ruling of the International Court of Justice and the Australian Federal Court. How can the Australian government ignore these actions when the majority of Australians condemn what they are doing?'

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society