The Cove is the Critics Choice

The Cove directed by Louie Psihoyos has won the Best Documentary Feature Award at the Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles.

The film about the slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan features interviews with Sea Shepherd President and Founder Captain Paul Watson as well as footage of Sea Shepherd crewmembers Allison Lance and Alex Cornelissen releasing dolphins from the nets at Taiji.

The Cove won out over four other nominees including Michael Jackson?s This Is It.

The Cove shows the efforts of a special team put together by Psihoyos to follow the work of dolphin defender Ric O?Barry to oppose the killing of dolphins by local fishermen in a hidden cove in the whaling town of Taiji, the main source of dolphins captured for entertainment use around the world.

The film has won international acclaim and has exposed the horrific brutality inflicted upon the dolphins in Japan and the repressive measures the Japanese have used to keep their dirty little secret from being exposed. They failed.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is proud of this film. The genesis of the project began in October 2003 when Sea Shepherd sent a crew to document the slaughter. That was the same year that Allison Lance and Alex Cornelissen were arrested for the ?crime? of saving the lives of 15 dolphins by releasing them from the nets.

Although video and photos taken by Sea Shepherd were published worldwide, it took a few more years of activism by O?Barry,  Sea Shepherd, and Surfers for Cetaceans to build up the momentum of a campaign which the film The Cove has brought to international critical review.

Sea Shepherd applauds Louie Psihoyos and his team along with Ric O?Barry. This film now has real potential to win an Academy Award.

Watch the trailer for the film

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Ady Gil Captain Attempts to Serve Arrest Warrant to Captain of the Shonan Maru No. 2

On Friday, January 15, 2010, the crew of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society?s vessel Bob Barker surprised, chased, and engaged the Shonan Maru No. 2, a security ship from the illegal Japanese whaling fleet. The engagement took place between the hours of 8:30 pm and 12:30 am (AEST).

The Shonan Maru No. 2 recently achieved infamy when it violently attacked the Sea Shepherd vessel Ady Gil, threatening the lives of its crew and sinking the vessel due to sustained damage. Today though, the Shonan Maru No. 2 was on the run from the Bob Barker, the irony being that Sea Shepherd adheres to a strict policy of non-violence and has an unblemished 30+ year record of never causing or sustaining any serious injuries while at sea.

Under New Zealand law, a citizen is empowered to serve an arrest warrant on a suspect for a crime that carries a penalty in excess of eight years imprisonment. The charge of attempted murder qualifies and thus Captain Pete Bethune acted in accordance with New Zealand law in his attempt to serve the captain of the Shonan Maru No. 2 who deliberately sank his ship and almost killed his crew and himself.

After a surprise launch, one of Sea Shepherd?s small boats snuck up on the Shonan Maru No. 2 and over a period of more than four hours the Bob Barker slowly closed the gap and harassed the vessel, ordering it to stop and submit to arrest for the crime of attempted murder on the crew of the Ady Gil. Each evasive maneuver from the Shonan Maru No. 2 cost the whalers critical speed.

Said Captain Paul Watson, President and Founder of Sea Shepherd, "Captain Pete Bethune had little choice but to attempt to serve the arrest warrant himself. Down here at the edge of nowhere, without back up from his government, he found he was the only sheriff in town. A captain of a ship that has been sunk by another captain has the authority to bring his attacker to justice. Captain Bethune has been attempting to do just that."

Attempts by this illegal whaling vessel to discourage the small boats launched by the Bob Barker included the use of Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs), several very high-pressure water cannons, and evasive maneuvers.  Some of the crew aboard the Shonan Maru No. 2 were also wearing cylinders on their backs attached to (as yet unidentified) hand-held devices resembling weapons.

Once it became apparent that the Shonan Maru No. 2 would not submit to the arrest, the Bob Barker turned around to continue the hunt for the factory ship of the illegal Japanese fleet.  This will prove difficult with the Shonan Maru No. 2 continuing to follow and monitor the Bob Barker, but Sea Shepherd?s flag ship Steve Irwin is also on the prowl for the illegal whaling fleet, and hopes are high that the floating house of blood known as the Nisshin Maru will soon be located?and shut down.

The Polls Demonstrate that Sea Shepherd Has the Support of the Australian People

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society would not be able to interfere without the support of the concerned citizens of Australia.

We have called this year?s campaign Operation Waltzing Matilda to honor the passion that Australians have for the defense of the whales.

?The ports of Fremantle, Hobart, Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane have been extremely welcoming and I am proud to see that we have the support of the Australian public,? said Captain Paul Watson.

A recent UMR poll of Australians conducted between January 7th and January 11th revealed that 94% of Australians oppose Japanese whaling operations in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

According to the poll, eight out of ten Australians do not believe the Australian government is doing enough to oppose Japanese whaling. Only 9% say the government is doing a good job.

Three quarters of Australian citizens polled said they would be prepared to boycott Japanese products to force an end to the slaughter of the whales.

In reference to the sinking of the Sea Shepherd ship Ady Gil, 56% held the opinion that the Japanese were responsible for deliberately sinking the vessel. Only 19% blamed Sea Shepherd for the collision and 25% were unsure or did not have an opinion.

?Despite the incredible public relations expenditures by the Japanese whaling industry, despite pushing ?experts? to write editorials and be talking heads pushing the agenda of the whalers, the polls indicate that Australians are adamant in opposing the continued illegal activities of the Japanese whalers,? said Sea Shepherd Australian Director Jeff Hansen.

?Australia is the most passionate whale-defending nation on Earth,? said Captain Watson. ?This is an Australian campaign, the majority of the crew are Australian and the Port of Fremantle has been designated as the honorary home port for the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin.  Australia has even become like my second home since 2005. Now if we can just convince the government to reflect some of this great Aussie passion for the whales, we may be able to bring an end to this despicable slaughter in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.?

From an article in The Age: http://www.theage.com.au/national/battle-for-whales-too-weak-poll-finds-20100115-mcku.html

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Canada Harnesses Racism to use Anti-democracy Platform to Peddle Seal Pelts, Penises, and Meat

In an effort to get around the European ban on seal products, the sealing industry and the Canadian government have partnered with the devil to promote their obscene product using racism as a marketing tool and taking advantage of an anti-democratic platform to present their sales pitch to China.

Canadian Fisheries Minister Gail Shea took a delegation of sealing industry executives on a taxpayer paid junket to attend a fashion show in Beijing to introduce Canada?s answer to haute couture. ?Let your people wear seal skins? is the message she is trying to sell.

Canada is hoping to peddle pelts, penises, and seal meat to the Chinese government.

Wayne MacKinnon, one of the sealing industry executives travelling with the Minister boasted, ?The Chinese will eat anything.?

Captain Paul Watson, whose daughter is half Chinese, took a dim view of that statement. ?My daughter is half Chinese and I know for a fact that members of her mother?s family would not eat ?anything? and they certainly would not eat seal meat. The Fisheries Minister should let Mr. MacKinnon know that sort of racist commentary from her beloved seal killers is not going to win her party the Chinese vote in the Lower mainland of Vancouver.?

Gail Shea the Minister was pleased as punch that there were no protesters outside.

In an amazing display of insensitivity to the democratic culture she is supposed to represent, the Minister heaped praise on a society that does not allow dissent.

?Had this been Europe there might have been cans of red paint hurled, incendiary banners held aloft, and outraged protest,? Shea said.

?It is of course appropriate,? said Captain Watson, ?that China, where human beings are brutalized, and the people of Tibet tortured if they dissent, would be a nation that would open a market for a product reaped from the sea with clubs and bullets. What Canada refers to as free trade is actually ?trade where lack of freedom will allow it.??

?I find it humiliating,? Captain Watson added, ?that as a Canadian, my government has sunk to peddling seal pelts, meat, and seal penises. We have a Governor General and a Prime Minister gnawing on raw seal hearts with blood on their lips like little lords and ladies of the flies, and now they are shaking the hands of tyranny to peddle their obscenities to a government that has zero respect for human rights and certainly no respect for the rights or welfare of animals.?

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society maintains that the populations of seals have been reduced to fewer than 10% of their original numbers and it is this diminishment of natural predator populations that is the second root cause for the collapse of the fisheries (the first being human greed and the mass exploitation of the fish by Canadian and European Fisheries over the last two generations).

Photos credit: Greg Hager / Sea Shepherd

Broken Promises Lead to Broken Boats

Statement from Captain Paul Watson

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is not unreasonable, nor irresponsible as claimed by the Japanese government, the New Zealand Foreign Minister, and some Australian media mouthpieces. For the last five years, we have conducted high seas physical opposition to illegal Japanese whaling operations without injuring a single person, without being charged with any crimes, without being charged with any maritime violations.

We are down in these waters for two reasons. Japanese whalers are operating illegally by targeting endangered and protected whales in an established international whale sanctuary in violation of a global moratorium on commercial whaling, in violation of the Antarctic Treaty and in contempt of an Australian Federal Court order.

And the second reason we are down here is because Australia is not down here doing the job they promised they would do.

If the Australian government would like us to desist from our operations than the solution is simple - they should do what they said they would do before they were elected.

If Australia initiates an international legal challenge to Japanese whaling and successfully secures a preliminary injunction preventing the Japanese from killing any whales pending the outcome of the trial, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society would respect this initiative and would retire from the field in order to give the Australian government the opportunity to end this unlawful slaughter of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in the courts.

Sea Shepherd has saved the lives of whales and has cost the Japanese whaling industry a great deal of money. If the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society retires from the field, the whalers will achieve their quota objectives and they will once again profit from their illegal activities.

Sea Shepherd has secured real results without breaking the law and without injuring anyone.

The Japanese whalers on the other hand are in violation of numerous international conservation laws and have been exceptionally violent this season going so far as deliberately destroying the Sea Shepherd vessel Ady Gil.

We don?t like coming down here; we don?t enjoy sacrificing our Christmas holidays and being separated from our families. We are volunteers receiving no financial benefits in exchange for risking our lives, health, and freedoms.

But what choice have we? We cannot stand idly by and watch these whales being slaughtered with impunity by poachers as the governments of the world do nothing. We cannot retreat from this battle knowing that whales will die and laws will continue to be broken if we do, unless we are given hope that this situation will be properly addressed by a government willing to stand up to the bullying arrogance of Japan.

If Kevin Rudd and Peter Garrett really want us to withdraw from our opposition to illegal Japanese whaling, they should step in and take over and simply do what they promised to do before they were elected.

Sea Shepherd is down here because that promise was broken.

McCully Gives Green Light to Japanese Whalers to Kill Kiwi?s

Kiwi Foreign Affairs Minister Should Apologize or Resign Demands Our Sea Shepherd Kiwi Crew

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has basically given the Japanese the green light to escalate their violence at sea against eleven New Zealand crewmembers onboard Sea Shepherd Conservation Society?s marine conservation ships Bob Barker and Steve Irwin.

A New Zealand vessel with four New Zealand crew and one New Zealand cameraman was deliberately rammed by a Japanese whaling vessel. The New Zealand vessel was destroyed and sunk and the New Zealand Foreign Minister blames the victims.

This kind of attitude will surely encourage the Japanese whalers to escalate their violence towards the Sea Shepherd crew.

Sea Shepherd is appalled, shocked, and offended by these grossly irresponsible statements from New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully.

In response to the deliberate ramming of a New Zealand registered vessel with a New Zealand skipper, three additional New Zealand crewmembers, and a New Zealand cameraman and the request for intervention to stop Japanese violence, Murry McCully made these statements:

"If people are determined to break the law and determined to kill other people on the high seas then it is not the responsibility of the New Zealand government or any other government to send armed vessels down there or something of that sort to stop them."

-           Murray McCully, New Zealand Foreign Minister

AND

"We've got New Zealand citizens that have clearly been behaving in a manner that has put life at risk," he said. "If they are going to go down there looking for trouble and determined to find it then there's nothing we can do to stop them, except urge them to improve their conduct."

-           Murray McCully, New Zealand Foreign Minister

Captain Paul Watson responds, ?The Minister of Foreign Affairs has made ignorant and unsubstantiated accusations and he should apologize and if he refuses to apologize he should be asked to resign. How dare he take Japan?s side in this issue against his own citizens? Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has undertaken six campaigns to the Southern Ocean without causing a single injury, without being charged with a single crime, without being charged with a single maritime violation and without being sued by any government, corporation or individual. The Society demands to know on what grounds and upon what evidence this ridiculous accusation was made.?

?Perhaps Murray McCully should review the video evidence of the Shonan Maru No. 2 deliberately ramming a New Zealand registered vessel, the Ady Gil, before he fires off asinine statements half-cocked concerning issues he has not obviously been briefed on,? Captain Watson continues.

In the 30+ years since Sea Shepherd was founded in 1977, the organization has not caused or sustained a single serious injury or fatality to any person, has never been the subject of a legal suit, and has never had an officer or crewmember convicted of a felony crime. Its record of non-violent, although aggressive, intervention is unblemished.

Sea Shepherd is an anti-poaching marine wildlife conservation organization.

The Japanese whaling fleet is targeting endangered and protected whales (Minke, fins, and humpbacks) in an established international whale sanctuary in violation of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) global moratorium on commercial whaling, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an Australian Federal Court Order of January 2008, the Antarctic Treaty?both for conducting prohibited commercial whaling activity in the treaty zone and for unlawful refueling below sixty degrees latitude, and more.

If a Sea Shepherd ship had rammed and sunk a Japanese ship, there would be no hesitation in sending a Navy ship to the Southern Ocean with a warrant of arrest. Yet we now have a New Zealand vessel sunk, New Zealand lives threatened, and one New Zealander with broken ribs, and New Zealand is doing nothing.,

Sea Shepherd?s current Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign: Operation Waltzing Matilda has 77 crewmembers from 16 different nations, including 22 Australians and 12 New Zealanders.

The 12 crew from New Zealand are:

Captain Peter Bethune 44 of Auckland
|Scott Behrnes 38 of Christchurch
James Burrowes 24 of Ashburton
John Graham 38 of Auckland
Brent King 34 (Maori) from Takapuna
Brad Latimer 25 of Dunedin
David Neale 36 of Lower Hut
Larry Routledge 41 of New Plymouth
Michael Smith 39 of Maungauvi
Jason Stewart 41 of Auckland
Bevin Washer 30 of New Plymouth

Including cameraman:
Simeon Houtman 27 of Papakura

The Busy Little Japanese Kiwi Office of Absurd Propaganda

After suffering the total loss of our ship the Ady Gil, Glen Inwood, the public relations mouthpiece for the Japanese whaling industry, issued a very bizarre media release.

Inwood accuses Sea Shepherd of lying about the Ady Gil sinking. He accuses Sea Shepherd of polluting the Antarctic marine environment with a fuel spill. And he accuses Sea Shepherd of having bows and arrows on board the Ady Gil insinuating the intent of the Ady Gil?s crew was to kill the whalers.

?This is one of the most absurd media releases I have seen this clown issue in years,? said Captain Paul Watson. ?Inwood has pictures of a bow with arrows floating near the submerged hulk of the Ady Gil. I suppose the only reason for this is that guns don?t float and he needed a ?smoking gun? but had to settle for a ?floating arrow?.?

The Sea Shepherd crew on the Bob Barker did not lie about the sinking of the Ady Gil. In fact they notified the Australian maritime authorities that the Ady Gil had to be abandoned because it was partially submerged, its engine room and all compartments flooded, and was slowly sinking. The Ady Gil is a total loss and has officially been declared sunk. The Australian maritime authorities issued a notice to mariners warning of a sinking hulk in the positions indicated.

The day before, the Australian maritime authorities had advised Sea Shepherd that the only obligation the crew had was to rescue all crew members and personal items from the damaged vessel. They advised against re-entering the vessel. Despite this the crew risked their lives to re-enter and to pump all oils and fuel from the Ady Gil in an effort to protect the marine environment from pollution in the likely event of a sinking. Every drop of fuel and oil was removed. When the Bob Barker left the Ady Gil there was not a drop of fuel escaping. Sea Shepherd suspects that the pictures of a spill taken by the Shonan Maru No. 2 while trailing the Bob Barker were set up.

?It only takes a bucket of diesel thrown over the side of the whaling ship to provide the ?evidence? the Japanese are providing, ? said Captain Watson.

It is also totally absurd that the Japanese, who deliberately rammed and destroyed the Ady Gil and refused to offer aid and in response to its distress signal, are now accusing Sea Shepherd of polluting the sea because they (the Japanese) cut the Ady Gil in half.

?In light of the damning documentary evidence of the Shonan Maru No. 2 ramming and destroying the Ady Gil, it is utterly ridiculous to now see the Japanese claiming that the Ady Gil has not really been sunk, that Sea Shepherd caused an oil spill and that weapons meant to kill whalers just happened to be floating around the submerged hulk of the Ady Gil,? said Captain Watson. ?Does Glen Inwood really believe that the people of New Zealand and Australia are so stupid as to swallow this codswallop??

What is really absurd about these ridiculous claims is that on January 5th, the Japanese tanker Hiyo Maru refueled the whaling mother ship Nisshin Maru south of sixty degrees latitude in violation of the Antarctic Treaty that prohibits refueling in the Antarctic Treaty Zone. The refueling took place off Cape Denison in Commonwealth Bay only 15 miles from a large Adelie penguin colony.

It is absurd that the Japanese, who put tens of thousands of penguins in danger and who deliberately rammed and split a conservation ship in half, are now making this ridiculous claim that Sea Shepherd?s actions are a threat to the environment.

Rammed Vessel Ady Gil Sinks

Sea Shepherd Resumes Pursuit of Illegal Whalers

On January 8, 2010 at 17:20 (GMT) the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Bob Barker reported the last known position of another Sea Shepherd vessel, the Ady Gil, to the Australian Rescue Coordination Center (ARCC).  This report was made because the Ady Gil?which was originally going to be towed to a nearby base?is now sinking and could pose a navigation hazard for the next two to three hours.

Having barely survived a vicious attack by the illegal Japanese whaling vessel Shonan Maru No. 2 on January 6, 2010, the Ady Gil began taking on water.  Since that time, Bob Barker crew members have been working around the clock in an attempt to save the ship and remove possible environmental hazards in case the vessel had further complications while being towed.

During the final towing attempt, the ropes holding the Ady Gil in place behind the Bob Barker snapped?seemingly the result of water accumulating in the vessel. Upon examination, the Ady Gil was found to be approximately 30% submerged, including the engine room and main fuel tanks.  Fortunately, all fuel and lubricants had been removed from the Ady Gil hours earlier.

The Bob Barker?s call to the ARCC fulfilled Sea Shepherd?s legal reporting requirements for this incident, but not its obligation to protect whales from the illegal Japanese fleet that is killing whales illegally in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

The Bob Barker will now rejoin the Steve Irwin in pursuit of the whaling fleet to continue defending the whales.

photo: Glenn Lockitch / Sea Shepherd

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Japanese Whalers Ram Sea Shepherd Ship Ady Gil

Famed trimaran is sinking in the Southern Ocean

Six crewmembers Rescued by the Sea Shepherd Ship Bob Barker

In an unprovoked attack captured on film, the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru No. 2 deliberately rammed and caused catastrophic damage to the Sea Shepherd trimaran Ady Gil.

Six crew crewmembers, four from New Zealand, one from Australia, and one from the Netherlands were immediately rescued by the crew of the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker. None of the crew Ady Gil crew were injured.

The Ady Gil is believed to be sinking and chances of salvage are very grim.

According to eyewitness Captain Chuck Swift on the Bob Barker, the attack happened while the vessels were dead in the water. The Shonan Maru No. 2 suddenly started up and deliberately rammed the Ady Gil ripping eight feet of the bow of the vessel completely off. According to Captain Swift, the vessel does not look like it will be saved.

?The Japanese whalers have now escalated this conflict very violently,? said Captain Paul Watson. ?If they think that our remaining two ships will retreat from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in the face of their extremism, they will be mistaken.  We now have a real whale war on our hands now and we have no intention of retreating.?

Captain Paul Watson onboard the Steve Irwin is racing towards the area at 16 knots but still remains some five hundred miles to the north. The Bob Barker has temporarily stopped the pursuit of the Nisshin Maru to rescue the crew of the Ady Gil. The Japanese ships initially refused to acknowledge the May Day distress of the Ady Gil, but ultimately did acknowledge the call.  Despite acknowledging the call, they did not offer to assist the Ady Gil or the Bob Barker in any way.

The incident took place at 64 Degrees and 03 Minutes South and 143 Degrees and 09 Minutes East

Until this morning the Japanese were completely unaware of the existence of the Bob Barker. This newest addition to the Sea Shepherd fleet left Mauritius off the coast of Africa on December 18th and was able to advance along the ice edge from the West as the Japanese were busy worrying about the advance of the Steve Irwin from the North.

?This is a substantial loss for our organization,? said Captain Watson. ?The Ady Gil, the former Earthrace, represents a loss of almost two million dollars. However the loss of a single whale is of more importance to us and we will not lose the Ady Gil in vain. This blow simply strengthens our resolve, it does not weaken our spirit.?

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is requesting that the Australian government send a naval vessel to restore the peace in the waters of the Australian Antarctic Territory. We have 77 crew from 16 nations on three vessels, six of them were on the Ady Gil. Of these, 21 are Australian citizens: 16 Australians on the Steve Irwin and five on the Bob Barker. Sea Shepherd believes that the Australian government has a responsibility to protect the lives of Australian citizens working to defend whales from illegal Japanese whaling activities.

?Australia needs to send a naval vessel down here as soon as possible to protect both the whales and the Australian citizens working to defend these whales,? said Steve Irwin Chief Cook Laura Dakin of Canberra. ?This is Australian Antarctic Territorial waters and I see the Japanese whalers doing whatever they want with impunity down here without a single Australian government vessel anywhere to be found. Peter Garrett, I have one question for you: Where the bloody hell are you??

photos: JoAnne McArthur / Sea Shepherd

Sea Shepherd Goes On the Offensive in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has escalated the battle to save the whales in the Southern Ocean, has out maneuvered the Japanese security vessels, and is now in full pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet.

Captain Paul Watson is feeling more like an Admiral this year. He is presently hundreds of miles from the frontline action that is taking place in Commonwealth Bay off the Adelie Coast as two of his three ships are in full pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet.

The Steve Irwin is expected to join the battle within three days armed with a full load of fuel and fresh supplies.

As the Japanese security ships searched the seas to the north of the whaling fleet looking for the Steve Irwin, Sea Shepherd surprised the whalers with a ship they were completely unaware of  - the Bob Barker, a former Norwegian Antarctic whaling vessel now turned whale defender.

The Bob Barker under Captain Chuck Swift set out from Mauritius on December 18th on the long voyage across the bottom of the Indian Ocean. On the morning of January 6th at 0300 Hours they found the Nisshin Maru and her four harpoon vessels. The Japanese whalers were caught completely off guard unaware that Sea Shepherd has three ships in the campaign this year.

Joining the Bob Barker this morning was the fast patrol vessel Ady Gil out of New Zealand and skippered by Pete Bethune. The Bob Barker and the Ady Gil are chasing the Nisshin Maru away from the Whale Sanctuary and all whaling operations have been halted.

The Japanese strategy was to keep the Steve Irwin away from the fleet by dedicating a faster ship to tail the Sea Shepherd crew. Using aerial surveillance the Japanese located the Steve Irwin on December 9th at the 200-mile limit off the Australian coast. They relayed that information to the waiting Shonan Maru No. 2. Six hours later, the faster Japanese vessel intercepted the Steve Irwin making it impossible for the Sea Shepherd crew to locate the main body of the Japanese fleet. Attempts to lose the tail were unsuccessful, forcing Captain Watson to return to Tasmania where he refueled and then departed undercover of a storm on the evening of December 31st.

Despite the Japanese sending multiple surveillance planes up all day on January 1st, 2010, the Steve Irwin slipped past the Japanese security vessel Yushin Maru undetected. The Shonan Maru No. 2 had returned to the fleet to refuel and was replaced at the 200-mile limit by the Yushin Maru.

The objective of Sea Shepherd?s three-ship campaign is to bankrupt the illegal Japanese whaling fleet and to sink them economically.

?This year, I have three ships, four small boats, a jet ski, a helicopter, 77 crew, and a bagful of aggravation for the Japanese whale poachers,? said Captain Paul Watson. ?We intend to make life miserable for the whale killers over the next month and a half.?

Included in the crew is the Animal Planet crew filming the third season of the hit television series ?Whale Wars.?

The Sea Shepherd crew number 77 from 16 nationalities including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Bob Barker:  Crew of 30, Captain Chuck Swift (USA)
Steve Irwin: Crew of 41, Captain Paul Watson (Canada)
Ady Gil: Crew of 6, Captain Peter Bethune (New Zealand)

Whalers Pose as New Zealand Government Agents to Track Sea Shepherd

The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin left Hobart, Tasmania at 1800 Hours on December 31^st, 2009 to return to the search in the Southern Ocean for the illegal operations of the Japanese whaling fleet.

The Steve Irwin had lost the tail of the Shonan Maru No. 2 when the Sea Shepherd crew returned to Tasmania. The Japanese were anxious to put that tail back on the anti-whaling ship knowing that a continued tracking of the Steve Irwin would keep the conservationists away from the whaling fleet.

The Japanese were desperate to not lose track of the Steve Irwin, so desperate that they appear to have fraudulently poised as New Zealand government agents in their efforts to find the Steve Irwin at sea.

On January 1st, 2010 two men, Glen Inwood and Chris Johnston from Omeka Communications located in Wellington, New Zealand chartered a Chieftain aircraft out of Melbourne. They identified themselves as acting on behalf of the government of New Zealand to track down and locate a New Zealand catamaran and the Steve Irwin on the pretext that if they (the Sea Shepherd ships) were to get in trouble it would cost the New Zealand government a great deal of money to rescue. They wanted the ships located and an estimate given of their track and speed.

The Chieftain aircraft undertook two four-hour searches. The searches failed to find the Steve Irwin. The Ady Gil, the Sea Shepherd catamaran, was fourteen hundred miles south so finding it was out of the question. It was the Steve Irwin they were looking for.

The two searches failed to find the Steve Irwin so Inwood and Johnston chartered a second Chieftain for another four hour flight. It also failed to spot the Steve Irwin.

Sitting at the 200-mile limit, the Japanese harpoon vessel Yushin Maru waited for word from the spotter planes to resume the tail on the Steve Irwin. It had been spotted and identified by a boat out of Hobart with a six-person crew identifying themselves as the Taz Patrol.

Meanwhile, the Steve Irwin had latched onto a passing storm and rode the winds and heavy rains across the Economic Exclusion Zone into international waters undetected.

The 12 hours of flight with the Chieftains at $1,610 an hour cost Glen Inwood $18,320. He put it on his personal credit card.

Was Glen Inwood a representative of the New Zealand government as he said?

No, Mr. Inwood owns Omeka Communications, the New Zealand public relations firm that represents the Japanese whaling industry.

It will be interesting to see if the New Zealand government has a problem with a Japanese hired public relations firm representing themselves as New Zealand government agents.

The end result was that the search was unsuccessful, the Steve Irwin is running south without a Japanese tail, the Yushin Maru is not whaling, and the whaling industry is out another $18 thousand dollars.

The Time is Right for Bob Barker to Rescue the Whales

Bob Barker Donates $5,000,000 to Sea Shepherd for Ocean Conservation

Another anti-whaling ship arrived in the Southern Ocean today, unexpected and right on time: the Bob Barker.

The 1,200-ton Norwegian built Antarctic harpoon vessel caught up with the Japanese whaling fleet at 0300 Hours on Wednesday, January 6th, in the area of Commonwealth Bay off the Adelie Coast at 143 Degrees 17 Minutes East and 66 Degrees 43 Minutes South. The Norwegian flag cracked in the chill Antarctic air as the silhouette of the whaler gave every indication that the ship was sent to support the Japanese whalers.

The Japanese could be forgiven for thinking that the pro-whaling Norwegians had sent a ship to support their illegal whaling activities in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. But any excitement turned to disappointment quickly as the Norwegian flag was hauled down and the black and white skull with crossed Trident and Shepherd?s crook was raised to announce the arrival of the Bob Barker, the latest ship acquired for the Sea Shepherd ocean defense fleet.   

Thanks to a $5,000,000 contribution from American television personality and icon Bob Barker, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was able to quietly purchase and refit the former Norwegian whaler in Africa. The ice strengthened fast chaser boat quietly departed from Mauritius on December 18th to join up with the Sea Shepherd ships Steve Irwin and Ady Gil in the Southern Ocean.

Barker has also funded the cost of a helicopter that will accompany the society?s ships. The aircraft is named The Nancy Burnet after the president of United Activists for Animal Rights, an organization Barker also supports. This new helicopter will participate in future campaigns.

?I?m delighted to be able to help the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in its mission to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world?s oceans,? said Barker. ?There is lot of talk about preserving our ecosystems and species, but this is one organization that puts these words into action.?

For the first time ever, Sea Shepherd has three ships on the Japanese fleet and each ship gives the campaign unique abilities. The long range fast ice class Bob Barker will take the lead in harassing the Japanese fleet and will be able to stay on station for three solid months without refueling. The Steve Irwin will be carrying the campaign helicopter and will coordinate all flight activities in addition to blocking loading operations on the Nisshin Maru, the factory ship. The Ady Gil, with twice the speed of the Japanese harpoon vessels, will concentrate on intercepting the fast chaser vessels to block their hunting activities.

The objective of the Sea Shepherd fleet is to sink the Japanese whaling fleet economically ? to bankrupt the whaling industry by cutting whale kill quotas in half and costing the whaling fleet their annual profits.

This year?s campaign has been named Operation Waltzing Matilda to reflect the Sea Shepherd?s gratitude to the people of Australia for their incredible support since 2005 for our activities.    

Thanks to the generous support of Bob Barker, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been given the means to seriously impact the profits of the whaling industry this season. Now more than ever, we are confident that we will be able to drive the outlaw whalers from the waters of the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.  

The Japanese whalers are discovering that the price is no longer right. With Sea Shepherd cutting their kill quotas in half and cancelling their profits for a fourth year in a row, the heavily subsidized whaling industry is on the ropes financially.

?We intend to bankrupt the whalers,? said Captain Paul Watson.

Sea Shepherd Turns the Tables on the Whalers

The Pursued are Now Once Again - the Pursuers

The Japanese are again in pursuit of the Steve Irwin but this time they are far behind the Sea Shepherd crew and unable to relay our position to the main body of whale poachers with the Japanese whaling fleet.

The Japanese whaling fleet security ship does not know where the Steve Irwin is, but thanks to a group of dedicated whale defenders from Tasmania calling themselves the ?Taz Patrol,? we know where the Japanese ship is.

The Shonan Maru No. 2 has been replaced with one of the harpoon vessels from the Yushin class.  We suspect that the Shonan Maru No. 2 may have had to return to the fleet to refuel.  We know they were running low on fuel from the distance they traveled and how high they were riding out of the water when last we saw them.

Our sources in Tasmania also reported that two planes had been chartered to search for the Steve Irwin but had returned unsuccessful.

Posted on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/taz_patrol

"YM 1,2 or 3 was found over 12 hours ago at 47'48'' S, 146' 33''E.. SM2 location unknown........"

Our plan to ride a storm through the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) worked perfectly. Unable to be spotted from the air and shielded by high winds and heavy seas, we cruised just out of radar range of the waiting Japanese vessel(s), slipped past them, and headed south.

If one of the Yushin Maru harpoon vessels is two hundred miles south of Tasmania, it means they are definitely not harpooning whales. In their efforts to intercept our approach the whaling fleet is being forced to direct their harpoon vessels into acting as bodyguards and scout vessels.

The Ady Gil ran short of fresh water two days ago but the resourceful crew simply captured a large growler and melted it. Fresh clear and clean water is in plentiful supply in the Southern Ocean. The Ady Gil continues their patrol in search of the Japanese whaling fleet.

The pieces in this strategic board game are coming together. The Steve Irwin and the Ady Gil are trying to find the whaling fleet and the harpoon vessels are trying to find the Sea Shepherd ships.  All of this is being played out in a vast expanse of ocean larger than Europe or the United States.

?The name of the game is profit and loss,? said Captain Paul Watson. ?To win this war for the whales we need to make sure to keep their losses high and their profits low. For three years they have failed to turn a profit because we have prevented them from taking their full kill quota. I am pleased that this year that not only will we impact the quota, we will see a large increase in their costs for deploying two ships dedicated to thwarting our plans. Our intention is to bankrupt these whale killing thugs. This is the language their tattooed Yakuza bosses understand?

The Steve Irwin continues to ride the storm clouds southward in search of the Nisshin Maru and her bloody gang of harpooners.

Thank-you Taz Patrol

The Yushin Maru was found lurking on the Australian 200 mile limit thanks to six people on a small motor vessel touring the South Pacific.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is very grateful for the assistance and the success of the Taz Patrol in locating the Japanese harpoon vessel.

?Knowing that we have slipped by the Japanese security forces and that they are now far to the North of us has given us reason to relax for the first time in days,? said Captain Paul Watson.

The Sea Shepherd Society does not know who these six people are but once again it is obvious that concerned citizens are stepping up to the plate to take on the responsibilities that governments are neglecting to enforce.

Below are some of the twitter posts from the Taz Patrol.

Twitter posts (note dates and times), the first post they made is at the bottom:

# Whilst Yushin Maru class harpoon is up here it isn't whaling. Well done SI for diverting the ships! Is SM2 scared to face us without backup?    about 11 hours ago   from web

# How many vessels are searching for the SI? Seen one harpoon vessel of Yushin Maru class. How many others up here trying to track the SI? about 11 hours ago from web

# YM 1,2 or 3 was found over 12 hours ago at 47'48'' S, 146' 33''E.. SM2 location unknown. It's Possible SM2 scared and called reinforcements. about 11 hours ago from web

# Whaling vessel found! Nearly 300nm south Tasmania. NOT Shonan Maru 2 visual shows superstructure is one of Yushin Maru class (1, 2 or 3) about 11 hours ago from web

# Still intend to investigate radar contact. Conditions + heading + speed of target mean a few hours before visual contact possible. 5:13 PM Jan 1st from web

# Steve Irwin claims to be out of the danger area. We wish the crew of the Steve Irwin luck in finding the whaling fleet scum. 5:09 PM Jan 1st from web

# Radar Contact!!! As yet unknown vessel 3:17 PM Jan 1st from web

# Conditions been difficult recently. One large wave hit side on. The old girl is handling amazingly well. We continue our search. 11:34 AM Jan 1st from web

# Steve Irwin has left port. It is now urgent we locate SM2.Increased speed to cover more area. This reduces our range but time is limited. 12:15 PM Dec 31st, 2009 from web

# Happy New Year to everyone except the whalers. To those scum: head's up, we're coming for ya. 7:18 AM Dec 31st, 2009 from web

# Our last update of 2009. Our New Year resolution is simple: we will not back down. We did not come all this way to run away. 3:16 AM Dec 31st, 2009 from web

# Search continuing. So far no ships spotted. Should any boat wish to help we can provide details of areas already searched. 5:13 PM Dec 30th, 2009 from web

# Reached EEZ limit. Starting search for whaling security vessel. 9:17 AM Dec 30th, 2009 from web

# We are at sea heading for the edge of the EEZ. Hoping to tag on to the Shonan Maru 2 and relay her co-ordinates. 4:23 PM Dec 29th, 2009 from web

Sea Shepherd Evades Pursuit by Japanese Whaling Fleet Security Vessel

The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin has successfully left the Australian Economic Zone (EEZ) without any sign of the Japanese whaling fleet security ship Shonan Maru No. 2.

The Steve Irwin departed from Hobart at 1800 Hours on December 31st and took advantage of gale force winds and heavy swells to slip past the waiting Japanese vessel.

?It?s a big ocean down here they have no idea where we are,? said Captain Paul Watson.  ?I?m now confident that we can proceed with our search for the Japanese whaling fleet without further interference from the Shonan Maru No. 2.?

The Sea Shepherd vessel Ady Gil is patrolling the Southern Ocean in advance of the Steve Irwin in search of the fleet.

The Shonan Maru No. 2 was waiting for the Steve Irwin when it left Fremantle on December 7th. The Japanese had chartered an aircraft out of Albany to locate the conservation vessel. They then relayed the Steve Irwin?s position to the Shonan Maru No. 2 to enable the Japanese security vessel to intercept the Steve Irwin.

The Steve Irwin was unable to lose the pursuit of the Shonan Maru No. 2 for more than two weeks. Only by returning to Tasmania was the tail lost because Japanese whaling ships are prohibited from entering Australian territorial waters.

?Thanks to the stormy weather, there was no possibility of a chartered flight locating the Steve Irwin and we were able to pass back into international waters without any sign of the Shonan Maru No. 2,? said Captain Watson. ?They will be hard pressed to locate us now and without them on our tail, I am confident that we will be able to track down the whale poachers in the Australian Antarctic Territory.?

The Sea Shepherd crew hopes to find the whaling fleet as quickly as possible.

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Sea Shepherd?s Steve Irwin Crew Return to the Battle

The Steve Irwin was able to slip into Hobart, Tasmania and out again within 60 hours. During that time, it took on a full load of fuel, provisions, and supplies and was able to service bridge electronics and communications gear.

The people of Hobart were, as they always are, exceptionally supportive and generous.

The Steve Irwin crew left Hobart at 1800 hours before the New Year?s festivities could begin. Time can?t be spared to party while whales are dying. There was not a single complaint from the international crew. Not a one was wishing they were anywhere else but onboard this ship heading back to intercept the Japanese whaling fleet.

The most positive outcome of the return to Australian waters is that the Japanese security vessel Shonan Maru No. 2 had to end their pursuit the moment the Steve Irwin re-entered the 200-mile economic zone.

The Japanese whaling ships are prohibited from passage through Australia territorial waters and are denied use of Australian port authorities.

When the Steve Irwin left Fremantle, the Japanese hired aircraft to scout out the position and relay the information to the Shonan Maru No. 2.

The crew of the Steve Irwin were surprised that the Japanese government have gone to such expensive lengths in dedicating two security vessels to guard their whaling fleet this season. It is certainly an indication that the interventions by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society are being taken seriously and that the five previous campaigns have cost the Japanese whaling industry their profits for the last three seasons.

Meanwhile, the Sea Shepherd ship Ady Gil is scouring the coast of Antarctica searching for the main body of the Japanese whaling fleet.

?We have seen the Japanese strategy for this year and now that we know that there are two dedicated security ships and that their intention is to track us to keep us away from the fleet, we can mount a counter strategy,? said Captain Paul Watson.  ?We will find this fleet of poachers and we will intervene and we will disrupt and shut down their operations.?

The Steve Irwin will be back in the remote and hostile waters of the Southern Ocean off the coast of Antarctica in 7 to 9 days.

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Ady Gil Experiences Humpback Encounter

On one of the last days of 2009, the crew of the Ady Gil received a belated Christmas present from Mother Nature.  While searching for the Japanese poaching ships in Antarctic waters, three Humpback whales decided to show themselves to the Ady Gil crew and approached the ship. At first the animals hesitated to come close, but after a while their curiosity overcame their hesitation and they swam right up to the vessel. They stayed with the Ady Gil for over half an hour, coming to the surface every now and then to have a peak at the crew who were starring at them in awe.

"It gives you a very humbling feeling to see those magnificent animals. It kind of explains it again why I am here in Antarctica,? says Jimmie Burrowes from Ashburton, NZ. ?These whales put a real face to the journey. But it makes me mad at the same time, knowing that there are people out here killing these intelligent creatures."

The Japanese whalers stated intentions to add 50 humpback whales to their self-imposed quota this year. Humpback whales travel to Antarctica to feed before swimming to shallow waters to give birth to their young.

For five-time Antarctic veteran crewmember Simeon Houtman, the encounter was the most amazing experience in his life. "I've never seen whales so close to a Sea Shepherd vessel. It was unbelievable," he said.

Engineer Jason couldn't agree more, "One day when I'm on my deathbed and I'll make a top 10 of most wonderful things I've ever experienced, this is going to outrank everything."

After half an hour of enjoying the stunning beauty of the Antarctic wildlife, the Ady Gil continued their search for the Japanese whaling fleet.

Photos: Laurens de Groot / Sea Shepherd

Sea Shepherd Offers a Day of Truce to Japan for Christmas

Captain Paul Watson today sent a message to the Captain and crew of the Shonan Maru No. 2 wishing them and their families a Merry Christmas:

?Shonan Maru  No. 2, Shonan Maru No. 2, this is the whale conservation and protection ship Steve Irwin.

This is a message from the captain and crew of the Steve Irwin to the captain and crew of the Shonan Maru No. 2.

As much of the rest of the world enjoys Christmas dinner and the companionship of friends and family in the comfort of their homes, our two crews are in the heavy seas of the Southern Ocean intent on two opposing missions. You, to protect the whalers from us and we, to protect the whales from you.

We may be enemies, but on this day, perhaps we can stop and reflect that despite our opposition on the high seas, we are all human beings, and all of us would rather be somewhere else if not for our duties and responsibilities.

Therefore we on the Steve Irwin would like to express our best wishes for your safety and health. We share the dangers of this unfortunate conflict in these remote and hostile seas and for that reason we share many of the same concerns.

We wish you all the best for this Christmas day and we share with you the hope that no one is harmed over the next few months as we each pursue our objectives, duties and responsibilities.?

The message was translated and read in Japanese over the VHF radio Channel 16.

The Japanese crew on the Shonan Maru No. 2 have not replied.

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Ady Gil Arrives in Antarctica

The Sea Shepherd vessels Ady Gil and the Steve Irwin met on the high seas at 0030 Hours on Wednesday, December 23rd.

The Japanese security vessel, Shonan Maru No. 2, was seven miles astern of the Steve Irwin and was unable to see the Ady Gil approach. The Ady Gil is painted with radar deflective paint and is an effective stealth boat. The radar on the Steve Irwin was unable to detect the Ady Gil?s approach.

Taking advantage of the two hours of relative darkness, the crew of the Ady Gil did a quick transfer of materials and crew, and then the Steve Irwin headed off leaving the Ady Gil to harass and slow down the Shonan Maru No. 2 in order to allow the Steve Irwin to lose the Japanese tail that has prevented Sea Shepherd from locating the whaling fleet to date.

At first it looked good, and the Steve Irwin was able to put twelve miles between the Shonan Maru No. 2 and itself. But despite being harassed by the Ady Gil for two hours, the Japanese slowly worked their way back to a six-mile distance. To accomplish this they had to increase their speed to over twenty knots, a speed at which, unfortunately, the Steve Irwin cannot outrun.

During the encounter, both the Ady Gil and Shonan Maru No. 2 each achieved speeds over 20 knots in 2-meter swells.

The Shonan Maru No. 2 pursued the Ady Gil as soon as the ship came into view with water cannons and LRADs. The Ady Gil crew defended their ship utilizing photonic disrupters in an effort to get the Shonan Maru No. 2 to back off to a safe distance.

The Ady Gil currently carries five crewmembers: four New Zealanders and one Dutch citizen.

Says crewmember Laurens De Groot, "This is a finely trained crew to uphold international conservation law. On board we have 2 ex-policemen, 1 ex-navy and a professional fireman, all determined to end illegal Japanese whaling in the Southern Whale Sanctuary."

PHOTOS

Photos: Laurens De Groot / Sea Shepherd

Water Cannon Battle In Frigid Seas

Report from Captain Paul Watson

From the Steve Irwin
1445 Hours
December 22nd, 2009
61 Degrees 59 Minutes South
148 Degrees 47 Minutes East

The Japanese harpoon vessel Shonan Maru No. 2 is engaging in some very bizarre activities.

At 1300 Hours, the Japanese vessel moved in with water cannons blazing. As they came closer, they turned on their LRAD's and surprisingly they began to broadcast the following message over their loudspeaker: "Steve Irwin, cease your aggressive action. Stop your aggressive action. We have the authority to repel you."

This was followed by, "Warning, warning. This is Shonan Maru No. 2's Captain. Stop your destructive actions immediately or we will have to hold you to Federal law."

It is ridiculous to accuse the Steve Irwin of attacking the Shonan Maru No. 2. The Japanese vessel is much faster. The crew of the Steve Irwin has been trying to get the Shonan Maru No. 2 off their trail for eleven days.

The Shonan Maru No. 2 set off the collision alert system fourteen times as it chased and circled the Steve Irwin.

The crew of the Steve Irwin managed to deploy a stern protection line. The Shonan Maru No. 2 ran over the 100-meter long line and snapped it and then backed off. Water cannons from both ships made the crew on both ships very wet but there were no direct hits causing any injuries. Some camera gear was however damaged by the water cannon.

After nearly two hours of harassment, the Shonan Maru No. 2 backed off. There was no visible indication that the vessel suffered prop damage.

The Shonan Maru No. 2 gave false information to Australian authorities in Fremantle when they stopped in the Australian port for fuel and provisions. The Shonan Maru No. 2 reported they were not part the Japanese whaling fleet. In fact, the Shonan Maru No. 2 is specifically permitted this year to engage in whaling activities and is currently assisting in protecting the main body of the whaling fleet.

The Shonan Maru No. 2 is keeping the Steve Irwin from closing in on the main body of the whaling fleet by relaying real time data on the position of the Steve Irwin. The fast interceptor vessel Ady Gil is expected to rendezvous with the Steve Irwin on Wednesday morning.

Artist Shepard Fairey Supports Sea Shepherd

Limited edition poster available!

Renowned artist and graphic designer Shepard Fairey has created a portrait of Captain Paul Watson to support Sea Shepherd. Fairey is regarded as one of the most well known and most influential street artists today. His work is included in the collections at The Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. His work made headlines last year with the widely distributed Barack Obama ?HOPE? poster during the presidential campaign.

Fairey became involved with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society this past summer by participating in an art benefit in Riverside, California called ?Sea No Evil.? The event helped raise critical funds for Sea Shepherd?s direct action campaigns.

When asked why he supports Sea Shepherd, Fairey responded, ?I am opposed to injustice in any form and I am an environmental advocate. The delicate balance of eco-systems needs to be maintained to protect all species, including humans. The mission of Sea Shepherd and founder Paul Watson to protect the oceans and their species is noble and inspiring. Any important movement requires a great leader to galvanize and motivate. Captain Watson is a leader who I wanted to celebrate with my art and hopefully have the art benefit the mission of Sea Shepherd.?

Limited edition prints are available online for purchase; a portion of the proceeds will benefit Sea Shepherd. The print comes in two different colorways: Light Blue and Dark Blue.  Both are limited editions of 450, 18 x 24 inches, and are signed and numbered by Shepard and Captain Watson.

Click here to learn more and order yours today! 

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