# Whaling Wars



## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

From the UK Indymedia - 

_The Sea Shepherd ship, Robert Hunter, has been holed in its starboard bow, and its port stern section above the waterline, during a collision with the whale spotter ship Kaiko Maru , according to Sea Shepherd's president Paul Watson. No injuries have been incurred by crew on both ships, and neither ship is in danger of sinking. A pod of whales being chased by the Japanese ship escaped. 

Exact details of the collision are still confusing. It appears the two Sea Shepherd ships caught the Kaiko Maru chasing a pod of whales near the Balleny Islands in Antarctica, south of New Zealand. Attempts were made by Sea Shepherd activists to disable the propellor of the Kaiko Maru, it appears with some success. Sea Shepherd say on their website "At one point during the confrontation, the Kaiko Maru turned to starboard and struck the Robert Hunter." According to Dr Hiroshi Hatanaka from the ICR on their website "The Robert Hunter rammed the Kaiko Maru." 

"Sea Shepherd threw smoke pots onto the Kaiko Maru and released ropes and nets to entangle her screw. Its propeller has been damaged by them. The vessel is stranded at the moment and has already put out several distress calls." said Dr Hiroshi Hatanaka, the Director General of the Institute of Cetacean Research on the ICR website. 

After the collision between the Robert Hunter and Kaiko Maru, the Japanese vessel was effectively blockaded against sea ice. 

The Japanese vessel issued a maritime distress call saying that it was under attack and in immediate danger. According to the Sea Shepherd website "Sea Shepherd acknowledged this distress signal, but they Japanese vessel refused to say what distress they were in." 

The Greenpeace ship also responded to the distress call, offering immediate assistance, heading at full speed to their position. According to Dave on the Greenpeace weblog "According to the Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand, first reports stated the Kaiko Maru was 'under attack.' Later reports claimed a collision between the Sea Shepherd vessel Robert Hunter and the Kaiko Maru, with the Robert Hunter receiving a hole in the hull above the water line and the Kaiko Maru suffering unspecified damage to its propeller." 

"At approximately 18.15, the Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand requested that the Esperanza 'stand down'. We informed the Rescue Centre that we would remain within VHF range in case assistance was needed. At 20:15 we received what's known as a 'Seelonce Feenee', which means that the distress call is now over." concluded Dave from Greenpeace. 

Jonny Vasic, International director of Sea Shepherd, on board the Robert Hunter described the collision in a Sydney Morning Herald report "It was a loud noise - a big bang. I actually shuddered a bit. The ships collided two times, once side by side, and once when they rammed into us. I haven't inspected it yet, but they did some damage to our hull. ... We are here to keep those guys out of the whale sanctuary. We are not damaged beyond repair. We are still seaworthy," Vasic said. 

Both Sea Shepherd ships have been away from port for several weeks and are running low on fuel. Captain Watson said "We're only probably good for the next few days," 

According to a report in The Age newspaper Captain Watson warned that unless anti-whaling governments such as Australia took stronger action, he might try to ram the stern of the Nisshin Maru. 

"Do whale defenders have to die down here for the world to notice and take action against the criminal activities of the Japanese whalers?" he said. "For this reason it has been decided to stop the operations of the Japanese floating slaughterhouse, the Nisshin Maru, by ramming one of the ships up the slipway of that foul, sadistic piece of killing machinery." he told a reporter for the Age. 

Captain Watson has appealed to the Australian Government to enforce its territorial waters in the Antarctic against whaling, just as it has enforced laws against fish poaching in its territorial waters. 

Both Sea Shepherd vessels do not have any current registration from a State, and have been labelled as 'pirate ships'. Japan has pressured both the UK and Belize to cancel maritime registration of the two Sea Shepherd vessels. _

Why can't the Japs cancel "whale" on their menus instead..?!!!

Rushie


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

*And from the BBC -*

_Pro-whaling countries are meeting in Tokyo to plot a path towards lifting the moratorium on commercial whaling. 

Japan invited all 72 members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), but anti-whaling countries such as Britain and Australia are staying away. 

The three-day meeting convenes against the backdrop of clashes in the Antarctic between Japanese whaling ships and conservation groups. 

Australia and New Zealand said protestors had gone too far. 

New Zealand conservation minister Chris Carter said whalers and campaigners were engaging in "stupid playground behaviour". 

Japan called the Tokyo talks with the declared aim of bridging the divide between pro- and anti-whaling members which has bedevilled the IWC in recent years. 

The Japanese government believes the commission has become too focused on conserving whales. It wants the 21-year global moratorium on commercial hunting to be lifted, and the IWC to resume its original purpose of regulating whaling. 

Japan's IWC commissioner, Minoru Morimoto, opened the meeting by expressing disappointment at the non-attendance of nearly half the whaling body. 

"One of our goals is to improve the atmosphere of the IWC, which has become one of confrontation, and to improve dialogue," he told delegates. 

"It's a shame most anti-whaling nations chose confrontation," he added. 

Australia, New Zealand, the US and the UK were among 26 nations that have shunned the conference. 

Before the meeting opened, the UK said that the IWC itself was the "only recognised forum in which to hold these discussions". 

"We are grateful to Japan for trying to further discussions on issues of division in the IWC," said a spokesman for the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). 

"However we believe this initiative may serve to further polarise and distract members from the IWC's important conservation work." 

High seas drama 

Japan has been accused by environmentalists of buying the support of poorer nations with aid packages, but this was denied by delegates at the conference. 

"We are not a whale-hunting country, but the matter of resources within our sea is very important to us," Cedric Liburd, fisheries minister of St Kitts and Nevis, told the Associated Press. "No one can buy our vote." 

THE LEGALITIES OF WHALING 
Objection - A country formally objects to the IWC moratorium, declaring itself exempt
Scientific - A nation issues unilateral 'scientific permits'; any IWC member can do this
Aboriginal - IWC grants permits to indigenous groups for subsistence food 
Japan, which says whale meat is part of its culture, hunts whales for what it calls scientific research purposes. 

Its fleet left port in November for the Antarctic seas to hunt 850 minke whales and 10 fin whales. 

Recently the fleet was tracked down by ships belonging to conservation groups, with some fraught confrontations resulting. 

A collision between Japan's Kaiko Maru and a vessel operated by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society saw the Japanese ship damage its propeller, with reports suggesting it may have to return to port. 

The Japanese government has requested its New Zealand counterparts to detain Sea Shepherd's vessels, while some environment groups have asked the Wellington and Canberra governments for diplomatic action against Japan. 

Mr Carter appealed to Sea Shepherd not to do anything that could endanger lives, while Australia's environment minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "It is simply unacceptable for any vessel to threaten or to use violence against other ships at sea. 

"These are dangerous and irresponsible actions." 

It appears that their appeals were successful, with Sea Shepherd promising not to ram or disable the Japanese ships._ 

Rushie


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## Brian Twyman (Apr 3, 2005)

This from the NZPA :
Activists Ditch Whaling Boat Attack Plans
13/02/2007
NZPA
Anti-whaling activists in the Southern Ocean have put their plans to ram a Japanese whaling ship on ice, Conservation Minister Chris Carter says. 
On Monday two ships from the Sea Shepherd environment group, the Robert Hunter and the Farley Mowat, collided with the Japanese whaling ship the Kaiko Maru. 
Sea Shepherd leader Captain Paul Watson said the Farley Mowat was almost out of fuel and he was considering giving the Kaiko Maru's sister ship the Nisshin Maru a "steel enema" by ramming its slipway. 
He said the group would only pull out if New Zealand and Australia took concrete steps to stop the Japanese. 
Mr Carter, concerned about the risk to lives from the high-stakes confrontation, phoned Mr Watson to try and defuse the situation. 
"Mr Watson has assured me that he will not ram anyone despite what has been reported in the media and I welcome this statement." 
New Zealand has search and rescue responsibility for the area and Mr Carter said he held grave concerns for lives if the antics between the protesters and whalers escalated further. 
He expressed those feelings to Mr Watson, encouraged the Sea Shepherd's ships to leave the area and offered any emergency assistance that was necessary for them to get home. 
The activists are trying to stop Japan's contentious "scientific" whaling programme, which has a target this year of around 1000 whales. 
Mr Carter said New Zealand opposed that programme, but the Sea Shepherd activists were "extremists" who had gone too far and were jeopardising lives. 
"I have made it clear to Mr Watson that New Zealand is vigorously opposed to whaling and will continue its efforts on the international stage. 
"However, we will not be responding to threats or demands and he took note of that position." 
Mr Watson said the confrontation with the Kaiko Maru occurred when the conservation group's vessels caught the Japanese ship bearing down on a pod of whales. 
Both sides claimed they had been rammed by the other. 
A spokesman for the Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), Glenn Inwood, said the activists were acting like "pirates". The group's director Hiroshi Hatanaka labelled them eco-terrorists. 
Mr Carter said New Zealand would use whatever moral and jurisdictional authority it had to defuse the situation. 

Copyright: NZPA 2007


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## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

These idiots are going to get themselves or someone killed . 
Putting nets on the scew and trying to disable the ships by ramming does constitute an attack .
And irrespecive of what reasons they may have for their behavoir it is inecusable by internation law ; they should be brought to account ; made to pay for all damages and be fined very heavily ( or pehaps sentanced to a year in the Antarctic dark to reconsider their actions )

One hopes the Japanese dont retailiate because one supects that if they do they will better the agressors .
Derek


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## Brian Twyman (Apr 3, 2005)

Don't the Collision Regs state that all collisions shall be accidental and that deliberate collisions are prohibited ? [=P] 

(Note to Mates & Masters - just kidding !!) (LOL) 

Brian


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## cboots (Aug 16, 2004)

I would suggest that the "extremists" here are in effect the Japanese who are acting in defiance of international law and probably much of public opinion in continuing whale hunting. I believe that the consumption of whale meat has no historical cultural significance in Japan and they have repeatedly failed to reveal what "scientific" knowledge they derive from their killings. It is all very well for the complacent to state that they ought to go through the channels; Sea Shepherd argue that the laws already exist, they are simply not enforced. In the case of Australia Sea Shepherd's tactics are obviously totally wrong. Now if they had claimed that the Japanese had a couple of dozen Iraqi women and children onboard and were intending to take them to Australia, then Mr. Howard would have mobilised our entire military might to chase them where ever they went.
CBoots


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## Brian Twyman (Apr 3, 2005)

This case is not about who is in the right about whaling.It is about sanity.

Most people, particularly seamen, find it abhorrent that one ship should be deliberately rammed into another to the risk of human life. (Cloud) 

(Unless we are at war, in which case don't cross my bows !!)(Ouch) 

Brian


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

Spot on Brian!

The sea is a dangerous enough place without this kind of activity. Other lives will be put at risk attempting to rescue any casualties of a collision.

This is not the way to get change.

Brian


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

I feel it may well end with the Japanese Navy blowing the protestors out of the water.

Then there'll be more than whale meat on the menu.

Rushie.


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## cboots (Aug 16, 2004)

It strikes me as strange how those protesting the alleged violence of others can be the advocates of far greater levels of violence themselves. I personally feel that the Sea Shepherd people are, to say the least, foolhardy. But having spoken to several of them when one of their vessels was in Melbourne for a while I can vouch for their sanity, their sincerity and their considerable courage; many of them are veterans of this type of activity and well aware of the dangers. Unlike some of our other posters, who apparently have more intimate knowledge than I, I cannot speak for their sexual practices etc.
CBoots


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## Brian Twyman (Apr 3, 2005)

Hi CBoots

Hear what you are saying, I am against whaling too, the Japanese are doing it in our backyard. What I do not condone is their practice of ramming other ships. People who rammed the Twin Towers were called terrorists, I see no difference here.
Brian


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

*Update...*

From FishUpdate.com - 

_ANTI-whaling group Sea Shepherd, which has clashed with Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean, will end its protest today as its ships are running low on fuel.

But environmental group Greenpeace said its ship, the Esperanza, was in the Southern Ocean and now searching for the Japanese fleet to begin its actions to disrupt whaling, according to Reuters.

"We are probably going to have to disengage today. We have eight days of fuel left and we have eight days to the nearest port," said Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson, who had earlier threatened to ram a Japanese whaler.

"We really can't physically stay down any longer without putting everyone in danger. We have been down here for seven weeks," Watson told Australian media from his ship.

On Monday, the Sea Shepherd's ship Robert Hunter and the Japanese ship Kaiko Maru both suffered minor damage after a collision which both sides blamed on the other.

Sea Shepherd is unable to refuel its ships and return to the Southern Ocean as its flagship ship, the Farley Mowat, was deregistered by Belize in December and Britain has said it will deregister the Robert Hunter within 30 days.

"We can't refuel and come back because we have lost our flag," said Watson. "So once we get into port we will be restrained from leaving. I think we have done what we can with the resources available to us."_

Rushie


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

*Whaling ship on fire*

From the BBC - 

_A Japanese whaling ship has caught fire near Antarctica, leaving one crew member missing and raising fears of environmental damage. 
The blaze on board the Nisshin Maru prompted the evacuation of its crew onto other ships. 

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but New Zealand authorities said it had nothing to do with whaling protesters. 

The whaling fleet has been pursued by activists, protesting at plans to hunt 850 minke whales and 10 fin whales. 

In recent days, protesters from the Sea Shepherd environmental group have clashed with the whalers, and thrown acid and other objects on the ships to try to stop them from carrying out their hunt. 

Mechanical fault 

The alarm was sounded on board the Nisshin Maru - an 8,000 tonne processing ship - just before daybreak. 

THE LEGALITIES OF WHALING 
Objection - A country formally objects to the IWC moratorium, declaring itself exempt
Scientific - A nation issues unilateral 'scientific permits'; any IWC member can do this
Aboriginal - IWC grants permits to indigenous groups for subsistence food 
About 120 members of its crew were evacuated to three other ships in the whaling fleet, while 40 sailors stayed on board to fight the fire in the ship's engine room. 

One crew member is reported missing, but it is not clear whether he was caught up in the flames or went overboard into the icy waters of the Ross Sea. 

New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter said that while the safety of the whaling ship's crew was the top priority, "we are also gravely concerned about the environmental risk to Antarctica's pristine environment, if the ship is sufficiently damaged to begin leaking oil". 

New Zealand maritime authorities - whose country is responsible for search and rescue operations in the area - have ruled out any possibility that anti-whaling protestors had something to do with the fire. 

Instead they think the blaze was caused by a mechanical fault. 

Earlier this week, Japanese fisheries officials described members of the Sea Shepherd group as terrorists, after one of their vessels collided with a whaling boat in the southern ocean. 

After that incident activists threatened to ram the Nisshin Maru to prevent whales being hauled on board for processing. 

But the activists' ships were at least two or three days' sailing distance away from the whalers when the fire occurred. 

"We haven't had contact with the vessel for about three days now and have been heading back to port because we are short of fuel," Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson told Australian TV. _

Rushie.


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## cboots (Aug 16, 2004)

I really do think that it is stretching credulity somewhat to compare attempts to ram a whaling vessel in order to prevent it killing whales to deliberately crashing an airliner into a large office building deliberately killing all onboard the aircraft and many occupants of the building. Sea Shepherd would argue that other less confrontational methods have been tried for years now yet whaling carries on regardless. Also the Japanese whalers have a choice, unlike hi-jacked airliner passengers and innocent office occupants.
CBoots


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## Brian Twyman (Apr 3, 2005)

Cboots

Take your point, shall I call it vigilante action instead ? If you disgree with someone ashore and ram their car, you will be nicked ! Such action putting lives at risk is not acceptable ashore, nor is it afloat. You cannot justify such recklessness,
Brian


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## cboots (Aug 16, 2004)

Reckon the whales would probably disagree with you on that one Brian, and don't forget that if the persons in the car you rammed were commiting a crime they would be nicked and possibly your actions considered to be justified.
CBoots


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## Brian Twyman (Apr 3, 2005)

You might also get charged with dangerous driving or manslaughter if you killed somone ! Your insurance would not pay up for deliberate acts either!
The real problem is that an international law has been made without any provision for enforcing it !! e.g. Norway & Iceland are continuing to hunt whales as usual. 
Cheers
Brian


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## cboots (Aug 16, 2004)

I certainly agree with your last point Brian and would add that nation states tend to be extremely selective on which parts of international law they choose to observe.
CBoots


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## rushie (Jul 5, 2005)

*Sea Shepherd stranded in Oz.*

From the West Australian - 

_Sea Shepherd's anti-whaling flagship, the Robert Hunter, is stranded in Melbourne after its British registration expired today.

And by Thursday, Melbourne will host two "pirate" ships when the Sea Shepherd's other anti-whaling protest vessel, the already-unregistered Farley Mowat, joins the Hunter - perhaps never to leave.

With Port Phillip suddenly the centre of the maritime environmental protest movement, it is unclear if either vessel will again steam away under any flag, jolly roger or not.

Yesterday, Sea Shepherd president Paul Watson said the group planned to decommission the Farley Mowat and hoped it would find a permanent home in Melbourne as an anti-whaling museum.

And today, a spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile told theage.com.au that vessels must be registered before they depart Australian waters.

With the Robert Hunter not expected to re-register under a new flag of convenience for at least a week, it is effectively impounded at its Docklands berth.

After months hunting and confronting the Japanese whaling fleet in Antarctic waters, including a metal-rending collision with a factory ship, the Hunter limped into Port Phillip Bay yesterday as the deadline for its de-registration loomed.

Sea Shepherd was racing to register the vessel under a new flag before 11am today (midnight British time), when its British registration expired.

Johnny Vasic, international director of the Sea Shepherd Society, today told theage.com.au the group had been unable to register with a country prepared to claim the ships.

"But we're in the process of doing that now and it usually takes a week or two to get that process through," he said.

The organisation has declined to say which country it was negotiating with to re-register the ships.

Mr Vasic said: "We want to make sure we have it before we announce it so we don't get pressure by Japan again."

He said there have been no issues with Australian governments so far over the ship's pirate status.

"They know we're in the process of re-registration and we don't think it's going to be a problem - as of now everything is OK.

"We've cleared customs, we've cleared immigration and this ship seems to be fine."

Armed customs officers inspected the ship and crew shortly after they docked in Melbourne's Victoria Harbour yesterday afternoon, approving their arrival.

A spokesman for Mr Vaile today said the Government had been told by the British shipping registrar that the Robert Hunter would be deregistered after 11am today as its "activities were considered inconsistent with its registration as a pleasure craft".

"Australian law, however, requires vessels to be registered before they will be given customs clearance to depart an Australian port for a destination outside of Australia," the spokesman said.

He said there had been no application for Australian registration.

"If this is the case, it is a matter for the foreign government to decide."_

Rushie


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## Peter Eccleson (Jan 16, 2006)

There's certainly some interesting views expressed on both sides of the argument. I have just watched the video of the incident. Whales aside, safety is paramount and it is undoubtedly foolhardy to deliberately ram another vessel. The mv 'Robert Hunter' looks very much like one of the old British Fishery protection vessels - 'Jersey' class I think they were called. Anyone know her history?


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## Bearsie (Nov 11, 2006)

Peter Eccleson said:


> There's certainly some interesting views expressed on both sides of the argument. I have just watched the video of the incident. Whales aside, safety is paramount and it is undoubtedly foolhardy to deliberately ram another vessel. The mv 'Robert Hunter' looks very much like one of the old British Fishery protection vessels - 'Jersey' class I think they were called. Anyone know her history?


Might be on the Sea Shepherd web site?
I think the Farley Mowat was also a UK trawler.


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## cboots (Aug 16, 2004)

The Farlely Moffat has an interesting background having been built as a spy ship for the Norwegian government to keep an eye on Soviet naval movements, and deliberately constructed to look like a trawler. She is a real child of the "cold war". On the subject of her recent activities I would like to know from the detractors what their strategy would be to stop whaling activities. It appears to me that all other tactics have failed and look like continuing to fail. Insofar as Australia is a signatory to the outlawing of whaling, and has custodianship over at least some of the Antarctic territory where the whaling is taking place, perhaps the Australian navy should be dispatched to chase off the illegal whalers. However, in realpolitik terms, I will not hold my breath for that one. Someone above mentioned war as sole justification for activities such as ramming; well Sea Shepherd consider that they are at war against whalers. I know that there are people on this site who don't care a toss about whales; I suspect that these are the same people who don't give a toss about the planet either; but accepting the simple case that there is no longer any essential human need to kill whales, that they are protected under international laws that nation states seem reluctant to enforce, then it is my view that some direct action can be justified.
CBoots


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## Dolly (Jan 31, 2007)

Reading both sides of the argument is interesting, however, not much has been said about the potential environmental disaster that could result (as stated by Greenpeace). 

Can anyone say what the consequences might be if the ship (Nisshin Maru) isn't taken out of Antartica?


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## Santos (Mar 16, 2005)

Brown ice and penguins


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## Dolly (Jan 31, 2007)

Not much then, huh? 

(Do you mean "brown" penguins or just penguins that shouldn't be there?)


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## Santos (Mar 16, 2005)

I mean penguins covered in oil and any other muck that comes out of that ship if she goes down.


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## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

Peter Eccleson said:


> There's certainly some interesting views expressed on both sides of the argument. I have just watched the video of the incident. Whales aside, safety is paramount and it is undoubtedly foolhardy to deliberately ram another vessel. The mv 'Robert Hunter' looks very much like one of the old British Fishery protection vessels - 'Jersey' class I think they were called. Anyone know her history?


The Robert Hunter was formerly FPV Westra, operated by DAFS in Scotland. The first vessel of that class was "Jura". I understand the hull was modelled on an Icelandic trawler design. When the navy needed offshore patrol vessels in a hurry they were lent FPV Jura from DAFS for a trial period until other Island class vessels could be built. They had twin engines, could make 17 knots. They patrolled all round Scottish coast and islands. They were replaced by new vessels and put up for sail. Jura at one time enforced fishery regs around Falkland Is.


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## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

Binnacle said:


> They were replaced by new vessels and put up for sail.
> 
> Oops - for sail read sale
> I must improve my spelling
> I must improve my spelling.


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## Harry Nicholson (Oct 11, 2005)

They're calling it a day. They're going back to Japan now having killed 508 whales (some in the whale sanctuary). Last night the BBC showed footage of the butchering of a large school of dolphins in a Japanese bay, some were dragged from the sea by means of a hook shoved into the eye socket. They go to suchi bars and pet food canneries for 6000 dollars apiece, a few are selected for performances at tourist resorts around the world. They get up to 100k dollars for them. I'll continue to support Greenpeace until governments get off their backsides.


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## Paul UK (Jun 13, 2005)

I for one do not belive in ramming other ships or destroying them in harbour!!
however I do not belive that the japanese will stop whale hunting for scientific reasons until there are only pictures in books left for children to see what they looked like.

Sorry for my rant but if all other countries can leave the whales alone so can the Japanese.

Paul(Cloud) (Cloud) (Cloud)


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