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162166
Fri, 02/18/2011 - 17:17
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https://www.oananews.org//node/162166
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Sea Shepherd forces Japan to halt this season's whaling
TOKYO, Feb. 18 Kyodo -
Japan has halted its so-called research whaling in the Antarctic Ocean for this season, slated to run until March, because of obstructive actions by the antiwhaling group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Japanese fisheries minister Michihiko Kano said Friday.
The Japanese government subsequently lodged protests with Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands -- where the Sea Shepherd vessels involved in the disruptions make port calls or are registered -- urging the countries to take steps to prevent them from undertaking such disruptive actions.
The group has disrupted Japanese whaling activities since 2005, but it is the first time their actions have led to a suspension of Japan's annual research whaling that runs from fall to spring.
''Unavoidably, we've decided to wind up our research whaling to secure the safety of the crew and the boats,'' the minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries told a press conference. The whaling fleet will return to Japan as early as the beginning of March.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano expressed outrage over Sea Shepherd's actions in a separate news conference.
''I cannot help but feel angry over the fact that the crew members' safety was being compromised,'' said the top government spokesman who stressed that Japan will not halt its research whaling next year.
''We will not give in to such interference,'' Edano said, adding that ministries and agencies concerned will work together to come up with thorough measures to ensure that research whaling is conducted without harm to crew members.
Among the steps that the ministry is studying is to scale down its research whaling activities amid a shortage of funds as the Sea Shepherd's obstructive actions have cut into whale meat sales, which partly fund research whaling.
The government is also looking into equipping the research whaling ships so they can respond better to such interference and increasing the number of Japan Coast Guard personnel accompanying whaling crews.
The latest move, however, will not affect Japan's research whaling in the northwest Pacific including waters off the nation, an official at the Fisheries Agency said.
Sea Shepherd Capt. Paul Watson welcomed the Japanese government's decision, saying the suspension meant ''a victory for the whales.''
The four-vessel whaling fleet, led by the 8,044-ton Nisshin Maru, left Japan for the Antarctic Ocean on Dec. 2, and has caught 170 minke whales against a quota of around 850 and 2 fin whales against a quota of around 50 this season, both record lows.
In a show of protest, State Foreign Secretary Yutaka Banno summoned the ambassadors of Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands and conveyed to them Tokyo's ''strong regret'' over their failure to stop the Sea Shepherd's ''violent actions,'' Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said.
''Their obstructive actions cannot be condoned because they illegally threaten the life and property of Japanese whaling vessel crews who are engaged in lawful research activities on the high seas and the safe navigation of Japanese whaling ships,'' Maehara said.
''Although perceptions about whaling are different in each country, reflecting its history and food culture, no country can block Japan's lawful research whaling, let alone the Sea Shepherd,'' he said.
Sea Shepherd started its disruptive activities on Jan. 1, which included throwing bottles containing chemicals at the Japanese vessel. Since spotting the Nisshin Maru on Feb. 9, the group began chasing the ship and obstructing its activities.
Japan has hunted whales since 1987 for what it says are scientific research purposes after officially halting commercial whaling in line with an international moratorium. Environmentalists condemn the activity as a cover for the continuation of commercial whaling.
The International Whaling Commission at its annual meeting last June discussed a proposal to allow Japan to hunt whales in Japanese coastal areas in exchange for a reduction of its annual catch limit for research whaling, but the proposal was deferred.
Japan has halted its so-called research whaling in the Antarctic Ocean for this season, slated to run until March, because of obstructive actions by the antiwhaling group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Japanese fisheries minister Michihiko Kano said Friday.
The Japanese government subsequently lodged protests with Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands -- where the Sea Shepherd vessels involved in the disruptions make port calls or are registered -- urging the countries to take steps to prevent them from undertaking such disruptive actions.
The group has disrupted Japanese whaling activities since 2005, but it is the first time their actions have led to a suspension of Japan's annual research whaling that runs from fall to spring.
''Unavoidably, we've decided to wind up our research whaling to secure the safety of the crew and the boats,'' the minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries told a press conference. The whaling fleet will return to Japan as early as the beginning of March.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano expressed outrage over Sea Shepherd's actions in a separate news conference.
''I cannot help but feel angry over the fact that the crew members' safety was being compromised,'' said the top government spokesman who stressed that Japan will not halt its research whaling next year.
''We will not give in to such interference,'' Edano said, adding that ministries and agencies concerned will work together to come up with thorough measures to ensure that research whaling is conducted without harm to crew members.
Among the steps that the ministry is studying is to scale down its research whaling activities amid a shortage of funds as the Sea Shepherd's obstructive actions have cut into whale meat sales, which partly fund research whaling.
The government is also looking into equipping the research whaling ships so they can respond better to such interference and increasing the number of Japan Coast Guard personnel accompanying whaling crews.
The latest move, however, will not affect Japan's research whaling in the northwest Pacific including waters off the nation, an official at the Fisheries Agency said.
Sea Shepherd Capt. Paul Watson welcomed the Japanese government's decision, saying the suspension meant ''a victory for the whales.''
The four-vessel whaling fleet, led by the 8,044-ton Nisshin Maru, left Japan for the Antarctic Ocean on Dec. 2, and has caught 170 minke whales against a quota of around 850 and 2 fin whales against a quota of around 50 this season, both record lows.
In a show of protest, State Foreign Secretary Yutaka Banno summoned the ambassadors of Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands and conveyed to them Tokyo's ''strong regret'' over their failure to stop the Sea Shepherd's ''violent actions,'' Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said.
''Their obstructive actions cannot be condoned because they illegally threaten the life and property of Japanese whaling vessel crews who are engaged in lawful research activities on the high seas and the safe navigation of Japanese whaling ships,'' Maehara said.
''Although perceptions about whaling are different in each country, reflecting its history and food culture, no country can block Japan's lawful research whaling, let alone the Sea Shepherd,'' he said.
Sea Shepherd started its disruptive activities on Jan. 1, which included throwing bottles containing chemicals at the Japanese vessel. Since spotting the Nisshin Maru on Feb. 9, the group began chasing the ship and obstructing its activities.
Japan has hunted whales since 1987 for what it says are scientific research purposes after officially halting commercial whaling in line with an international moratorium. Environmentalists condemn the activity as a cover for the continuation of commercial whaling.
The International Whaling Commission at its annual meeting last June discussed a proposal to allow Japan to hunt whales in Japanese coastal areas in exchange for a reduction of its annual catch limit for research whaling, but the proposal was deferred.
