After a six-hour pitched battle with Japanese whalers February 22rd in which the
Sea Shepherd ship
Bob Barker was repeatedly attacked by harpoon ships at night, Japanese whalers have left the southern ocean. That ends another whaling season according to the whale defense organization,
Sea Shepherd Australia. Factory ship
Nisshin Maru was recorded crossing 60°S headed north for Japan early Tuesday morning. This was the first time Japanese whalers used their automatic identification system in their self-designated whaling grounds, usually they attempt to keep their location secret while hunting. Thanks to the unrelenting efforts of courageous conservationists, the season was very unsuccessful for the Japanese.
Harpoon ships associated with the
Nisshin Maru repeatedly dragged cables in front of the
Barker attempting to foul the ship's propellers and rudders while it blocked the factory ship's slipway to prevent butchering of whales. Whalers used powerful searchlights to blind the Shepard's bridge crew, and repeatedly cut across the Barker's bow in violation of international rules of navigation to prevent collisions. Whalers threw ice chunks at Barker's inflatable boats launched to protect the ship
[photos courtesy, Simon Agar/Sea Shepherd] Barker's crew shot 13 flares at the two attacking vessels. Another attack took place February 2nd in which the
Bob Barker collided with the
Yushin Maru 3. So far Australia and New Zealand, both signatories to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary treaty, have taken a hands-off approach to the whaling activity of the Japanese despite their obvious circumvention of the global moratorium on whaling.
Sea Shepherd Australia said their ships are in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to defend whales from illegal hunting. Mission accomplished, the Sea Shepherd fleet is also returning to home ports in Australia and New Zealand.
