One More for Whaling Activists
The Sea Shepherd Society's flagship "Steve Irwin" is on its way to the Australian port of Hobart, in southern Tasmania state, to resupply and Japan's whaling fleet this week asked Australia's government to refuse docking rights.
Fleet officials accused Sea Shepherd, which has collided with whaling vessels and launched stink bombs over successive seasons, of interfering with a search for a sailor believed to have drowned on Monday after toppling overboard in heavy seas.
Ship owner Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha demanded that member countries of the International Whaling Commission, or IWC, which enforces a worldwide whaling moratorium, take action against Sea Shepherd and refuse all assistance.
Company President Kazuo Yamamura's demand seemed directed at New Zealand and Australia, from where Sea Shepherd has based operations and where its receives strong public backing.
