The announcement by Japan’s Fisheries Agency that Sea Shepherd crew will be arrested if they disrupt Japanese whale killing operations has done little to stop the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The direct action animal rights organization, as seen on Animal Planet’s “Whale Wars”, says they are “undettered” by the threats.
“When you are willing to die for a whale, the threat of arrest is somewhat trivial,” said Captain Paul Watson. “It can only further our cause of defending the whales if the Japanese take Sea Shepherd crewmembers hostage and haul them back to Japan for prosecution. The diplomatic, political and jurisdictional issues will be profound.”
If arrested by the Japanese coastguard, Japan has stated that Sea Shepherd crew will be charged with forcible obstruction of business under Japanese law. Sea Shepherd claims they are acting in accordance with the United Nations Charter for Nature, which calls upon individuals and non-governmental organizations to uphold international conservation law.
“We must never forget that Japan is targeting threatened and endangered whales in an officially established whale sanctuary in violation of a global moratorium on commercial whaling and in defiance and contempt of an Australian Federal Court ruling prohibiting the killing of whales in the Australian Antarctic Territory,” said Sea Shepherd International Executive Director Kim McCoy.
The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin departed on the 7th of December from Newcastle in New South Wales. “Whale Wars” is currently showing on Animal Planet and has been renewed for another season, which will include Splash star Daryl Hannah as a crewmember.
Image Credit: René Ehrhardt on Flickr under Creative Commons license.
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Melissa Elliott
Melissa Elliott is a freelance writer based in San Francisco. Her personal blog, TheUrbanHousewife.com, documents her culinary adventures from her kitchen to vegan food around the world. When she's not glued to her computer or on the road, she loves to spend time with her husband, Ryan, cats Beamish & Scurvy, and beloved chihuahua, Strummer.
67 Responses to Japan Plans to Arrest Sea Shepherd Crew
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sue,
that is crap you telling me that it’s okay for the whalers to use the lrad to endanger lives they hit the sea shepards not the other way around they were cutting in front of the sea shepard so it’s the japanese felt that they hit them.
mac if you were for the whales you wouldn’t be sitting here saying that the sea shepherd crew is whinny. you saying that its okay for the japense to go out and kill whales just because they feel like it. they threw stuff at the sea shepards small boats endangering lives with the lrad i think it’s crap that the sea shepherd crew got in trouble but not the japanese whalers they were endangering lives when they would turn their Lrad on or the powerful water cannons. the japanese whalers get what they deserve.
steve,
the eco-terriost are the japanese whalers not ss.
even,
that is crap you telling me that it’s okay for the whalers to use the lrad to endanger lives they hit the sea shepards not the other way around they were cutting in front of the sea shepard so it’s the japanese felt that they hit them. the japenese whalers are eco-terriost.
mac if you were for the whales you wouldn’t be sitting here saying that the sea shepherd crew is whinny. you saying that its okay for the japense to go out and kill whales just because they feel like it. they threw stuff at the sea shepards small boats endangering lives with the lrad i think it’s crap that the sea shepherd crew got in trouble but not the japanese whalers they were endangering lives when they would turn their Lrad on or the powerful water cannons. the japanese whalers get what they deserve.
Yes, the S.S. crew are a bunch of twats. BUT, they DO see a good amount of action. Besides, they haven’t an Englishman on board. So I’ve decided to join them for one season, and one reason: Danger is my middle name. I live for the thrill, guns, grenades, explosions, and more. I don’t care about those souless creatures, just about gettin’ my bloody share of adrenaline…
-Adrenaline Junkie
it is bussiness and research hand in hand… or do you think they should just throw all the meat away after having done the research bit? sounds logical eh?
Watching whale wars on Animal Planet makes me laugh. All the crew on Sea Shepherd are so concerned when beeing sprayed with water cannons etc, but what they are doing is illegal, and even though they voulanteer and sign different papers etc, paul watson is jeopardizing their lives to “save” the whales!
Stop Paul Watson!
Arne, Norway
The Sea Shepherds are a much like Animal liberation front. Soon they will probably on the FBI international terrorist list like A.L.F.
They need to be arrested they’re disgusting hypocrites and media whores flying a makeshift pirate flag. They care nothing for the lives of others and should be stopped called heroes. The worst part is they have ruined the effort of Greenpeace and other well meaning organizations in Japan, setting them back more than 10 years of work with an entire generation.
@ BJ if you feel like bringing God into this I am game here we go!!
Leviticus 11:9 “These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.”
one whale burger please!!!
Genesis 9:2-4
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon
every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.”
there are several thoughts on eating meat throughout the bible but these should shut you up.
I do not hug trees but I do try to be a good steward of the land and water. I hunt, I fish and if a group of idiots came throwing things at me I would not be as nice as the Japanese.
"…whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters…"
Whales don't have scales. They are mammals and have evolved without the need for them.
"…and upon all the fishes of the sea.."
Here again, whales aren't fish they are mammals.
You have to read what's there, and not try to read in what you want to be there.
What stupid fools the crew are… OMFG… We can only hope that the Steve Irwin gets hit with a bunch of sting rays. :->
The Japanese are indeed bold to kill these whales under the guise of research. Research my eye! Do they really believe we are all so dense as well as blind? Go Sea Shepherds and do your best to black their whaling eyes, as it were. We will thank you and the whales of future generations will too.
The japanese fleet should be smart let the sea shepherds hit them and damage their ship and sue them for damages can’t sail if your organiztion is broke lol
What a load of crap, brake the laws to save a useless fish?, Whaling is legal…
Maybe Captan Watson needs a Webstre’s….. His defination of “nonviolent” sounds alot like “The war to end all wars”. The vidio record is clear. They ONLY hurt the cause of preserving the planet.
I wonder… who is funding all this very expensive equipment? Who is funding the legal team to keep this operation in buisness? Make no mistake, Captan Watson is in buisness! Is Discovery Channel funding this? I’d love to see their books.
The whales are in “their” environment,people need to leave them alone! Shame on ALL of YOU that think it’s ok to kill those beautiful & innocent animals!!!!
GOD WILL PUNISH THOSE PEOPLE ON JUDGEMENT DAY!!!!!!
japan should hire some anti. material. sniping teams to take out the dumb fucks!!!
i’m just a stupid american,and i dont have the point of view that those that live in japan,and eat whale do,but scerw them !cant they just eat fish like the rest of us?
What they are doing is awesome! I love the new Navy girl! Great asset…but Peter Brown needs to go!!!!! He is only causing trouble, costing time, and putting lives in danger! Plus he is an @#%hole!
If Japan arrests the Sea Sheperd’s crew it will launch a probe into their whaling practices stemming from the huge debates over Japan having any rights to prosecute in the first place. This may slow them down but I dont think it will stop them.
I think that Japan is making too much money to give up at all. The Japanese youth may not like whale meat but someone is obviously buying it. People from all over the world have many uses for whales.
Whale Wars! What a great show. I’m rooting for the Japanese. Sea Shepheards are endangering the lives of sailors just trying to earn a living.
Gee that’s a great idea – sink some ships in the middle of a pod of whales. Just imagine the oil spillage…
The Sea Shepherd crew and captain are smoking something. They must be partaking in the herbs if they think that what they are doing is anything less than piracy.
They are all in awe of this paunchy captain retard and they will get nothing but jail cells or the morgue if they push countries as they are doing. Nothing new about lunatics like Watson. He seduces young people with stories of adventure and danger and then proceeds to ruin their youn lives with criminal behavior. It’s only a matter of time before Watson kills somebody or sends a crew down with their ship and then watch out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG8_UWX6KzE&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Emilitaryphotos%2Enet%2Fforums%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Fs%3Df1b208639edbb86e43ee7efaf700b3e8%26t%3D146110%26page%3D5&feature=player_embedded
whales are sea cows like paul watson
Kudos to japan for issuing arrest warraents for thes seashepard pirates they deserve life in prison for their crimes
I wonder…. People who say whales are noble creatures often discriminate against human beings by their race,religion and skin color.
Are whales nobler than other animals?
All creatures are equal. All creatures are noble.
Should white people be treated better than any other race?
Everything is equal. Let’s stop discriminating against animals according to species.
While quite a few people blame Japanese for hunting whales, they shamelessly overlook their eating apetite for other animals for cows or chickens, and even our forcefeeding ducks to make foie gra.
That is hypocracy, and not fair at all.
Well hey when we can open a breeding ocean for edible whales then conservationists will stop talking. Oh that's right we can't mass breed whales.
Remember what people were doing to the gators here in the west? Why do you think we had to start breeding gators. Eat em up if you can replenish the supply. Otherwise it's parasitic. What are the japanese doing to replenish the whale supply? Nothing because there is no viable way to mass breed 200,000 pound animals.
Australians and Americans have killed whales for centuries. They have killed far more whales than Japanese have done. Why is Sea Shepherd attacking Japan? SS looks just stupid.
Sea Shepherd has been out on the oceans for MANY years doing this intervention. That some of you only know of it from a TV show is your ignorance.
Paul Watson was a foundation of Greenpeace, before they sold out and allowed “dolphin safe” labels on tuna cans in exchange for only killing half as many dolphins for the sake of a cheaper can of tuna. He parted ways with them when Greenpeace became more concerned about profiting from donations than doing the dirty work necessary to help these intelligent marine creatures.
Captain Watson and I share the hope that the rest of the world will do their job in stopping the whaling and killing of dolphins and porpoises, so that he can retire.
Talk about the epitome of “social misfits”!! Losers is too kind of a description of these loads. They should send boats out to harpoon the whales right in front of these enviro-fascists! The worst part is, they are really putting legitimate efforts to protect sea creatures (i.e.- Greenpeace,etc.) in a very bad light by association……
Whaling is as-been-seen on the show a very grey area internationally. Japanese say they’re right, Sea Shepherd says they’re right. However, on the contrast, EVERY nation and EVERY country and EVERY government are extremely clear that deadly force is neccesary and authorized to combat acts of piracy on the open seas, and without need for explanation or investigative inquiry. The fact that you call yourself a vigilante is immaterial. You’re a pirate, you can (and should) be killed…as has been done for hundreds of years. Its not new people. Sooner or later, the Sea Shepherd is gonna lose, and unfortunately lose big.
Eco-terrist are more dangerous to whales than anything else. People will not get behind terrorist and Sea Shepard and their crew especially the Catain are undoubtly terrorist. The make the whalers seem sane with their crazy behavior. I also wonder if the fat coward capt thinks that he is one of the 1 Billion people he deserves to live on earth, or if I am. I guess Gahndi and MLK were just idiots and they should have used terorism.
Oh dear I feel for the Whales…
Oh wait I forgot sarcasm doesn’t come across so well in text!!
Clearly the Japanese are researching how tasty whales are…
The Sea Shepherd and all crewmates are eco-terrorists. The sheer fact that Animal Planet endorses violence and eco-terrorism is appalling. Not to mention, who ends up helping the Sea Shepherd when it will eventually take-on water from ramming a much better equiped vessel in Arctic waters? The Coast Guard of the US is usually the one out there saving their asses. What a waste. I an my family will not be watching Animal Planet if they continue to endorse such glorified acts of terrorism.
congratulations on bringing public attention to this malignant practice!…animals are our partners on this world…this issue is as essential as human rights…don’t stop your good works….
Good. I’m sick of these eco-warrior (eco-terrorist) idiots. They give all legit environmental movements a bad name a cause many people to not want to associate with environmentalists because they don’t to be associated with these lunatics.
Boom goes Japanese ships?
Why don’t we just equip the whales with fricken laser beams?
Cool, now we have the Lefty Hollywood Hippies getting involved. Nothings says quality TV like a shrieking hippy out to make a good thing all about how they are there to “help out.”
This show is awesome and the Japanese know they’re wrong. They need to go back to making cool electronics and not kill whales. Personally, I think they need to get a sub for next season and sink the whole Japanese fleet. (of course rescue the crews first and take them to a nice tropical place….like Bikini Atoll)
Great article! Thanks!
Sure Japan. Make an international incident. Go ahead. See who wins when you pull back the covers on your whaling practices.
Oh dear I feel for the Whales…
Oh wait I forgot sarcasm doesn’t come across so well in text
Well, they can do that because the world has mostly given up on whales and let the Japanese control most organizations in charge of setting quotas on whale hunting.
The real killer is that it seems the younger population in Japan finds whale meat disgusting and won’t touch it with a ten-foot pole, so you have to wonder why they keep doing this crap.
Seriously they are going to have B list stars on the show now! Guess I will find other show to watch, the first season got me into the story of what is happening with whales but now they have to put on celebs to look cool, lame just like the last episode name dropping the chili peppers I was waiting for an album mention!
Captain Watson and the Sea Shepherd crew are true heroes! The Japanese are displaying their trademark “screw you as long as I get mine that´s all that counts”. What a selfish nation!
Clearly the Japanese are researching how tasty whales are.
the Sea Sheptards deserve everything they get. while intentions are good the means that they go about it is uttertly stupid. lets throw this here, take a zodiac here. look if they wanna kill 1000 whale that is what they are gonna do and no boat with backing from animal plant is gonna stop them
Science is serious business
Ironic that the Japanese say they will charge them with “forcible obstruction of business” while at the same time claiming it’s only research and not commercial whaling. How can it be obstructing business if they are supposed to be out there only doing research? What a joke. Godspeed to the Sea Shepherds!