Japan Plans to Arrest Sea Shepherd Crew

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.

[social_buttons]

“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.

67 thoughts on “Japan Plans to Arrest Sea Shepherd Crew”

  1. I hope that the Nipps will sink your vessel. Afterall you are ordinairy Pirats and should be shot or trown over the side.
    And dont cry if the Nipps take you to Japan for trail. The Dutch should take away the right of wave our Dutch flag.

  2. Most of the governments that can do something about the parasitic whale hunting won't. Why? Because most of the world's quality electronics are made in japan cheaply. The hunting area has long been established as a sanitary. Let's see what will happen if you go hunting on a nature reserve, you will either be jailed, heavily fined, or in some areas shot. The hunting is nothing more than the rich parasitic greed. Let's not forget that each whale brings around a million dollars. Once the whale population gets so low that trickle down effects start putting a strain on other countries food an finances, then something more forceful will be done. But as history repeats itself, nothing will be done by any powerful entity until the very last second. Too bad you can't mass breed 200,000 pound animals.

  3. Japan has not changed their ways since defeat in World War II, they remain underhanded and exploit anything they feel "should" be theirs. No apologies here, Japan! You reap what you sow!

    1. Sounds like almost every race on earth. Instead of curbing birth rates. We are so pro life that the orphan shelters overflow with unwanted children. We then turn to raping every natural resource available until there is nothing left. Then everyone says oooops maybe we shouldn't have done that. Did you know because of the farming practices, the deserts in the US boomed in size after europeans got here? North Africa's desert lands were also lush until we overdid that too. The overdone it list is very long. Damn we're f**k*d up.

  4. These guys are a colossal joke. They are funded by Hollywood morons (sort of a redundancy) and they don't do 1% of what the purport to do (evidence in that they actually harass the Japanese whaling boats AFTER they have killed the whales, which contrary to Sea Shepherd's posts are NOT the endangered variety anyway). They are hypocrites and deserve everything they get in terms of arrests and convictions.

    I can't stand those who exploit feel good things ("hug a whale") for their own demented causes, devoid of facts and hyped to the hilt. The reality is Sea Shepherd is a terrorist organization, and such groups are hurting legitimate causes and deserve our condemnation not our support.

    Shame on you Sea Shepherd.

  5. As noble as their intentions might be the Sea Shepherd crew actions are no more than piracy acts. The Japanese government has the right to protect the freedom of navigation of its whaling ships.

    1. Yeah freedom engaging in illegal commercial whaling. And damaging the world's ecosystem. All over the world we have seen the bad results of over hunting. Some just don't learn and others just don't care. Humans really need to curb the baby making.

  6. Once again Japan is acting against international law & conventions, hunting in a designated “whale sanctuary” under the guise of “scientific”! Are you kidding me? Then how can they charge them with interfering in a “commercial” act? Once again total hypocrassy from the Japanese government, so which is it? Scientific or commercial, you cannot have it both ways, but that is how they plan to get away with their environmental terrorism, & destroying the oceans & all in it, for their own commercial gain. Just as if they were acting in accordance to the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling they would not be buying whale meat from Iceland, that is “commercial” whaling…

  7. Listen these people are militants.. both sides whalers and Sea Shepard…. just short of suicide bombers in my book. But it makes for compelling tv… I have read that to join the sea Shepard crew you need to be a vegan… wtf meat is awesome (steak & sushi all day for me so whatever) … But if I were to go to Japan I would stop at nothing to try whale… to see what’s so good about it.. oh well; my dream episode is when they ram the Nisshin Maru and both party’s die freezing to death… haha that would be great.. to see caring girl (yeah you know who I am talking about) drown. haha best ever.. haha.. I will eat a Philly roll and laugh.. haha..

  8. I too am rooting for the Japs, after the whole Pearl Harbor thing, but the Sea Shepherds are bunch of Eco Hippie terrorists – hopefully on their next raid they will sink their ship and be plucked from the sea by the Japs who should keel haul for a few minutes each. Then serve them a meal of blowfish stew.

    Supposedly this season the Sea Pirates will have 1 or 2 more large ships with devices to hurl projectiles at the Jap ships. The Jap ships should respond in kind – using shells loaded with that acid stuff they use. Along some of those baseball pitching machines to hurl baseballs at the them. Fight fire with fire. The Japs also need a couple of attack helicopters armed with acid sprayers. Another good idea would be sharpened steel rods sticking out of the sides of the Jap ships that would puncture the Irwins hull if they try to ram them again.

    Go Japs!

    1. You are the biggest idiot. You have no heart, your greedy, and every other bad trait of a human being. You get off on killing animals. There is no need to kill whales for profit or for food. We need to put your kind and the whaling japs on a island desert.

  9. Total faith in the Sea Sheperds Crew and the mission they wish to accomplish. Every mission in life is a struggle, is it not? Everything takes time. If at first you don’t suceed don’t we try again? The Sea Sheperd crew will win this battle completley in time because they don’t give up!! So I wish people would not be so damn lame when it comes to making comments about the Sea Sheperds missions. They are not Losers!! Long Live The Whales!! Thanks to the Sea Sheperds Crew and Captain Watson.

  10. 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.

  11. 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.

  12. Danger is my middle name

    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

  13. 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

  14. The Sea Shepherds are a much like Animal liberation front. Soon they will probably on the FBI international terrorist list like A.L.F.

  15. 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.

  16. @ 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.

    1. "…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.

  17. What stupid fools the crew are… OMFG… We can only hope that the Steve Irwin gets hit with a bunch of sting rays. :->

  18. 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.

  19. 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

  20. 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.

  21. 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!!!!!!

  22. 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?

  23. 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!

  24. 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.

  25. 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.

  26. Jennifer Cruz

    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.

  27. Gee that’s a great idea – sink some ships in the middle of a pod of whales. Just imagine the oil spillage…

  28. 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!

  29. Spurwing Plover

    Kudos to japan for issuing arrest warraents for thes seashepard pirates they deserve life in prison for their crimes

  30. 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.

  31. 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.

    1. 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.

  32. 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.

  33. 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.

  34. 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……

  35. 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.

  36. 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.

  37. 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.

  38. dr. shawna murray md

    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….

  39. 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.

  40. 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.”

  41. 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)

  42. Sure Japan. Make an international incident. Go ahead. See who wins when you pull back the covers on your whaling practices.

  43. 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.

  44. 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!

  45. 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!

  46. 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

  47. 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!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top