Posted on 02/18/2011 5:01:18 PM PST by Dengar01
VSO Day
Victory in the Southern Ocean Day for the Whales
Pilot Chris Aultman and crewmember Mark Cullivan in an emotional embrace. Photo: Barbara VeigaPilot Chris Aultman and crewmember Mark Cullivan in an emotional embrace. Photo: Barbara VeigaIt’s official – the Japanese whaling fleet has called it quits in the Southern Ocean, at least for this season. And if they return next season, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society will be ready to resume their efforts to obstruct and disable illegal Japanese whaling operations.
“The Nisshin Maru made a significant course change immediately after the Japanese government made it official that the whaling fleet has been recalled,” said Captain Alex Cornelissen from the Bob Barker. “She looks like she’s going home!”
The Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker has been tailing the Japanese Nisshin Maru factory ship since February 9th making it impossible for the whalers to continue their illegal whaling operations.
“I have a crew of 88 very happy people from 23 different nations including Japan and they are absolutely thrilled that the whalers are heading home and the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is now indeed a real sanctuary,” said Captain Paul Watson.
The Sea Shepherd ships Steve Irwin, Bob Barker, and Gojira will remain in the Southern Ocean to escort the Japanese ships northward. “We will not leave the whale sanctuary until the last whaling ship has departed,” said Gojira captain Locky MacLean.
“This is a great victory for the whales,” said Captain Watson, “but we did not do this alone. Without the support of the people of Australia and New Zealand, we would not have been able to send voyages out for seven seasons from Australian and New Zealand ports. We are grateful to Senator Bob Brown and the Australian Greens Party. We are very grateful to Mr. Bob Barker for giving us the ship that turned the tide in our efforts to force the Japanese fleet from these waters. We are grateful to all our onshore staff and volunteers, supporting members and ship crews. We are grateful to the Chilean Navy and the government of France for their support. It is a very happy day for people everywhere who love whales and our oceans.”
It’s official – the killing of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is over for this season and the whalers did not even take 10% of their quota. Sea Shepherd estimates that over 900 whales have been saved this year.
“It’s a great day for the whales,” said Sea Shepherd Chief Cook on the Steve Irwin Laura Dakin of Canberra, Australia, “and it’s a great day for humanity!”
PLEASE!!! This thread is for those of us who enjoy making fun of Watson's gang of loons, please do not flame those of us who are against whaling. We are all conservatives and some of us just have different opinions.
I am anti whaling, anti Watson.
I am glad that the whalers are going home though...
I am pro-sustainable-whaling!
If there is a sufficient population to allow whaling,
no problem and no different than hunting any other species.
I respect your opinion to be against hunting. As conservatives,
we can disagree.
I would treat the anti-whaling forces as hostile pirates.
ampu
WHALING OVER!!!
For once the hippies actually won! I for one am shocked and at a loss for words. I just wonder how they will drag out Whale Wars this summer.
Here is my question, does this mean Japan is done whaling?
Too bad they didn’t sink the Sea Shepard and kill everyone abord!!!
From what I am reading the Japanese simply gave up. I am shocked that this happened. I was hoping to see a boat sink for entertainment value ;)
“I have a crew of 88 very happy people...”
Notice the wording, the SeaHippies dis not call them sailors or activists, just people. From past seasons they are not sailors who have any clue what do at sea. We also know that not all of the are full-blown activists, many seemed to be it for the cruise.
I’m pretty sure that the actual reasons why they quit are a bit more complicated, and most likely boil down to economics.
Frankly speaking, there is already a glut of whale meat from previous hunts in Japanese refrigerated warehouses and adding more doesn’t make much sense.
However, the whaling industry does depend heavily on government subsidies in various forms, so a token hunt had to be made. The Sea Shepherd antics just gave them a face-saving reason for doing something they were already planning to do anyhow. Now that the “hunt” was made and the budget expenditures justified, they can sail back home and relax.
The market for whale meat continues to decline in Japan and nothing will ever bring it back. The stuff just doesn’t taste very good. I have lived here for 25 years and have never met anyone under the age of 60 who claims to like the stuff.
If it WERE popular and if there WAS a strong market for the stuff, the whaling ships would be escorted about their business by JMSDF warships to make sure they were unmolested.
Well now who can I pick on for this season? What will the hippies do with the off time?
———most likely boil down to economics.——
Or timming.
The antiwacko submarine is behind schedule for deployment this season
Thanks for the background info.
To oppose whaling is to encourage genocide.
88 crew on that TOY? I often went on six month jobs on bigger ships working 24/7 with 8 crew.
I wonder if there were any officers on board, as there does not seem to be any of them that understand the law.
So long as whaling is done within the law, these “activists” should be treated as terrorists in my book.
Some background on the surplus:
From what I have seen, they do have officers but they are all as useless and incompetent as the crew members they find.
The sea shepherd is nothing less than a PIRATE vessel and they should be arrested tried and hanged as pirates. Should never be tolerated even from the somalians.
I’m going to guess that the 88 crew members were spread out over all 3 ships, though I could be wrong.
I was hoping both sides could find a way to lose.
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