Sea Shepherd News

Update from the Steve Irwin

1045 Hours (Sydney time, February 2^nd)

The weather is getting worse as the Japanese fleet continues to flee westward at full speed with the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin in pursuit.

The Japanese whaling ships have been jamming Sea Shepherd communications and have been deploying a long range acoustic weapon device to repel Sea Shepherd boats. The sound waves cause disorientation and nausea.

The deployment of military weapon systems in the Antarctic Treaty Zone is a violation of international law. The whalers are becoming increasingly violent in defense of their illegal activities.

"It is a very dramatic scene out here as ships zig zag back and forth in thick ice and heavy swells," said Captain Paul Watson. "The whalers are deploying water cannons, concussion grenades, acoustic weapons, and throwing solid brass and lead balls at Sea Shepherd crewmembers. If we were to do any of the things these thugs are doing, we would be denounced as eco-terrorists. There certainly is a double standard where whale killers can use violence without fear of condemnation from their government and we can't even defend ourselves without condemnation from our governments. What is important however is that despite the violence from the whalers, no whales are being killed. They can't get away from us and if we keep on their tail they can't kill whales."

Japanese whalers aim long range acoustic device, a military class weapon at the
crew of the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin This LRAD emits mid to high frequency
sound waves that can disorient, confuse, cause nausea and vomiting and temporary
sometimes permanent deafness. It is illegal for a military type weapon to be
deployed by civilians against civilians in the waters of the Southern Ocean. 
Photo by Stephen Roest/Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

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Whalers Violently Defend Their Illegal Whaling Operations

Japanese translation

A crewmember from the Steve Irwin was slightly injured after being struck by a high pressure water cannon fired from the Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru. One of the cameramen on one of the Steve Irwin's inflatable boats was cut and bruised above the eye when a high pressure blast of water knocked him off his feet while he was filming.

A second crew member was also injured in the confrontation with the whalers. Laurens De Groot of the Netherlands was slightly injured when struck in the face by a metal ball thrown by whalers. Whalers onboard the Yushin Maru #3 threw solid brass and lead balls at crewmembers on one of the Steve Irwin's inflatable boats.

The Sea Shepherd crew also discovered that the Japanese whaling fleet is deploying a new weapon in defence of their illegal whaling activities.

The factory ship the Nisshin Maru and the two harpoon vessels in the fleet are equipped with Long Range Acoustical Devices (LRAD). This is a military grade weapon system that sends out mid to high frequency sound waves designed to disorient and possibly incapacitate personnel. It is basically an anti-personnel weapons system.

The Steve Irwin has been chasing the Japanese whaling fleet for twenty-four hours at high speed through scattered ice fields and changing weather conditions for over three hundred miles westward across the top of the Ross Sea.

At 0500 Hours (Sydney Time) the Steve Irwin deployed two fast inflatable boats and a helicopter to harass the fleet and to hurry them along. Sea Shepherd's strategy is to keep the whaling fleet on the move. If they are running they are not killing whales and no whales have been killed during the last 24 hours. In fact the Steve Irwin crew were excited to see Fin whales swimming alongside the ship as they pursued the whaling fleet.

Sea Shepherd Relocates the Japanese Whaling Fleet

Japanese translation

After almost a week of battling dense fog and heavy winds and swells the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Steve Irwin has once more found the Japanese whaling fleet.

The fleet was located at 0930 Hours at the position of 67 Degrees 18 Minutes South and 163 Degrees 52 Minutes West.

"We are 7 miles from the fleet and approaching. We see the Nisshin Maru and two harpoon vessels the Yushin Maru #1 and the Yushin Maru #2," said Captain Paul Watson. "They appear to be whaling and are not moving. If we don't catch up with them before they begin to move, we are close enough now that we will not lose the Nisshin Maru."

There is a lot of loose ice and moderate patches of fog. The winds are at forty knots which means the helicopter cannot be deployed.

The Steve Irwin is now in close pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet.