Lasers a sight risk to Japanese whalers

Anti-whaling ... an activist of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society shines a green laser from the deck of the anti-whaling group's newly-acquired vessel, the Ady Gil, towards the Japanese whaling ship Shonan Maru No. 2 during their encounter in the Antarctic. Source: AP

The ocean battle to protect whales degenerated into a form of high-tech terrorism when protesters turned a military-class laser on Japanese whalers.

The hand-held green laser is banned in Australia and can cause temporary blindness.

In a four-hour battle, activists aboard the Sea Shepherd's high speed trimaran Ady Gill directed the laser beam towards the Shonan Maru No. 2, which was trying to stop them from reaching the whaling fleet.

Paul Watson, skipper of the main protest vessel Steve Irwin, said the laser had been a success in the increasingly high stakes game of cat and mouse.

"We used a photonic disruptor - a device designed to cause temporary blindness without causing permanent damage," Mr Watson said as the Steve Irwin approached Hobart for refuelling.

"It has the same kind of effect as the popping of a flash bulb and it certainly prevented them [the Japanese ship] from doing what they were doing."

However, experts said laser beams could potentially cause permanent damage to a person's sight.

Victims usually suffered from startle effects, flash-blindness, glare, and after-images, but longer exposure could cause more permanent eye damage including retinal burns. Eye specialists said a laser could cause permanent damage to the retina because the beam focuses on a small spot, burning cells so badly they are unable to recuperate.

Mr Watson said his group planned to shine laser beams on the Japanese harpooners so they could not get a shot on the whales.

In response, the Japanese ships have been firing water cannons and using sonic weapons such as long range acoustic devices to repel the protesters.

"They tried to destroy our helicopter with the water cannons," Mr Watson said. "They are using the sonic as an anti-boarding device which can cause headaches, nausea and disorientation to anyone who approaches.

"We haven't had to deal with this kind of obstacle - we are at a real disadvantage. But we have to make sure we do not hurt them. We have an unblemished record, never injured anyone or been convicted of a felony."

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