Sea Shepherd ship bravely blocks refueling of Japanese whale processing vessel

[AgingAmerican]

The Japanese whaling fleet, poaching whales from Antarctica's Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, creates a collision as they attempt an illegal refuelling operation. Sea Shepherd Ship Bob Barker peacefully blocks the whalers' factory ship, Nisshin Maru, from refuelling.

The Bob Barker holds their ground, but the Nisshin Maru moves in, pinching the Bob Barker between itself and the fuel tanker Sun Laurel while blasting the bridge windows with high-powered water cannons. The bow wake from the two larger ships causes the smaller one to lose steerage, and the ensuing turbulence throws the Bob Barker off course. The Bob Barker gets helplessly tossed side to side between the two larger ships.

This video clearly shows the fault of the collision on the Nisshin Maru. According to COLREGS, the Bob Barker had the right of way, and the Nisshin Maru had no right to move closer to the Bob Barker.

[Dj13Francis]

1. Viva Watson!

Oh yeah, these guys make me proud every time I see anything they do, and proud every time I wear one of their t-shirts to a japanese restaurant!

[idwiyo]

2. K&R

[love_katz]

3. Hoo rah for Sea Shepard!

[fasttense]

4. Civil Disobedience, the PTB hate it.

Go Sea Shepherd!!!!!

[paleotn]

5. K&R Keep up the good fight, Sea Shepherd!

...love those guys!

[FBaggins]

6. Sorry... the Bob Barker most certainly did NOT have the right of way.

She's the overtaking vessel and must give way.

And of course... they label this as an intentional obstruction of a refeuling operation. You can't do that either.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. You are quite correct

[AgingAmerican]

10. They were blocking an illegal fueling operation

Illegal under Antarctic treaty below 60 degrees south.

[FBaggins]

13. Nope.

Not are they empowered to enforce laws even if it were.

Neither of which changes the fact that they continue to lie under the false impression that the ends justify the means. They did NOT have the right of way at any point in that encountered.

[AgingAmerican]

14. ...and I am glad they did it

Fortunately there are folks in this world who have the cahones to do what is right.

[FBaggins]

15. So just start off with that.

Why spread their lies and pretend that they're the innocent party obeying maritime laws> Just start off by admitting that they're lawless and you don't care because you share their priorities.

They didn't have the right of way and the refueling wasn't illegal. They just didn't care because they think the law doesn't apply to them if they're trying to save whales (or sell commercial time on a tv show).

Though one certainly has to wonder why, if they believe in their cause, they feel they have to lie to defend it.

[AgingAmerican]

17. What lies?

Do you eat whale? Do you believe in saving the oceans and conservation? Do you believe the Japanese are whaling for 'research only', even though not a single scientific white paper has ever come from this 'research'? Do you believe they should just be allowed to continue their illegal commercial whale harvest? Is Japanese corporate profit more important than life on earth?

Go Sea Shepherds! My donations to them are well spent!!

[FBaggins]

19. Did you miss the rest of the thread?

What lies? That they had the right of way? That refueling in the antarctic (which they do regularly) is illegal? (and dozens of others over the years... up to and including claiming to be shot and only saved by a child's tin sherif badge)

Do you eat whale?

Of course not. Please don't assume that others share the irrational belief that one side must always be in the right. I can easily oppose whaling while also opposing illegal operations that these nuts take to stop them.

[MrModerate]

21. Because their vigilantism against cetacide needs to be fought on many levels . . .

With many weapons.

I have no understanding of sea law, but I understand PR and crisis communications pretty well, and by muddying the waters (so to speak) they keep their vastly-better-financed opposition off-balance. They're using obfuscation as a force multiplier

They also get to portray villains as villainous. And themselves as brave and righteous.

Myself, I'm opposed to vigilantes. But I make an exception in Sea Shepherd's case.

[sulphurdunn]

39. This is true,

but one cannot engage the whaling fleet by following the rules of the sea. It's amazing no one has been killed.

[FBaggins]

42. Of course you can engage the whaling fleet without breaking the law.

You can do just what Greenpeace has been doing successfully for decades. Protest peacefully and work to change hearts and minds - taking the market for whale meat away through persuasion,

Were it not for Sea Shepherd, this would have likely ended Japanese whaling years ago.

[sulphurdunn]

48. Sea Shepherd

actually stops them from killing whales in real time. The long game for ending whaling has been a dismal failure. Saving individual whales has not.

[FBaggins]

56. The long game has been a dismal failure?

They you haven't been paying attention for very long and only get your information from a tv show.

The long game had almost entirely shut down Japanese demand for whale meat and had shifted public opinion in the right direction... until Sea Shepherd showed their ignorance of Japanese culture and decided to be more confrontational... which had the effect that should have been expected. They defended themselves and appear to be ready to continue whaling even if it costs them large sums of money every year.

Sales of whale meat continue to decline while support for continued whaling is steady... a sure sign of Greenpeace's victory and SS's continued failure.

[sulphurdunn]

62. Being rude

adds nothing to your argument. The Japanese whaling industry has appealed to its government to either increase its subsidize or nationalize the industry due to a decline in demand for whale meat to 1% of its peak in the 60s. Without those subsidies it would have expired years ago. The political power of the whaling industry is still great enough to have had disaster funds from the tsunami cleanup diverted to the whaling fleet. If you think that has anything to do with the actions of Sea Shepherd or offense given to Japanese culture as a consequence of those actions then you need a reality check. The continuation of the uneconomical Japanese whaling industry is due to political corruption, not activism. Anything Sea Shepherd does to save a single whale is fine with me.

[FBaggins]

63. Being rude?

Pointing out that getting your information from a tv show and SS's press releases leaves you with less than a complete understanding of the situation isn't rude.

The Japanese whaling industry has appealed to its government to either increase its subsidize or nationalize the industry .

The Japanese whaling industry is already owned indirectly by the Japanese government. Private companies got out of whaling six or seven years ago.

due to a decline in demand for whale meat to 1% of its peak in the 60s

A decline caused by that "long game" you falsely claimed had been a failure. A decline that has accounted for many times the reduction in whale deaths that SS's antics could possibly impact. Whale meat used to make up about half of the meat in the Japanese diet.

If you think that has anything to do with the actions of Sea Shepherd or offense given to Japanese culture as a consequence of those actions then you need a reality check.

As I said... you obviously don't understand the first thing about Japanese culture. They can be persuaded to change their minds with a respectful negotiation... but they are loathe to surrender under assault - even if it costs them.

The continuation of the uneconomical Japanese whaling industry is due to political corruption

Please see the correction of your earlier error above. Political corruption would require a profitable independent business that funnels money to government officials to get them to take actions. Instead, there is a money-losing operation that is already owned by the government.

[sulphurdunn]

65. I've never read

a Sea Shepherd press release in my life. As for getting information from television, I suppose you don't? If the Japanese are loath to surrender under assault, so be it. It is precisely political corruption that encourages governments to continua funding useless activities. The Japanese whaling industry is insulated from economic reality by sympathetic bureaucrats and politicians within the Japanese government. That's part of that cultural sensitivity you think should determine the behavior of the anti-whaling community. I do not agree.

[FBaggins]

66. Never?

Did you miss your OP? The three paragraphs that you posted were from their press release.

The Japanese whaling industry is insulated from economic reality

That's because there is no "economic reality" behind what they're doing. They aren't trying to make money at it (apart from trying to make the activity pay for itself). They're trying to gain evidence to persuade others to change their minds.

SS falsely claims (frequently) that Japan stands almost alone against the rest of the IWC, but that isn't really true. There are a number of countries that support commercial whaling if it could be done sustainably. So Japan has been trying to produce evidence that whale populations are recovering and that a certain level of commercial whaling could resume in the coming years.

The Japanese government wants whaling to return. It isn't some corporation bribing them to take actions that they wouldn't otherwise take. They can be persuaded by changes is public opinion within Japan (and this has been very effective over the years)... they can't be forced to stop.

[Demo_Chris]

8. Respectfully, this description is ludicrous. How many things can you get wrong?

"Poaching" is the unlawful stealing of plants or animals. This is not unlawful, it is simply unpopular.

Refueling is not illegal. Attempting to interfere is.

The Sea Shepherd people deliberately set out to cause this collision, and then even manage to screw that up by violating the rules themselves.

This nonsense isn't heroic or helpful. It's a bunch of impressionable kids getting conned into a reality TV fantasy. If they continue this garbage it is only a matter of time before a bunch of people killed.

In fact, I am amazed that the Japanese navy doesn't escort these whaling ships and put a stop to this. The SS people have no right to endanger everyone with these stunts.

[AgingAmerican]

9. They were upholding international law

The Japanese were acting illegally by refueling in an area below 60 degrees south, an activity prohibited by an Antarctic treaty.

The Sea Shepherds know the risks. They sign disclaimers. Watson has been doing stuff like this for decades. They successfully halted the whaling season for the Japanese poaching fleet. Mission accomplished! Go Sea Shepherds!

After this incident, the Japanese got angry and intentionally ran into three sea Shepherd boats. Total outlaws, those Japanese whalers!!

[FBaggins]

11. The antarctic treaty does not prohibiy refeuling below 60 degrees south.

It says you can't discharge oil into the sea.

And, of course, we've seen the Sea Shepherds refuel in the antarctic on multiple occasions.

[AgingAmerican]

16. They were discharging oil into the sea during refueling, which Sea Shepherd documented fully

They illegally did not report the spills and were subsequently blocked from further refueling operations by my heroes, the Sea Shepherds.

[FBaggins]

18. No they weren't.

It's amazing how SS thinks anyone can watch that video and agree with them.

They didn't "document" a spill. They recorded the captain clearly saying to close the cover because IF oil drops it's a big problem. SS instead claims that the captain is referring to a spill that has already occurred (and that they claim to have sampled).

They illegally did not report the spills and were subsequently blocked from further refueling operations

Amazing how you can (in the same breath) claim something to be illegal that you don't even know occured (whether they reported something that probably didn't even happen) while praising something that is clearly illegal (you can't block refueling operations).

[AgingAmerican]

22. Yes they were, and 'SS' has filed a formal complaint about it

AND the Australian Maritime Safety Authority has begun a formal investigation.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-21/maritime-safety-authority-investigates-japan---sea/4531362

"There is also a very serious issue about whether or not heavy oil fuels have been carried. Once you go below 60 degrees latitude you're in the Antarctic area and there is a very strict law within the Antarctic Treaty System that you don't carry heavy fuels.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: Would the refuelling of the ships involve these so-called heavy fuels?

TONY BURKE: Well it depends on what it's running on. There's a belief when one of these vessels was originally designed that it was designed for heavy fuels. Whether it is still in fact using them is something that we need confirmation of because that 60 degree principle is one of the many fundamental principles that you have in holding the Antarctic Treaty System together.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: The Japanese whaling fleet has a coast guard official on board the Nisshin Maru so when it comes to officially knowing what went on, shouldn't the Australian Government have some of its own eyes and ears there to monitor the situation?

TONY BURKE: Well the Australian Government view is regardless of where they are in the Southern Ocean, they are acting in breach of international law. That's why we've got the action in front of the International Court of Justice which is now getting closer to its full hearing.

Sea Shepherd documented the spill and took samples of the ILLEGAL HEAVY FUEL spill hours before they recorded the audio transmission."


So, it appears that everything Sea Shepherd has said is correct, according to the Australian Government.

Thanks for playing!!

Go Sea Shepherd!!!

[FBaggins]

45. So your evidence that SS wasn't lying...

... is that they now claim that they weren't lying?

Stunning!

[AgingAmerican]

46. You apparently didn't click the link

n/t

[FBaggins]

50. Did the link change?

because yes... I clicked the link.

It doesn't add any evidence. One party claims that the other did something... so the government is looking into it.

it's still you trying to prove that they did something illegal by posting a story where SS claims they did something illegal.

[AgingAmerican]

52. It's called an "investigation"

It's a process. It's how they get to the bottom of such things.

[FBaggins]

55. Which is very different from what you claimed.

The fact that someone is investigating a thing does not mean that the thing happened. Investigations sometimes say "yes" and sometimes say "no".

They don't have any authority to compel production of anything. They'll ask the Japanese whether or not their ships were running on heavy fuel oil... and just like last year, the Japanese will say "nope". And that will be the end of that.

SS likes to fancy itself as enforcing the law... but they aren't a law-enforcement agency. Producing a bucket of water with oil in it can't be accepted as evidence of anything because they can't show that they didn't put it there. And once again... their prior history of dishonestly planting false evidence makes it unlikely that a court will take their word for it.

[AgingAmerican]

47. Click the link

n/t

[Demo_Chris]

26. Yep.

[AgingAmerican]

28. They prohibit heavy fuel oil being used or transported below 60 degrees south

which makes transfer of same illegal. That is why the Australian Maritime Safety Authority has opened a formal investigation into it, as per evidence provided by the Sea Shepherds.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-21/maritime-safety-authority-investigates-japan---sea/4531362

[FBaggins]

44. And they don't use heavy fuel oil below 60 degree south.

They don't need to... and another nation's tanker isn't going to go down there to do it.

That is why the Australian Maritime Safety Authority has opened a formal investigation into it

They opened an investigation because someone claimed that heavy fuel was used. That doesn't mean that it was. This is the guy who manufactured a bullet so that he could look personally heroic and accuse the Japanese of trying to kill him... you really think anyone is going to belive him if he claims to have conveniently found evidence?

Pretending that SS is impartial and can be trusted to provide honest evidence is hilarious. Imagining that they even have someone on board who can tell the difference is an act of pure fantasy.

[AgingAmerican]

49. We will see what their investigation finds

n/t

[FBaggins]

57. Again... how?

What "investigating" can they do beyond asking Japan whether or not their ship uses heavy fuel oil when south of the line? Japan has already answered that question.

[Demo_Chris]

12. I think their careers will soon be coming to an end

After reading up on their antics and legal troubles, it seems that just this last month the US 9th circuit declaired the organization to be pirates.

Nor are these clowns empowered to enforce international (or national) law.

In any case, I am not a fan of whaling, but I am less a fan of terrorism for television. If all they were doing was endangering themselves that might be one thing, but they are not. They are playing a very very dangerous game in one of the most hostile environments on the planet. They are putting a lot of people at risk.

[AgingAmerican]

23. Paul Watson has sunk 10 whaling ships in the past

all without injury or loss of human life, and all without being convicted of a crime in any court of law......and he has beaten them in court every time.....and he is still going strong.

He is obviously way smarter than them.

[wercal]

29. You might want to do a little more research on Watson

He's been convicted before....and is currently on the run from interpol. The young people on his expeditions look up to him....but one day he will get alot of them killed.

[AgingAmerican]

31. He isnt on the run from interpol

The charges were dropped earlier today for lack of evidence, as always.

[AgingAmerican]

32. He isnt on the run from interpol

The charges were dropped earlier today for lack of evidence, as always.

The people working with him sign waivers. They know the risks. Some people believe in certain things so strongly that they are willing to die for them. It is very admirable.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

41. False

The German's dropped the arrest warrant since the requesting country had not provided requested data. It can be reinstated easily.

His bail jumping may remain

[FBaggins]

43. Yes, he is.

Germany dropped charges on an unrelated offense. The Interpol "warrant" is still in force. Watson has announced that he will remain at see to avoid it unless Australia announces that they won't arrest him and turn him over to Japan.

people believe in certain things so strongly that they are willing to die for them.

Being willing to risk your life for what you believe in is admirable.

Being willing to risk the lives of others is not... in fact it's criminal.

Watson and his pirate crew are on the wrong side of that line,

[wercal]

54. You are making the colossal mistake of....well, BELIEVING Watson

Just because he is no longer wanted for the Costa Rica claim.....this has no effect on the Japanese claim and Interpol Red Notice Against him.

Here's the notice:

http://www.interpol.int/Wanted-Persons/(wanted_id)/2010-28800

I.E.....he is wanted by Interpol.

And I don't really care if his crew signs waivers. The majority of them are very young and have very limited experience at Sea. They trust in the elder Watson and his experience....its a very misplaced trust. I don't think its too hard to figure out that Watson wants there to be contact/rammings, etc. with the Japanese ships...a very dangerous game for the 'Captain' to be playing, which endangers his crew in a manner that is so reckless, it would invalidate any waiver.

Here is an example of a member of the crew (and the cameraman) having severe reservations about what they signed up for...whn they realize Watson is reckless enough to plow through ice with a thin walled ship:

&playnext=1&list=PL968A542574416D37&feature=results_video

....there's a little bit of turnover on the ship, isn't there?

[Demo_Chris]

59. Okay, that's positively insane

I don't think anything more needs to be said. This clown needs to be arrested before he gets a whole bunch of people killed.

[FBaggins]

20. "They successfully halted the whaling season for the Japanese poaching fleet"

Did they?

You know that they claim this just about every year, right?

They claimed over two weeks ago that the Japanese had given up and were leaving the area with the worst haul since the campaigns began...

... but today they announced that the Sea Shepherds had run out of fuel operating margin and were calling it a season with just enough reserve to get home. The whalers have turned back south, but Watson claims that that's just for show and the bad weather will handle them. Now bad weather "effectively ends the whaling season" (that they claim ended weeks ago)... yet the Japanese are aparently still there and SS is gone.

I'm sure that their polite nature will restrain them from any whaling while SS is unavailable to continue to duel?

[AgingAmerican]

24. No, they don't claim that just about every year

Most years they just lessen the number of whales caught.

[Demo_Chris]

25. They apparently lie a great deal.

Just this one story is loaded with falsehoods.

Seriously, these guys infuriate me. This is the middle of the freaking southern ocean, one of the most dangerous places on earth, and they are deliberately crashing ships, trying to destroy the props on these whaling ships. They leave one of these whaling ships without propultion and a storm comes...

I have nothing but respect for civil disobedience when the cause is just. But if you want to get your pirate on, do it to goldman sacks, do it to stop the keystone pipeline, and do it in a way that you aren't risking the lives of hundreds of people.

[AgingAmerican]

27. "They leave one of these whaling ships without propultion and a storm comes..."

...then they wont be able to catch whales! Gasp!!

[Demo_Chris]

30. No, then they quite possibly die

In the middle of the southern ocean, with no hope of rescue.

[AgingAmerican]

34. Then they should just stay in Japan

...instead of being in the antarctic illegally hunting whales for profit.

[Demo_Chris]

38. I was wondering if you would go there

In any case, these eco-terrorist pirates apparently share your view on the relative value of human life.

[AgingAmerican]

53. Yes, the thought of Japan just staying home

...is unfathomable.

"these eco-terrorist pirates apparently share your view on the relative value of human life"
Yes, all the people who have died in their campaigns! Who is thinking of the children?

I note not a peep from you on the Japanese intentionally ramming and sinking SS ships.

If the oceans die, we die.

[Demo_Chris]

58. Well....

As for the Japanese "intentionally" ramming you have to consider that the source of the claims is a known liar, so I take that with a grain of salt. The Japanese are not the ones chasing the SS ships and trying to get danger close. That said, since the terrorists are putting the lives of these Japanese crews at risk one can hardly blame the Japanese captains for defending themselves. I am surprised they haven't fitted real weapons yet.

Hopefully the Japanese Navy will take an interest.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

40. Clearly its well past time for Watson to get a taste of his own medicine

I remember one episode where the Japanese ships used some of his own tactics and recovered gear against him. He started to seriously melt down.

How well would his ships fair if they were fouled?

[MFM008]

33. a lot of Sea Shepherd hating going on here

Whaling makes a lot of people angry.
This is 2013 not 1850.
The Japanese took money many of us donated to help after the tsunami and used it to subsidize whaling.
They lie and say it is whale research.
I say stop the whaling, the destruction of blue fin tuna, quit despoiling and ruining our oceans and I don't care how Sea Shepherd does it and I put my money behind that.

[AgingAmerican]

35. A lot of Sea Shepherd hating...

...but no alternatives put forth.

[MFM008]

36. there dont need to be alternatives.

End whaling period, and over fishing period. No alternatives. The alternatives are these animals go extinct.
Then what species will they drive off the planet??

[MFM008]

37. am I right?

[Demo_Chris]

60. Whaling makes me angry as well (cont)

But nowhere near as angry as antics like this.

[FBaggins]

61. Well said. n/t

[Honeycombe8]

51. Cool. Hopefully this saved one life. nt

[Fire Walk With Me]

64. Direct action gets the goods!