Japan to cut short Antarctic whale hunt -NHK - Reuters

[Eugene]

Japan to cut short Antarctic whale hunt -NHK
28 Feb 2007 04:00:00 GMT
Source: Reuters

TOKYO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Japan is set to abandon whale-hunting in the
Antarctic for this season after its main whaling ship was crippled by a fire
two weeks ago, public broadcaster NHK said on Wednesday.

The Nisshin Maru, the 8,000 tonne flagship of Japan's whaling fleet, re-started
its engines at the weekend after being stranded in frigid waters since the fire,
which killed a crewman.

A Fisheries Ministry official said on Wednesday he had no information on any
planned withdrawal of the fleet from the area.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/T263306.htm

[Eugene]

1. (Confirmed) Japan cuts short Antarctic whale hunt - Reuters

Japan cuts short Antarctic whale hunt

By Isabel Reynolds

22 minutes ago

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan has abandoned whale hunting in the Antarctic for this
season after its main whaling ship was crippled by a fire two weeks ago, the
Fisheries Agency said on Wednesday.

The Nisshin Maru, the 8,000-ton flagship of what Japan calls its research whaling
fleet, restarted its engines at the weekend after being stranded in frigid waters
since the fire, which killed a crewman.

The Nisshin Maru can sail under its own power, but given the damage to equipment
from the fire, continuing whaling would be difficult, the agency said in a news
release.

"We have been research whaling for 20 years, but this is the first time we have had
to cut the expedition short," Fisheries Agency official Takahide Naruko told reporters
in Tokyo. "It is very unfortunate."

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070228/wl_nm/whale_hunt_japan_dc_2

[4bh0r53n]

2. And there was great rejoicing

:applause: