Posted on 12/08/2009 8:48:03 AM PST by markomalley
The latest campaign by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to disrupt Japan’s whaling industry in the Antarctic Ocean is underway.
Captain Paul Watson and his crew departed on the Steve Irwin from C-Dock, Victoria Quay in Fremantle at 10 AM with a large crowd of supporters and local press to wave them off. A surprise visit by Terri, Bindi and Bob Irwin was celebrated — with Bindi chiming in that she hoped the Japanese “would have zero kills” this year.
“We are very close to bankrupting the fleet and I am confident that we will hurt their profits significantly this year and shut down the fleet,” said Watson to the crowd. “Thank you to all for the support we have received from around the world, particularly Australia, to make this all possible.”
Watson also recently left comments on our article explaining why this campaign may be the most dangerous for the organization; calling out those who have made “unsubstantiated posts on issues they know little about.”
“My job is to say things people may not wish to hear, to do things that people may disagree with,” he wrote. “My job is to piss people off, to save as many lives as possible, to rock the boat and make waves. I’m not here to win popularity contests or the frigging Chevron Environmental Award. I’m not here to greenwash anything with false promises and sugar coated criticisms. I’m hear to make a difference and people may dispute the fact that I am or I am not. I don’t care, that is for history to judge.”
We’ll be updating with new information on the Sea Shepherd campaign throughout the season. The organization’s other defense vessel, the Ady Gil, will depart tomorrow from Hobart, Tasmania.
It’s a shame the Irwins are supporters.
That is a “reasonable”, i.e. honest person's opinion.
Never heard, or read the term ‘greenwash’ before.
One good bolt action rifle (and the will to use it) aboard a targeted boat and mr. eco-terrorist and his little greenie-weenie jihad is over.
These eco-terrorists wouldn’t dream of risking themselves in a real firefight.
I think both sides are in the gray areas of the law, but that is what makes it so entertaining.
I love watching Whale Wars. Every episode the environmentalists reach new heights of incompetence. I love laughing at them and cheering on the whaling fleet.
I’ve never tried whale before but I’d like to try it sometime (purely for scientific reasons...).
What would be entertaining is if Japanese television had an equivalent show to Whale Wars, but filmed on board the whaling fleet.
Then get an American network, like G4, to build a "collage" series.
It's a small wonder they haven't sunk their ship or killed someone.
I know you like this show, but I still find myself rooting for the whalers most of the time :P
Anyone stepping foot on that ship is seriously risking their lives because it is literally a ship of fools.
I didn’t miss an episode last season. It was comedy gold. It truly is amazing nobody gets killed. Most of these people don’t know what they are doing, at sea....regularly get lot, etc.
They do incredibly dangerous manuevers, launching small speed boats into a freezing cold and choppy ocean...
..all to throw ‘stink bombs’ at the Japanese ships (and somehow they can’t seem to reach their decks which appear to be four stories higher than the speed boats).
I be the Discovery Channel photographers fear for their lives.
Speaking as the wife of a commercial fisherman who comes from a long line of c/f—I have to cheer for the Japanese. The people on board the Steve Irwin are pirates, nothing more nothing less.
Don’t get me wrong—I love whales, think they’re some of the coolest animals on the planet.
Hubby watches this show just to watch my bp go up. LOL
Oh yeah, the Steve Irwin regularly tries to get a cable tangled in the whaler’s propeller. In my mind, this is an act of violence, that riskes lives. I assume not having forward propoulsion in the ocean can get risky....
but, yes, the Japanese are violating a treaty, by doing this ‘scientific’ whaling.
Ditto to everything you guys said.
What makes me laugh the hardest is the looks of disbelief on the faces of the pirates as the Japanese actually have the temerity to fight back. As far as I’m concerned, they J’s have more patience than anyone should be required to have. Just like the Israelis. Shaking head. I just don’t understand the world today.
“The Japanese are commercial whaling” ? ? ?
Got any thing against whaling? Other than eco-socialist “feelings”, that is?
No, really, that’s Franken in a wig, isn’t it?
Looks like a whale to me....
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