Posted on 12/09/2011 5:53:47 PM PST by Pan_Yan
A Japanese whale research group filed a lawsuit with a U.S. federal court Thursday against Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and founder Paul Watson, demanding they be ordered to cease disrupting its whaling activities.
The Institute of Cetacean Research and another plaintiff, Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha Ltd., are seeking a court order to prevent Sea Shepherd and Watson from "engaging in activities at sea that could cause injuries to the crews and damage to the vessels," the research group said in a statement.
Japan's whaling missions, conducted by the institute as part of what it calls research whaling, have often been obstructed by the U.S.-based conservation group, including a high-profile sinking in Antarctic waters in January 2010 when a protester's speedboat's bow was chopped off in a collision with a whaling ship.
Kyodo Senpaku is commissioned to operate the government's whaling fleet and owns the ships.
The suit, filed together with a request for a provisional injunction at the U.S. District Court in Seattle, also demands that the protesters' ships be kept at a certain distance from the whaling fleet, the research group said. Sea Shepherd is based in the state of Washington.
Criticizing the sabotage activities as "dangerous" and "life threatening," the plaintiffs allege that the conservation group's actions violate international laws on maritime safety.
In the joint statement, they also said the obstruction activities "not only put at risk the safety of the research vessels at sea, but are also affecting the scientific achievement" of Japan's "legitimate" whale research program in the Antarctic.
Sea Shepherd's protests have escalated in recent years, such as pointing laser beams at the fleet's crew, hurling bottles containing butyric acid at the Japanese vessels, and intentionally closing in on the fleet with its ships.
Japan officialy halted commercial whaling in 1986.
Tokyo placed Watson on an international wanted list through Interpol in June 2010.
http://www.icrwhale.org/JARPAResults.html
http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/content/49/3/317.abstract
and others
Any google of food consumption by whales and pinnipeds gives many articles...with various opinions and the opinion is often that more research is needed. Very little respect given to cultures ( like our own native Americans in areas) historically dependent on harvesting whales.
http://www.icrwhale.org/JARPAResults.html
http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/content/49/3/317.abstract
and others
Any google of food consumption by whales and pinnipeds gives many articles...with various opinions and the opinion is often that more research is needed. Very little respect given to cultures ( like our own native Americans in areas) historically dependent on harvesting whales.
“At great risk to your own people’s lives.”
He has made it clear that some people may die in this endeavor and he thinks that is fine. He is a nutjob, thinking that he is doing God’s will and if people die (on either side) then that’s just collateral damage.
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