Anti-Whaling ship, Bob Barker, collide with Japanese fleet

Cattle are raised to be eaten (and they are delicious). The whales being killed are not (I don't know what they taste like).

I don't see that as being a difference worthy of deciding which lives or dies.

I've "known" living cattle and I've been close to whales. There is a difference.

Which is?

Cattle are not in danger of extinction.

Neither are the whales?

[edit on 7/2/2010 by C0bzz]

The whalers have business out there in the water... like it or not.

What in the "price is right" world was that boat the Bob Barker doing so close to them in the open ocean? I mean, the ocean is big... I mean BIG!!!

Bob, get the heck out of the way!

Whalers, next time don't do a warning bump... sink em.

According the the IWC, Japan is only permitted to whale for scientific purposes.

That's sort of a joke because the majority of their catch, the vast majority, goes to commercial uses and their scientific data is uber sketch.

On the other hand, the moratorium that's been in place since 1986 might be overkill, because it looks like Minke populations could, in theory, be sustainably harvested.

The ICRW was originally supposed to treat whaling like fishing, not conserve or "save" the whales.

I see both sides of it, but Japan is pretty dumb. If they had just filed a reservation against the moratorium they could kill as many whales as they want for commercial purposes. But instead they didn't file a reservation (actually they did and took it back) and just found a good loophole under scientific whaling. Probably so that they could still have a vote in regards to the IWC's moratorium. Which is still in place long after it was intended to end.

So... Okay. Whatever.
/Raven is quiet now.

I just can't wait to see a live sinking on an episode of 'Whale Wars'.

You just know when it happens, the anti-whalers will cry that they are victims. "We were just out water-skiing when we were sustained an unprovoked attack by a whaling vessel. We weren't even anywhere near them!"

With ships this large, there is no such thing as an accidental collision in open Sea. You plan your moves ahead of time because these vessels don't exactly turn on a dime.

When will these guys learn? Someone is going to end up dead in one of these little stunts. They were really lucky with the last collision of the bat boat. That could have ended with multiple deaths.

Look whaling is what it is. If the whale populations are at risk then ok, reduce the whaling, but the actions of the Sea Shepard with the other boats is piracy and illegal.

They are attacking vessels on the high seas in international water. They deserve to be shot. I would shoot them if I were the captain of that ship for putting the lives of my crew in danger.

What they are doing is criminal. If they'd stop attacking whaling ships, maybe they wouldn't be in the position they find themselves in all the time. Hey there's a thought!

[edit on 8-2-2010 by av8r007]

Japanese whaling disgusts me and really angers me. I honestly hope I live to see a massive earthquake bring Japan to its knees or maybe a tsunami to put the savages back into the stoneage

I like whales but I have to say the Sea Shepards or wtf ever they're called are nothing more than eco-terrorists being egged even more than normal because they're doing a TV show. Their captain won't be happy until he martyrs someone for the cause as long as it isn't him. If I were the Japanese I'd just send a frigate down to escort the fleet and it would be problem solved real fast.

Wow is this thread full of incorrect information:

Originally posted by YourPopRock
The whalers have business out there in the water... like it or not.

They are whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary:

The Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is an area of 50 million square kilometres surrounding the continent of Antarctica where the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has banned all types of commercial whaling. To date, the IWC has designated two such sanctuaries, the other being the Indian Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

And are in direct violation of international law. That is the same as me going quail hunting in a bird sanctuary back here in the states.

How is what these guys are doing to these Japanese ships really any different than the Somali pirates?

They are not boarding ships to take the cargo, or the ship. In their opinion they are enforcing international law about whaling in the whale sanctuary. It would be difficult for the Japanese to prosecute the Sea Shepard crews in international court as they are in direct violation of international law themselves. There was one incident of a Sea Shepard crew member actually boarding a Japanese whaler, I believe that he was arrested for piracy when they got back to Australia.

Originally posted by Tayesin
The "accident" wasn't at a slipway, it was in the open sea according the reports here in Austrlia.

In this instance the slipway means the ramp on the back of the factory ship where they pull the whales up to butcher them. This thing:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/b53a78c77f1f.jpg[/atsimg]

Originally posted by Raverous
I just read that these fools also throw something onto the whaler ships that disables the ships and actually ruins the whale meat. Not only are they endangering the lives of the crews they're ensuring that the whales die in vain.

They use butyric acid which makes the decks slippery and spoils the meat. They also use prop fowler's which tangle the ships props, causing them to have to stop to untangle it, or sometimes have to be towed back to port. The idea of both of these actions are to make whaling so unprofitable that the Japanese give up, or the industry goes bankrupt. They cannot sell rotten meat.

Originally posted by Raverous
False. The meat goes into hungry mouths and the rest is generally used in some way. Regardless of anyone's views on eating meat or whaling, just destroying it after the critter is already dead does nothing but enrage the person who killed it and they'll just kill another one after you leave.

Its all about the money, make it unprofitable enough and they will stop doing it.

Originally posted by C0bzz
Hard it tell if it's intentional or not. It looks as if they were both turning into each other till the last moment.

Up until recently the Sea Shepard folks have tried to get their ships in close to the rear slipway of the factory ship to block the transfer of whales from the harpoon ships into the factory ship. This was successful enough that the whalers had to find a way to do it with the Sea Shepard ships in the way, which they have done. Now the Sea Shepard crews are attempting to sever the cable that is used in the transfer or keep the harpoon ships far enough to the sides that they cannot transfer the whale until after it rots.

Originally posted by C0bzz
As far as killing whales goes.... I honestly don't see the difference between killing whales and killing cows? Can someone explain to me what the actual difference is?

Cows are considered to be stupid animals, whales are highly intelligent and social animals. Cows are killed in a very quick humane fashion, but whales are driven until they have to surface to breath, then they are harpooned, dragged, and shot until they die of exhaustion. Its a very cruel and inhumane death for an intelligent creature. Warning, graphic:

Since my other video did not work, here is one from the Australian Government:

Australia's government stepped up its campaign against Japanese whaling by releasing graphic footage of a minke whale and its calf being harpooned and dragged aboard a ship. The images were taken by a customs ship that has been tracking the Japanese fleet in the Antarctic to gather evidence for a diplomatic and legal battle against whaling. Japan's whaling body accused Australia of spreading 'emotional propaganda', and denied the whales were a mother and calf.

Originally posted by av8r007
They are attacking vessels on the high seas in international water. They deserve to be shot. I would shoot them if I were the captain of that ship for putting the lives of my crew in danger.
What they are doing is criminal. If they'd stop attacking whaling ships, maybe they wouldn't be in the position they find themselves in all the time.

So who is doing the criminal activity here again?

Dont slaughter whales!!! Not with modern ships, not for money!
A eskimo tribe that hunts the oldfashion way, risking there life in a small sloop and catching 1 whale a year is a different story.

But these Japanese and Norwegian bastards distroying worlds most fantastic creatures with there floating factories makes my blood boil and have to be stopped.

How can Japan, with such a great historie and culture these days still not adapt to the modern world and still keep murdering these endangered, extreme intelligent creatures?

So I say Go Sea Sheperd, try to stop these morons. it. You guys are heroes, sink them down to the silent bottom of the Arctic waters if you have to.
I am proud it sails under the Dutch flag!

reply to post by jibeho


When you believe in something enough, there is no doubt there is nothing you won't do to achieve that goal. Even if it means killing yourself or someone else.

I have watched the program "Whale Wars." The Sea Shepards are nothing more than pirates, and should be treated as such.

Go Go Sea Shepherd! When I've got a spare few million, I'll buy you another boat.

IMO, slaughtering whales will be one of those things the human species looks back on in a century and cringes with embarassment and shame - along with chemotherapy and reality TV shows!

reply to post by Necrosis


Frankly, since the Sea Shepard wackos are out there commiting destructive acts to boats (ie messing up the props on them) the Japanese should simply open fire on them.

Do you have any idea how quickly you can die if you are in the open ocean with a boat that has an inoperable prop?!?

I hope the Japanese do the right thing and SINK those psychos.

If an international court wants to determine that the Japanese are breaking a law about harvesting whales, then so be it. They can try them, find them guilty and exact punishment on them. The crazies chasing them in the boat though should be wiped out in self-defense. Maybe the Japanese should hire Blackwater (or xi or whatever they are called now) to stop these nuts! One torpedo and no more crazies!

Water Cannons Fired in Latest Antarctic Whaling Clash
Tuesday, February 09, 2010


Print ShareThis
AP


Feb. 6: Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd's ship the Bob Barker, right, and the Japanese whaling ship Yushin Maru No.3 collide in the Antarctic waters.
ADELAIDE, Australia — Activists vowing to stop the killing of whales exchanged water-cannon fire with a Japanese whaling fleet they are tailing in the Antarctic Ocean, as sea confrontations that have led to collisions and a sunken vessel continue.

The Sea Shepherd conservation group said its ships, the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker, confronted the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru early Monday.

"The factory ship turned on their water cannons and were surprised when the Steve Irwin responded with a more powerful water cannon that had a couple of the whalers diving for the bridge doors," said a Monday statement from the group.

On Saturday, the Bob Barker and a Japanese harpoon boat collided in icy Antarctic waters, causing minor damage to both vessels. A Japanese whaler struck Sea Shepherd's high-tech speed boat Ady Gil and sheared off its nose on Jan. 6. The Bob Barker then came to rescue the crew of the Ady Gil, which sank a day later.

Japanese Fisheries Agency official Shigeki Takaya condemned the use of water cannons after Monday's confrontation. "As we have always said, we condemn the act. It is totally unforgivable," he said.

SLIDESHOW: Whale Wars Heat Up.

A Japanese foreign ministry official said Japan lodged a protest with the Netherlands and Togo over the water cannon fire in the Antarctic Ocean — the countries where the Steve Irwin and Bob Barker are registered.

"We asked the respective governments to stop the ships from obstructing our whaling activities," the official said, speaking anonymously, citing departmental policy. He declined to elaborate further.

Sea Shepherd, a U.S.-based activist group, sends vessels to confront the Japanese fleet each year. Two major clashes have already occurred this year, one a collision that destroyed a Sea Shepherd vessel.

Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson said his activists have prevented the whalers from catching any whales since Saturday.

"We intend to turn these three whaling-free days into three whaling-free weeks," Watson said in the statement. "I am confident that once again we will severely cut their kill quotas and we will once again negate their profits."

Japan has a six-vessel whaling fleet in Antarctic waters as part of its scientific whaling program, an allowed exception to the International Whaling Commission's 1986 ban on commercial whaling. It hunts hundreds of mostly minke whales, which are not an endangered species. Whale meat not used for study is sold for consumption in Japan, which critics say is the real reason for the hunts.

Watson estimated the whaling fleet has so far killed about 350 minke whales.

Sea Shepherd activists try to block the whalers from firing harpoons, and they dangle ropes in the water to try to snarl the Japanese ships' propellers. They also hurl packets of stinking rancid butter at their rivals.

The whalers have responded by firing water cannons and sonar devices meant to disorient the activists. Collisions have occurred occasionally.

The Sea Shepherd statement said its two vessels have enough fuel to pursue the whaling fleet for another month.

"It does not matter where they go, east or west along the Antarctic Coast," said Steve Irwin 1st Officer Locky MacLean. "We intend to stick to their rear like glue and we will not allow a single whale to be loaded onto the decks of that foul floating abattoir."



That is from today's news!

Seems that these activists are getting out of control. I hope the Japanese turn their harpoons on them next!

activists post me off, stop playing god, you do not have the right to dictate what other humans do, they arent killing an endangered species, and they are using it for food, oh well, go back to America and do something good, stop wasting time with a small fleet of whaling ships, plus, activists end up doing more harm then help, and sometimes it results in human death

I would still like to see the Japanese open fire on them with the Harpoons...

Heck, I will even send the Japanese a hundred dollars if they can shoot a line of the activists and make a "people-ka-bob"!

I have no tolerance for terrorists of any kind, eco OR jihadist! They should be denied re-entry to the united states.

It would appear under the law that the green peacers should be going to jail. If it can be proven that they intentionally hit the ship as their own video shows they did then the captian and a few of the crew need to go to prison. I was in the coast guard so I do know something about the law.

Originally posted by mikellmikell
It would appear under the law that the green peacers should be going to jail. If it can be proven that they intentionally hit the ship as their own video shows they did then the captian and a few of the crew need to go to prison. I was in the coast guard so I do know something about the law.

And under meritime law, wouldn't the whalers have the legal right to sink the hippie ships as an act of defense?

That is my understanding.