21/12/2005
- Southern Ocean, International — Our two ships, the Esperanza
and the Arctic Sunrise, today confronted the Fisheries Agency
of Japan whaling fleet and called on it to "Leave the
Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary immediately." In inflatables
carrying banners which read "defend the whales” and
“stop the whaling," crew from the two ships declared
their intention to stop the hunt.
While our ships were relaying their message, two 'catcher
ships' arrived on the scene with dead minke whales hung
from their hulls, ready to be transferred to the fleet's
factory ship, the Nisshin Maru. However, the Esperanza was
blocking access to the Nisshin Maru's stern ramp and one
'catcher' tried to push the Esperanza out of the way twice.
The Esperanza pulled back for the crew's safety and no casualties
are reported. "This whale
hunt is unnecessary, unjustified, and unwanted,"
said Expedition leader Shane Rattenbury. In a radio call
to the whaling vessels, from the bridge of the Arctic
Sunrise, Yuko Hirono, of Greenpeace Japan called upon
the whalers to stop killing whales "and leave the
internationally recognised Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary."
Flying in the face of international
protest and repeated calls from the International Whaling
Commission (IWC) to stop its annual 'scientific' whale
hunt, this year FAJ has more than double its planned catch
of minke whales to 935 and added 10 endangered fin whales.
Over the next 2 years 40 more fin whales will be added
to the annual kill along with 50 humpback whales. Fin
whales are the second largest creatures on earth, after
blue whales.
"No one is fooled by the giant
new "RESEARCH" sign which has been painted on
the side of the fleet's factory ship, the Nisshin Maru.
Once the whales are have been measured and weighed by
the 'scientists' the butchers get to work and the whales
are cut up and boxed for market," said Rattenbury.
"This is all about money and not science."
We are using every available means
consistant with our principle of peaceful protest to bring
the hunt to an early end and make it the last time the
Sanctuary is breached by the whalers.
Greenpeace, the Environmental Investigation
Agency and the Humane Society of the US, have been tracking
the money behind the whaling fleets. We are currently
focusing attention on the US seafood giant Gorton's, the
US frozen-seafood market leader. US consumers are familiar
with its 'friendly family business' image, but they are
not so whale-friendly. Gorton's is owned by Nissui USA,
a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nissui, Japan's second-largest
marine products firm, and one third of owner of Kyodo
Senpaku, the company that operates the whaling fleet.
Greenpeace is calling on Gorton's to use its influence
to convince Nissui to bring an end to whaling.
"In a world were international
public opinion is ignored and where high-level diplomatic
pressure has failed, Greenpeace hopes that consumers can
once and for all demonstrate that there is no profit in
whaling," said Rattenbury.
Statement to Nisshin Maru on first
encounter
This is Shane Rattenbury, expedition
leader on behalf of the MY Arctic Sunrise and MY Esperanza.
Our two vessels and the crew aboard
are here to protest your whaling program, and request
that you return to Japan immediately.
The area in which you are hunting
has been designated as the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary,
designed to help whale populations recover after the devastating
commercial whaling of the last century.
The whales in this Sanctuary are protected
from commercial whaling. Your so-called scientific whaling
has been repeatedly criticized by the International Whaling
Commission, and is nothing more than commercial whaling
in disguise.
The massive increase in quota this
season simply underlines that this is an attempt to restart
commercial whaling.
You also plan to hunt the endangered
fin whale. There is simply no justification for targeting
an endangered species.
We respectfully request that you immediately
cease your whaling and leave this area. If you do leave
now, we will leave with you. If you do not leave, we will
have no option but to interfere with your whaling program.
Greenpeace is a non-violent organisation.
We will do nothing to harm or endanger your vessels, your
equipment or your crew. We will, however, use all peaceful
means at our disposal to prevent you from killing whales.
We wish you safe sailing.
Greenpeace first contact with the
whaling fleet was at 66° south and 146° east.
|