(Brisbane Times)
Steve Irwin pulls out of whaler hunt
Andrew Darby in Hobart
March 3, 2012 - 3:33PM
The Japanese harpoon ship Yushin Maru No.3, its bow splashed with red paint by Sea Shepherd activists, fends them off with water cannon. Photo: Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd's flagship Steve Irwin is headed for Melbourne, ending its season chasing the Japanese whaling fleet with a claim that it led two of the ships across the Southern Ocean on a ruse.
The anti-whaling activists said they succeeded in drawing the pursuit ships far from the rest of the fleet, in the belief that the Steve Irwin would be refuelled at a sub-Antarctic island by sister ship Bob Barker.
Instead they said the Bob Barker steamed directly south to resume the hunt for the factory ship, Nisshin Maru, in the Antarctic, foiling the hopes of Shonan Maru No.2, and Yushin Maru No.3, that they could keep a tail on both vessels.
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"It was a very successful ploy that allowed the Bob Barker to be free of its tail and to knock out two of the Japanese ships from the game for more than two weeks," the group's leader, Paul Watson, said.
The Bob Barker will continue to chase the Japanese whaling fleet for the rest of the season, while the Steve Irwin returns to Australia, he said.
He expects to reach Melbourne next Wednesday, after halting in Bluff, New Zealand, where the ship cleared Customs.
"We needed the Customs clearance because we would be charged taxes on our fuel by Australia without it," Mr Watson said.
Despite a difficult season for the activists, which began with the retirement of the damaged fast ship Brigitte Bardot, and constant pursuit by the Japanese ships, Mr Watson said he believed the whalers would take less than half of their quota.
"We have kept the fleet constantly on the run, and there was a lot of bad weather," he said. "I am confident that we have severely impacted their kill quota once again."
He said planning was under way to increase Sea Shepherd's capabilities dramatically next season.
"We are hoping to have four ships, and two helicopters."
Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research does not comment on the movements of the fleet. It usually details the number of whales killed when its ships return to Japan in late April.
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/whale-watch/steve-irwin-pulls-out-of-whaler-hunt-20120303-1u9jc.html#ixzz1o3BEA8qZ
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