UPDATED with new video from Sea Shepherd, showing the Japanese ship turning toward the trimaran to ram it:
[youtubevid id=”Bbuq0YEIPNU”]
The whale wars are on again in the Southern Ocean off of Australia. One member of the Sea Shepherd crew was injured in this collision with the Japanese Whaling vessel Shonan Maru 2, with cracked ribs, according to Capt. Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The anti-whaling activists are in the black trimaran Ady Gil, which I’m tempted to call the Batmoboat. The Japanese released this video earlier this morning, saying it proves the Sea Shepherd boat was not rammed:
[youtubevid id=”mWL82aLjRgM&feature=player_embedded”]
The moment of irony is provided by Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett, who said,“We condemn any dangerous or violent activity that takes place in the Southern Oceans, and we call on all parties to exercise absolute restraint because safety at sea is the number one priority.”
Right. Whaling is dangerous and violent activity, and isn’t Sea Shepherd there to guarantee safety at sea for whales?
Whale hunting was banned by a 1986 International Whaling Commission moratorium, which Japan has sought to overturn each year. Japan continues to kill about 900 minke and fin whales per year in what it calls a “scientific whaling program.” Most of the resulting whale meat is sold on the Japanese market.
Each year Sea Shepherd harasses Japanese whaling ships, putting inflatable boats between their harpoons and the whales, firing stink bombs at them made of rancid butter. The whalers respond with sirens, water cannon and sound cannon, as well as the occasional collision.