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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... Latest Releases
The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly. |
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| NOVEMBER 24, 1998 1:00 AM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (310) 301-7325 |
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| Christmas Comes Early For The Whales; Whales Get Reprieve as Japanese Whaler Burns | ||||
VENICE, CA - November 24 - The
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is celebrating a major victory for the whales of
Antarctica after the announcement that the Japanese whale processing ship Nisshin
Maru burned at sea over the weekend. The Japanese fleet was en route to the
Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, where it planned to kill over 400 Minke whales in the name
of "research," as it has done every year since the International Whaling
Commission declared a moratorium on all commercial whaling. The ban has been in effect
since 1986.
Most of the 111 crewmembers were transferred to the other four ships in the fleet after the fire went out of control, 1,600 km of the coast of Australia. The Nisshin Maru, currently adrift, was the fleet's processing ship. In their usual practice, the fleet's four "catcher" boats harpoon the whales, which are then towed to the factory ship, where they are butchered. The Nisshin Maru is unlikely to effect repairs before the season is over. Japan hunts whales in both the Antarctic and the North Pacific. "The loss of their factory ship should have a significant impact on the number of whales taken by Japan's illegal whaling fleet this year," said Paul Watson, president of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. "It's a wonderful Christmas gift for the whales." Japan has sought to justify its expanding whale hunt operations as a legal exception to the whaling moratorium. The IWC has condemned Japan's lethal "research whaling" program, noting that any worthwhile scientific information gathered can be obtained by non-lethal means. The Commission regularly calls upon Japan to cease the practice. Sea Shepherd does not claim any involvement with the incident, but notes that the giant factory ship has been a major target of the anti-whaling movement for the last decade. "We are gratified to see that the Nisshin Maru was put out of commission without any injuries," said Watson. ### |
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