Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin in action - photo: Sea Shepherd

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The Hague, Netherlands

Sea Shepherd could lose Dutch flag

Published on : 10 November 2009 - 7:22pm | By Willemien Groot

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International environmental organisation Sea Shepherd could lose one of its most important weapons in its battle against whaling. The organisation’s flag ship sails under the Dutch flag, but a Dutch cabinet member is fed up with the situation. Deputy Transport Minister Tineke Huizinga says Sea Shepherd is endangering relations with Japan. If she gets her way, the environmental organisation will lose its Dutch flag.

See (Japanese) footage below:

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Antarctica, 6 February 2009. The Japanese harpoon ship Ushin Maru 3 has just shot dead a minke whale and wants to get it to the factory ship Nishin Maru as quickly as possible. The whaler is being pursued by Sea Shepherd' protest ship Steve Irwin. The two ships collide. The crews throw missiles at each other.

According to Geert Vons, general director of Sea Shepherd Netherlands, the organisation takes action because no-one else does:

"I don't think Sea Shepherd uses violence. But what I would like to say is that under international laws and regulations many animals are protected, but in reality they are not. And this whaling issue is a very strong example. Japan is whaling within the borders of an internationally recognised sanctuary, established by the International Whaling Commission in 1994. Sea Shepherd tries to prevent the Japanese vessels from killing whales illegally."

Diplomatic pressure
Sea Shepherd’s protests against Canadian seal hunters, poachers and Japanese whalers are confrontational. In Canada, a second protest ship is under arrest for hampering the annual seal hunt.

In The Hague, the deputy transport minister has had enough of the Sea Shepherd’s flag ship sailing under the respectable Dutch flag. She wants the Ship's Certificates Registry Act changed. If a ship, sailing under a Dutch flag damages another ship or endangers diplomatic relations, it should no longer be allowed to sail under that flag.

According to Professor Fred Soons, maritime law expert, the Netherlands has no alternative:

"Japan is supposed to exercise effective control over their ships and to prevent them from engaging in unlawful activities. Just as the Netherlands has to exercise its effective control as the state under whose flag the Sea Shepherd’s ships sail. That is an obligation of international law."

Scientific research
Japan says it hunts whales for scientific research. Around 1000 minke whales, blue whales and sperm whales are killed every year. Sea Shephard opposes whaling and refers to its rights under the UN World Charter for Nature which allows NGOs to take action to protect animal species.

New campaign
Meanwhile Sea Shephard is about to embark on a new campaign against whaling. It is important to be cautious, thinks the organisation. But: "We are going ahead. That is for certain," says Mr Vons. It is still not clear what the Japanese whalers plan to do:

"Maybe they’ll decide not to go hunting this time. You never know. But for sure Sea Shepherd will never stop until the illegal whaling has stopped."

The campaign against whaling in Antarctic waters starts in December.

See Sea Shepherd footage below:

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Discussion

kimberly 14 February 2012 - 3:30pm / U.S.A

Hey Minister are you being paid off by them or are you going to stand for the something?People are remembered by what they did and stand for not for following the crowd.Will you be counted for bowing to the Japanese rule or for standing up to them or just to be another face in the crowd?

J B Wentworth 15 February 2012 - 10:20am / Tasmania, Australia

Yes, indeed people are remembered for what they have done and still do, never a truer word spoken, minister you have the power to NOT be bullied by the greatest con man liar of all time, dont let him bully you too.

Guy 14 February 2012 - 3:55am / Australia

You do your country proud with your support of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. I wish more country's were as strong as you when it comes to protecting our planet.

Thank you.

Anonymous 13 February 2012 - 11:40pm / USA

2009?

Pffftt....

Steve Thorne 13 February 2012 - 5:29pm / Canada

The SSCS should lose the Dutch flag. They violate IOM laws all the time by ramming ships, illegally boarding ships, and attacking them with prop foulers and noxious chemicals.

Watson lost his bid at invoking colour of right in Canada for those very reasons.

The SSCS lie about and attack the Japanese for hunting a prolific species like minkes, but won't go near other nations which actually hunt endangered species. It's a sham and they should be booted out of every country and not be allowed to raise funds so they can attack legal activities.

Dan Paola 14 February 2012 - 4:22am / Australia

He's nothing but a common low life thug who has the ability to con to scam to control to manipulate to brainwash to lie impulsively to get the masses fired up, to incite just like he incites the Japanese to keep whaling, he doesnt want to stop whaling because its too lucrative for him.He flatters his high profile victims like Ady Gil, his silver tongue insincere calculating flattery is used to get money from well heeled celebrities, the fading stars who will do anything to become known again..its all about MONEY AND EGO. Megalomaniac Watson is a criminal,he is a cultist, he is a bully. DONT donate to a liar who causes more harm than good, saving whales is a cover for his lust for money, fortune and fame.

Anonymous 13 February 2012 - 11:32pm / Australia

You do realize that Japan hunts endangered whales as well as the data deficient Minke, or did you just leave that bit out ?

Jamie 13 February 2012 - 11:44am / USA

Japan hunts blue whales now?? how funny. The Netherlands are members of the IWC and shaould know what whales are killed but I guess they didn't tell the writer or the public any facts. Sea Shepherd was convicted while trying to use the WCN as a defense in Canada, it has never given a civilian any authority and never allows violence , just another paul watson fantasy, if he's talking he's lying. POORLY written article.

SM 18 February 2012 - 12:10pm / New Zealand

Another simpleton scorned by Captain Paul.

Liza 24 November 2009 - 8:27pm / Brazil

Pitty there aren't 1.000 Sea Shepherds around. The Japanese are going too far and, unfortunatelly, the Dutch government is bending under the pressure.

I & M McNee 13 February 2012 - 9:43am / AUSTRALIA

Please please please do the world a favour and take your flag off this looney , Watson is an embarrassment and a liar. Here we have some Canadian nobody pretending to be a conservationist. Watson is a hateful racist who causes more harm to the whales or any animal he professes to save, he has no idea how many whales he 'saves' he just makes 'it up on the spot' he follows his own advice. Strip him of your flag, he has no common decency, he abuses any country he so desires like Australia, he spends his time in Antarctica wining and dining at the many foreign bases, the cruise down south is a love fest for a few ferals who pay to go on the summer cruise, hes either making music videos for girlfriends , taking two months, or living it up with a bevy of females , the love boat pales into insignificance, he stirs up the whalers for his money spinner WW'S footage , gets the dumb and dumber to donate donate donate then goes back and does it all again. Mr Watson is a fraud with the gift of the gab, a cultist brainwashing a gullible youth. Shame on you Watson.

Bryan Richardson 22 November 2009 - 7:32am / USA

Wow...how noble...so it's wrong to kill whales but racism is perfectly acceptable? "slant eyed pusssies should be turned into fish food themselves or better yet,soilent green to feed their hungry masses!" "HEY SAILORBOB WHAT YOUR COMMENT WOULD BE IF YOUR SKIN WILL BE HUNTED BY THOSE DEVILS IN THE NAME OF THE "RESEARCH"? HUH?" Way to take the moral high ground there fellas... And PLEASE let's not even attempt to kid ourselves by comparing Paul Watson with Ghandi or M.L. King Jr. These men stood for non-violent resistance and that is what made them successful. Paul Watson most certainly does not, and that is what will continue to make him unsuccessful. "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." Martin Luther King Jr. "Violence breeds violence...Pure goals can never justify impure or violent action...They say the means are after all just means. I would say means are after all everything. As the means, so the end....If we take care of the means we are bound of reach the end sooner or later." M.K. GANDHI

Lena 20 November 2009 - 9:34am / Australia

HAHA Oh man that made me laugh seeing the title of that Japanese You Tube Video "Attempted Murder By Sea Shepherd" what a laugh. They haven't killed anyone in the 30 years they have been operating as opposed to the Japanese whaling fleet, who had a fatality just this year within their fleet, a whaler overboard which Sea Shepherd actually joined the search in trying to help the Japanese find this man .! I have a sneaking suspicion this cabinet member has been offered a bit of payola from the Japanese. The Japanese have tried every other angle to shut Sea Shepherd down and none of these angles have worked and all of a sudden this person pops up...how peculiar and pathetic that the money is the ruler of all in this day and age.

AnakinG 19 November 2009 - 7:53pm

Maybe Japan will stop whaling once all racist remarks from so-called convervationists are gone. I think the goal of whale conservationist now is to eliminate racism among their own peers.

ThisGuy 18 November 2009 - 8:15pm

The Dutch government must come to common sense...SSCS are terrorists who wish to cause serious harm to the Japanese whalers. None of whom have committed any crime. The Dutch government should not allow people to exercise terrorism against Japan. They must stop these eco-terrorists before they commit truly harmful acts as they have shown in the past.

whythehate 18 November 2009 - 3:25pm

No one believes whaling is right. Just delicious.

Anonymous 18 November 2009 - 3:22pm

If you want to stop whaling...have lawmakers take away the japanese research permits through peaceful methods. You can't get it done through violent acts and racist comments.

AnakinG 18 November 2009 - 3:21am

so, unless you are actually racist, you should refrain from attacking Japanese people in general in a racist ways. Makes the rest of whale conservationists look racist as well. Just so you know, a strange sense of nationalism supporting whaling is growing in Japan because of all the name calling and personal attacks of few moronic conservationsts.

Neptune 18 November 2009 - 1:28am

The Netherlands should be backing the sea shepherds not oppressing them They have signed a treaty to protect the whales from exactly what the Japaneses are doing.Killing whales for food.Whaling is a blood sport they run the whales down over many kilometers before they shoot them then they drag the Whales backwards till it suffocates.Bloodsports are banned in the Netherlands and to ban the sea shepherd is a slap in the face to democracy!

get it straight 18 November 2009 - 3:46pm

Their whaling is not illegal because it's not "commercial" whaling. It is "research" whaling. Doesn't make it right, but it's legal.

vaalea 20 November 2009 - 6:53pm / Canada

Research... such a great excuse to torture and kill animals legally. "At this weekend's International Whaling Commission in London, the Australian delegation plans to argue for the end of a loophole that allows taking whales for scientific research, the Sydney Daily Telegraph reported. Nick Gales, the head of the Australian scientific delegation, said that a review of Japanese research found that scientists have published only 43 papers in 18 years, which he called "an incredibly low publication rate." Papers on whale mortality contained such wide margins of error that they were useless, he added. Japanese scientists have also performed what Gales called "really bizarre" experiments like injecting Minke whale sperm into cow eggs." http://www.physorg.com/news124172569.html It's a farce, and we are calling it what it is, commercial whaling, not "research" as claimed.

Zlatko Colovic 17 November 2009 - 2:13pm

SailorBob is bat. He doesn't know which species is going to win, so he is fighting for currently prevailing one. That is why SailorBobs are living in caves, hiding from everybody. But still, they go out sometimes, to drink blood of sleeping animals. Because they can not really fight for food, you know..

SailorBob 14 November 2009 - 2:51am

Look. If the whales are endangered, it's because they can't adapt. Survival of the fittest. So far, humans seem to be the fittest. We've adapted to all environments (including underwater and space). If the whales go the way of the dodo so be it.

HougaHouga 15 November 2009 - 11:34pm

Wow Sailerbob you are an exemple of so called thinking human ! Sure, human discover lot things on belhalf of cupidity, but for what ? what are the real needs ? for making you happy sure ! Hoping you are ! When you will discover your brain let me know !

person 13 November 2009 - 10:03pm

human need urgent limits to protect animals from our greed EVOLUTION

Pubcrawler 13 November 2009 - 6:25am

Sometimes change requires a little civil disobedience, Right? Gandhi? M.L. King? Solidarity? Paul Watson?

Will McNee 13 February 2012 - 9:28am / AUSTRALIA

Pubcrawler , poor Mr Watson is not in control of his faculties, he is an arrogant racially motivated drama queen who loves mixing it with the 'movie stars' , the Hollywood celebrity nights much more than the whales he claims he saves, who thinks he's above mere mortals, why he even claims to by misanthropic, imagine that? he has no dignity garners no respect ,he is a money hungry media whoring pathological liar and a loose cannon. Civil disobedience are words not in his vocabularly like thruth , honesty,integrity, honour , the decency to be a humble man , he's not a man's man, his list of crimes dating back to the hippie 70's are mind boggling. We must feel pity for the old man let's hope his maligned brainwashed supporters see him for what he really is and realise he has no intention of 'stopping whaling' nor does he save whales, why kill off the geese laying the golden eggs? why indeed.

Pubcrawler 13 November 2009 - 6:25am

Sometimes change requires a little civil disobedience, Right? Gandhi? M.L. King? Solidarity? Paul Watson?

captkit 13 November 2009 - 2:59am

Hey Dutch. I'm Third generation American, Grandfolks from Finland and Sweden. 37, ooo underwater. Army Vet. In world of wars caused stupidity. Sea Shepard is doing a great job about some of the bad things going on ,currently on this planet. As we respect your country and flag.Please may you continue use it for what is "RIGHT" !!! Are nations you have trade agreements with allowed to kill for profit when it is not necessary.So you must agree.What do they offer you that cause you to say its ok to kill endanger species.

Brendan Maas 12 November 2009 - 8:05pm

I agree with Ridgewolf 13. This world is over-populated, instead of slaughtering the minimal amount of whales we still have left, lets cull these ignorant Japs. Wish the U.S would have finished the job in the 40's. All these people do is ravage the worlds environment and species that inhabit them. Then use their economic power to threaten countries into submission. The world is over-populated, we could do without Japan and China, and kill two birds with one stone. Cull the human population by more then 2 billion people, and save countless invaluable species and the environment from these ignorant and arogant countries!!!!!