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:
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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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?
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.
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.
2009?
Pffftt....
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.
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.
You do realize that Japan hunts endangered whales as well as the data deficient Minke, or did you just leave that bit out ?
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.
Another simpleton scorned by Captain Paul.
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.
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.
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