Whalers on the move

Whalers on the move

Antarctica — At around 17:30 New Zealand time today, the expedition leader of the Japanese government's whaling fleet radioed, informing us that the Nisshin Maru - disabled nine days ago by fire - plans to start sailing in three hours. He also said that the whole fleet was currently being re-fuelled, in preparation for departure.

The Esperanza arrived at the location in the Ross Sea at about 07.00 (New Zealand daylight time) on the 17th of February. Two ships - the re-supply and re-fuelling vessel Oriental Bluebird and one of the harpoon, or catcher boats - were tied either side of the Nisshin Maru. In the time since then, Greenpeace has offered to tow the vessel out of the pristine Antarctic environment, while providing assistance in the form of ice surveys and translation for the US Coast Guard.

That the whalers are finally on the move is a relief - after nine long days of risk to the pristine Antarctic environment. We're ready to escort the fleet out of Antarctic waters.

We're pretty unimpressed with how Japanese government officials in Tokyo - and their PR spin doctor in New Zealand - have done their best to trivialise the extent of a serious situation here in the Ross Sea. Since the fire last Thursday, they've failed to show transparency - either with the rescue authorities or other governments, about the extent of the fire, as well as the risks both to human life and the Antarctic environment. They even publicly stated - a little too quickly - that they hoped to just keep on whaling!

ENDS

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