Whale Wars

[Graydog]

If I recall correctly, they are not actually registered in any country....

...Therefore, I propose that the Japanese Coast Guard (I don't believe they've had a navy since WWII, but their CG pretty much fulfills that roll) intercepts them, boards them, and arrests them all to be tried as criminals. They are no better than a terrorist organization attacking a foreign nation's commerce.

For what it's worth here's my understanding.

1. The ship is registered with the Netherlands. There have been complaints filed with the Netherlands, but they have not taken action on complaints.

2. The area of the antarctic they operate in is a demilitarized zone by international treaty and armed vessels are forbiddon.

3. The area they run around in the antarctic is claimed by Australia for enforcement of laws, but that claim is rather suspect because of some rather confusing treaties. Regardless the only time authorities appear on the show they have been Australian.

4. My pure conjecture, some how, some way the Australian government is defacto giving these people top cover for their operations.

5. My pure conjecture, the Japanese government views these people as self-endagering wackos and there is more politically to lose by stopping them, than by putting up with them. (I'd tell the Japanese its black op time and for the "Steve Irwin" to suffer a catastrophic hull failure, gosh, it should have been better maintained. Everybody has seen on the show what a rust bucket it is.)

6. The Captain has had numerous felony charges made against him, but to my knowldege has never had one stick to a conviction. Why the Dutch allow him to retain a certification to be a captain, with all this video of his incompetence as a captain, is rather perplexing to me. (We are in the middle of an ice field that the captain knowingly allowed our non-ice rated ship to go into. Ice is crushing the hull. We've ordered people below to "shore up the hull" and those people can't even define what that means. The crew is donning survival suits because we could go down any moment. We aren't sure of which way to go to get out. Oh, the captain? He went to bed. But if CNN calls wake him up!) I guess it's like doctors getting a license pulled is a nice concept, but is so rarely done that it is not practical.

[Tartan Jack]

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Edited June 25, 2009 by Tartan Jack

[Tartan Jack]

4. My pure conjecture, some how, some way the Australian government is defacto giving these people top cover for their operations.

From what I read, that is right.

They operate out of Melbourne, for refueling, repairs, and whatever else they need. So, effectively, they operate as an Australian ship with Dutch registration.

My guess (completely a guess an no real basis) is that of the Netherlands strikes the registration, Sea Shepherd will plead for one in Australia.

[Coastie04]

Too bad the French don't have a part in this. They were responsible for the sinking of Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior. As much as I make fun of the French, I have to bow and give full credit for that move. I'm not sure about this particular part of the antarctic, but I know U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers go down to McMurdo station all the time and they definitely are armed. Sure, it's not really that much, but enough to sink a rust bucket like the Steve Irwin. Additionally, since the fanatics are trying to disable the Japanese vessels, I figure turnaround is fair play. Disable the Steve Irwin and let them bob out there for a while before begining a long tow back to port. During this time, the whalers could work unmolested. It probably wouldn't take much more than some fishing nets or heavy duty line getting sucked in to their prop. Or, just a little collision from an ice rated hull to create a hole above the waterline. It wouldn't sink the boat immediately, but it would definitely force them back to port for repairs! However, I also wouldn't mind seeing the next crazy person to illegally board a whaler getting run up a yardarm or a harpoon with an explosive tip to be fired into the pilot house. I know many might not agree with the harsher treatment, but if my ship was being attacked by ANY pirates, I'd have no mercy. Furthermore, from what they've pulled so far, I would fear for the lives of my crew and would not lose a wink of sleep at night punnishing those that meant me harm. I'd bet that if the Japanese fought back with more than some fire hoses, that the Steve Irwin would definitely back off.

Coastie

[CaptainSatan]

On a related note. If you like Celtic music here is a wonderful Scottish song about killin' whales.

Edited July 1, 2009 by CaptainSatan