CONGRATULATIONS to all on board. Great work.

Next, let's stop them.

Great news. Now it's time to get full wind astern..

FANTASTIC ESPERANZA!!!!!

No lets get your mates from Seashepherd over there and let the hunting definately stop!

Thumbs up guys!

Please stay safe down there you lot.
This is obviously a commercial undertaking by the Japanese and as such, there is a lot of money at stake.
You ppl are important to the world.

Guys, god bless and take care. Just donated $100, hope it helps. You're all legends. Please be careful!!!

Awesome work! Keep them running away!!!

WoooooHooooo :):) go get em guys....but be safe doing it... you guys are legends...

The southern adventures alone is not going to stop whaling, only the Japanese people can. Thus when they see pictures of greenpeace selflessly defend the whales, it convinces them to pressure their government. But pictures of SeaShepherd pelting sludge bombs at the whaling fleet will only be seen as a bunch of thugs attacking Japanese sailors who are just trying to make a living. The goal is to halt the whalling program alltogether not save a couple of whales. GP sees that, SS however does not. Good luck!

Please would you get a camera technician to mount the mast cam on a gimbal?

You guys are brilliant, selfless and compassionate - i applaud you all. Well done for finding them, keep them on the run but stay safe, my thoughts and prayers are with you all.

I studied martial arts under the Japanese and know that being nice and peaceful in your actions will not stop them.
Unfortunately, they will only respond to force. You are too gentle to do the job, so may the force be with you.
Love to all on board the Esperanza.

Before I donate funds, will Greenpeace provide the position of the waling fleet to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society?

Thankyou for all the support and encouraging words - will pass it on to the crew!

Will: according to their website they already know where we are.

- Iréne

Wow, you guys are armed. I believe that webcam is the most powerful weapon you could have. Everyone is watching. I have been logged on all day. Great job, all of you.
Thank You.

Tears of joy are rolling down my cheeks as I type. Bravo - outstanding!!! Stay strong, stay brave, and know that you have the support of countless grateful hearts back home!!! GO GET 'UM!!!

Fantastic good news. I wonder, will you give the Nissin Maru position to the Aussie coastgurd ship? I think you should.

Do you have any plan of ramming the Nisshinmaru this time?

Here are the videos taken from Nisshinmaru two years ago.

ARCTIC SUNRISE RAMMING THE NISSHINMARU(2006/Jan/08)
http://www.icrwhale.org/eng/GPAS1.mpg

From another angle
http://www.icrwhale.org/eng/GPAS2.mpg

with warning anounces from Nisshinmaru.

Greenpennis – think about it: we are a non-violent environmental organization. Ramming a ship in Antarctica would mean that

a) We abandon our principles of non-violence, that we stick to since more than 30 years. We have never rammed a ship in the past, and we will not do so in the future.

b) We endanger a very sensitive area – a damaged ship with all the consequences it might have for the environment is the last thing we want here!

/Iréne

You have them on the run. Congrats. Your all over the worldwide news. We Salute you. Stand tall, stand proud. Hope that the Sea Shepherd and the ship from Australia arrive soon. You are the eyes of the world focusing on a senseless act.

Fabulous news. Stay safe. Would urge you to adopt a bi-partisan approach with Sea Shepherd. That would be awesome...even less whales would die that way. Take care.

All the best from the Hawaiian Islands, we so much appreciate what you all are doing to defend the great sea creatures..they deserve and need our help to survive. I have sent additional donation $$ on top of my normal contributions. Stay safe but go get them...keep the cams going please.

MS

Good work! Stay safe and keep them running!! You guys are making a difference!

Congratulations! we covered great news in Croatia
http://www.alertonline.org/magazine/full.php?subaction=showfull&id=1200162103&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&

Give it up, Will.

I already donate funds and they won't answer my question. Oh they'll answer the question, "Why won't you cooperate with Sea Sheherd?" with "Because we don't believe in Sea Shepher's methods." But they won't answer the Question: "Who's going to benefit by your refusal to co-operate with Sea Shepherd? The Whales? Or the Japanese? And how do you justify THAT? And how will you explain it come fund-raising time?"

That Question they will not answer. Sometimes Irene acknowledges it, and sometimes,she does not.
So you may not read this.

But, if you do, know that I sent an open letter to GP-HQ in DC asking the very same Question on 28 Dec 07, and have yet to get an answer.

JG Moebus
S/V WayFinder
Half Moon Bay, CA

Well done to all on board, you carry the will of many to prevent a very small minority. My thoughts are with you all and words can not express how grateful I am for the sacrifices you are all making to be away from you friends and family. Keep up the good work and remain safe.

Just want you guys to know you are on CNN Headline news every half an hour. Saying you found the fleet and are chasing them. The world is watching. Stay safe, those of us at home are sooooooo very proud you............
Just stop it JAPAN...........

Hoi Will

Please make your donation. According to the SMH: "Greenpeace won't tell us the position of the fleet, but I have enough friends inside Greenpeace who have leaked us the location," Captain Watson said. "Greenpeace will take their pictures of whales being killed but when we arrive we will provide the finale. We will stop the hunt.

But seriously, focus on the whaling not this Greenpeace-Sea Shepherd society bollocks.

Well done you guys - but to reiterate what others have said - you guys are all important, and you have to keep safe. Love to you all on board, and I am thinking of you and your imminent challenges. Good luck, and keep them running!

All my support to you guys, I think about what you are doing all the time and can't express my thanks and gratitude enough.

When I was in college in Japan, whale was on the menu at many classy restaurants. I had some friends who adamantly refused to believe Japanese people still ate whale, and that it was just a research program. We went around to restaurant after restaurant in Kyoto to look at the menus and specials. Whale, whale, whale. He shamefacedly apologized.

The sad thing is that Japan is an island nation where the powers control the media (sound familiar?) and the people often are simply unaware of the truth - and if they knew, they'd be ashamed of Japan.

I knew they'd go to any length in their belligerance back when they tried to deny the Inuits in Greenland and in the Arctic Circle who use whalemeat for subsistence, when Japan said their own coastal towns needed the meat for subsistence.

Shameful deceit, from a nation as modern and wealthy as Japan.

The best way to win the war, in my opinion, is to inform the Japanese people.

Guys - Please please just GIVE OVER on the Sea Shepherd thing and leave the Esperanza crew to do their job!!!!!!!!!
We should be wishing them well not continually bugging them like this.
Time to STOP bothering them and start supporting them. Please.
J

Hi guys .... luck or skill?
Disruption of the whaling efforts are paramount... this way it becomes economically unviable and just another nail in the coffin of the japanese whaling fleet. Stop them, block them and co-ordinate with SeaShepherd. There is already a lot of diplomatic effort going into stopping them... but the economic viability will play a key role in whether they are back next year or not.. Fair weather all and watch out for ramming... they might blame you!

Addo

Great work guys, keep on their tails!!

Will, in reply to your question: "Greenpeace is down off the Antarctic coast somewhere. Sea Shepherd Executive director Kim McCoy spoke with the captain of the Esperanza. He officially refused our offer of cooperation, and our offer to share our helicopter with Greenpeace and told us that if we find the Japanese fleet first, he was not interested in receiving the coordinates from us."

http://www.seashepherd.org/editorials/editorial_080108_1.html

GO GO GO!!!!
Fantastic Esperanza!!!!!!

I GO with Greenpeace!!
No whaling in the oceans!!

sea shepherd gave greenpeace last year the position, please return the favor now for the whales

I'm watching the cams more or less the whole day. I just saw you coming out of the dark with both Japanese ships still in sight.

Keep them going! This is one lost day for the hunters, I hope many will follow.

Irene et al,

I support your efforts in the Southern Ocean but am disappointed to read on the Sea Shepherd website that Greenpeace refuses to co-operate with them. Surely helping the whales by sharing info with a fellow green NGO trying to achieve the same outcome is more important than glory-hogging?

please ram them stop them now you have the legal right under CITES we have enough pictures of dead whales cant wait till steve irwin arrives please work with seashepherd paul is your founding member help himto stop this now forever
I thank you all for your actions and bravery

Good work you mob! Stay safe and do your best to stop the Japanese from hunting those amazing creatures.

You are heroes, one and all! We are very proud of you and incredibly grateful for your work.

Oh how fantastic! Keep up the great work and stay safe.

Great work greenpeace, please work as a team with sea shepherd, you down there for the same reason!!
In the end its all about the whales!! More whales will be saved with team work...

Please , please, please!

Good work Greenpeace. Now with any luck the Sea Shepherd can get in there and lend a firm hand...

Dear Esperanza

Keep up your great work. Whales are beautiful gentle creatures. They are one of my favourite animals & I always taught my students about these magnificent creatures. I come from Warrnambool were there is a whale nursery off Logan's Beach.They come here every year from the South Pole region as it is a safe place to rear their babies. Thank- You for making a difference & taking action in what you believe in. You light shines on us & I admire your commitment.

Warmest Regards

Kathy

I used to support Greenpeace but I now support Sea Shepherd. Most anti-whaling activists that I meet are beginning to do the same. It is no fluke that Terri Irwin christened the Sea Shepherd ship and renamed it the Steve Irwin, and that former Australian Minister Ian Campbell joined the Sea Shepherd Advisory Board.

I will support Greenpeace again when its leadership recognises that the whales come first. Its refusal to cooperate with Sea Shepherd makes Greenpeace look like a self-serving hypocritical organisation. It would not be an act of violence to disable the Nisshin Maru (a hunk of metal) as Sea Shepherd has threatened to do. For years, Greenpeace has tried to isolate Sea Shepherd as a violent group, and continues to do so. For the sake of the whales, this petty rivalry must stop! While I think that Greenpeace as an organisation has become degenerate, my utmost respect and admiration goes to the courageous individuals on both the Esperanza and the Steve Irwin ships, who themselves are facing violence from the Japanese whalers as they try to stop the slaughter of the most intelligent life forms on our planet.

I cant see the whalers anymore. I hope you did not loose them again?? :S

Great work guys, keep onto them. Take care of yourselves.
Joan

Thanks for commenting!

It isn’t possible to answer all, but I do read them.

Jenni, Ginessa, MS, Phil, Fee, Grateful Child, Fernando Meza and all of you who expressed your support - THANKYOU, it really means a lot!

Sidney Holt: yes, we would share the coordinates if they wanted them.

JG Moebus: I’ve answered you several times, both in emails and on this blog. Our aim is to end whaling in the Southern Ocean. That includes doing much more than just confronting the whalers on site. Using methods that do not correlate with non-violence might do more harm than good, especially in Japan, which is one of the places where this campaign needs to be won in order to put a definite end to whaling.

Addo: we have an experienced and dedicated crew and captain, but luck was certainly part of it - it’s a very big sea!

JG Moebus - how many answers do you want for the same question? It seems to me that you will keep asking that question until you get the answer you have already decided on.

Have you asked Sea Shepherd why they won't put aside their ideas for ramming or throwing Butyric acid?

It seems very easy for people to demand that we put aside our principles of non-violent action, merely because we're asked. Greenpeace has nearly four decades of succesful, peaceful work, and we still believe that is the way forward.

For sticking to our principles, we have to endure tirade after tirade, insult after insult from people here on this blog, and from Sea Shepherd themselves, who insist on slagging us off one day, then pleading with us to work with them the next.

"Who's going to benefit by your refusal to co-operate with Sea Shepherd?"

Simple answer, it's an it, not a who - the campaign to stop whaling in the Southern Ocean stands to benefit.

We are here to defend whales, not attack the whalers. We have no fight with the Japanese people -it's the coterie of petty bureaucrats in the Japanese Fisheries Agency that we're after.

The change MUST come from inside Japan.

Look, this is our bottom line:
"Greenpeace doesn't work with Sea Shepherd. Greenpeace has a long history and core principle of non-violence, and we will continue to maintain that principle in all our actions. We know that Sea Shepherd also consider themselves non-violent and consider ramming other ships at sea to be non-violent, but we do not agree with their definition of non-violence. The sea, particularly in the Antarctic, is a difficult and harsh environment and although we will continue to take calculated risks ourselves to protect whales, we will not place the lives of others at risk. We are here to defend the whales, not attack the whalers."

Anything perceived as violence towards the whalers, or the Japanese people, will be grabbed on by the pro-whaling, nationalist lobby in Japan, and used as evidence of "eco-terrorism" and "western imperialism" etc.

Look in the Mirror First - read Sara's blog from last year's expedition.

Yay! Nice work good ship Esmerelda! Thank Neptune for that krill hey?

;)

xx

Great work, all. Keep up the fight. So many around the world are cheering you on.

Hi Dave, ...Irene,
...and thanks very much for your clarification, for those that need it. I couldn't agree with you more. And for those that need it, how many times does the stunningly lovely Irene and the handsome guy Dave have to tell you, that the SS already knows where the Esperanza is. At least that's how it reads on Sea Shepherd's website. So what's your point (as if I didn't know)? ...and for that, if the Steve Irwin comes into the picture, I hope the Esperanza will stay far enough away as to not be considered complicit in any act of violence, and tarnish their good name, as well as threatening their future right to peacefully protest in the Southern Ocean, and elsewhere. Ummm, I think it's Love we need to bring to this world, not more fear.
But I ask you, ...and I know you will, ...to stay near enough in case you may be needed to save human life as well.
Captain Watson: The eyes and the ears of the world are upon you, ...just what you wanted. But you'd better be careful what you do, because this world is coming to a point when your threatening and violent actions will not be tolerated. ...And stop this coercion, saturation and orchestration of flooding the Greenpeace blogs with your thinly veiled, malicious and covert attempts to convert Greenpeace over to violence. Your cause is as hopeless as it is absurd. It is simply ignorant to think you can chase away the Japanese fleet. When you run out of fuel and they don't, they will just continue to get their quota, ...and obviously they already have part of it now. A change of heart is what is needed, ...especially yours.
Greenpeace is willng to, and works with many organizations, Doctors without Borders, IFAW, etc., so why don't you say some nice things about Greenpeace, and Instead of trying to deliver a random punch in the face to someone, think about what it's going to take to work together and to make some real changes in this world. Peace takes real courage. Violent agression is always the selfish act of a mindless coward and a bully.

p.s. Greenpeace: you may already realize that this chasing after the fleet, and especially at high speed, may be a ploy to run you out of fuel. I don't have a good answer for that, but it might be something to consider.

GOOD,you found them,now let the Steve Irwin know also!! Their methods are DIFFERENT but all action taken,is the only way to stop these(SCIENTISTS)from their BLOODY pursuit!! the fact that the(SCIENTISTS)can get fuel and you cannot is BAD NEWS for the whales!! Forget DIFFERENCES,let the Shepherds know,NOW!!!

To Dave On the ESPERANZA:

You wrote: "We are here to defend whales, not attack the whalers. We have no fight with the Japanese people -it's the coterie of petty bureaucrats in the Japanese Fisheries Agency that we're after. The change MUST come from inside Japan."

If your target is indeed the JFA, then you are as off-target as HWhale's presumption that "only the people of Japan can stop the whaling."

Both arguments assume that the Japanese people and/or the JFA bureaucrats have the political power and/or will to stop the WhaleKills.

Japanese multinational corporations have more power in and over the government of Japan than American multinats have in the United States, if you can believe that that is possible. The Japanese meganational seafood processing companies continue to finance the government “-owned and -operated” Institute of Cetacean Research and its fleet of WhaleKillers for one reason only: because it continues to provide an adequate return on their investment. Either that or they are prepared to absorb near-term “losses” for the bonanza to come down the road.

They (the seafood giants) are making or anticipate making TOO MUCH PROFIT off of even the limited WhaleKilling done by the ICR’s fleet in the name of “science” and under the guise of “sustainability,” to ever even consider stopping whaling. Or at least until the Whales run out.

That is why the Japanese have begun the process of buying the IWC and will, within a year or two, have sufficient votes to overturn The Moratorium and thus be able to resume full-scale Extinction-based Whaling. That is why Japan is proceeding with plans to build its new “SuperWhaleKiller,” the most technologically advanced and expensive Factory Processor FatherShip in the history of commercial whaling on this planet. They would not be building this Beast if they did not intend to get their money’s worth out of her.

And if that happens, if The Moratorium is scrubbed, no NGO employing any methods known to Greenpeace or Sea Shepherd or anybody else in the anti-war/-globalization and peace/social justice whatever it is (movement, community, gaggle) is going to be able to stop them from maximizing both their slaughter and their profits. For that, you'll need an army of Mocha Dicks PLUS a navy of CSS Shenandoah's.

And THAT is the challenge facing The Whales, and THAT is the challenge facing anybody presuming to think that they are actually effectively helping the Whales. The Task at hand is not to “halt the whaling program,” but to prevent the resumption of Extinction-Based Whaling. If either Greenpeace OR Sea Sheapherd understand that, I have seen scant evidence that they are prepared to do anything about it. Or indeed have any idea as to exactly WHAT to do about it.

In any event, one of the secrets of winning a War is to anticipate or, better yet, to precipitate the Next battle, ideally before the enemy is prepared for engagement.

The Japanese people do not care about whales and whaling any more than the American people do: they both are too busy trying to thrive and/or survive as custodians of the Planet’s pre-eminent consumer societies. Not enough of them care enough about the issue to actually DO something about it, that is.

Both your and HWhale's comments about Sea Shepherd’s tactics are well-taken, but the destruction via sinking or scuttling of ten pirate/unlawful whaling vessels by Sea Shepherd 10-20 years ago saved many, many more whales than any effort by GreenPeace (or Sea Shepherd subsequent to that flurry of so-called “eco-terrorism”) to witness and/or harass whaling vessels already in the Killing Seas.

Those pirate ships no longer kill whales. How many whales do you think were killed while Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd have been going about their merry and SEPARATE ways trying to find the fleet during the first half of WhaleKill 2007-08? How many it was indeed.

Think they killed any humpbacks? Think Mr Splashy Pants still lives? Or Migaloo? How would we know? Because the Japanese have told us so? How many it was indeed.

Ultimately, it will not be the Japanese people or the JFA or ICR bureaucrats that stop Japanese whaling (or the Norwegian or Icelandic, or Makah, or Inuit people or bureaucrats that stop their nations’ whaling). Ultimately, it will be people who make the Cost of Whaling too great to provide that adequate Return on Investment that the multinational corporation MUST have. The people running those corporations have a fiduciary and legal responsibility to provide that return. If they can not and do not, then they will be replaced by someone who can and will. And politicians who facilitate the efforts of senior transnat executives and owners are similarly rotated thru the corridors of their particular avenues of power. It is really no more complicated, or simple, than that.

When a (not necessarily the, but a) focus of the strategy of anti-Whaling individuals and organizations is to make the Cost of Whaling so negatively cost-ineffective that there CANNOT be a sufficient actual reportable Return on Investment, then there is a good chance that The War Against Whaling will have been turned toward becoming a success. And that will be the Beginning of the End of The War Against The Whales as it is being waged at the beginning of the 21st century.

Either that, or efforts to prevent the resumption of full-scale Extinction-Based Whaling will fail. And that will be very bad news indeed, initially for the whales, penultimately for the Planet, and ultimately, for Man.

For, WHALE Is The Planet’s Canary.

Sincerely,

JG Moebus
S/V WayFinder
sv_WayFinder@yahoo.com

Thanks Dave on the Esperanza for your patience and taking the time again to answer some of the queries regarding work with SSCS. A lot was made last year of the potential for an oil spill in the pristine SOS should SSCS succeed in ramming a vessel associated with JARPA II. Can anyone who actually cares about Antarctic wildlife fathom what that would mean for the ecosystem and the image of ANYONE associated with this cause? Violence solves nothing. Peaceful disruption and mass education are the answers. Everyone is frustrated that this barbaric and unnecessary hunt continues, but potentially destroying the environment and physically attacking other human beings is not the answer.

Great you have found them! I hope you will reàlly protect them this time!

I have been a (financial) supporter of Greenpeace for many years, and I still support you guys mentally, sign petitions etc! But unfortunately I have to admit my financial support goes (since last year) to Sea Shepherd too.

Greenpeace should listen more attentively to the people who have been her 'background' for (25) years! Not sharing coördinates with Sea Shepherd is not helping the whales!

It's not because greenpeace share the coördinates that they are responsible for their actions.

I think Greenpeace seriouly has to think over this issue. You are losing the supporters that made Greenpeace big!

The comment is ment well-hearted!

Wish you guys lots and lots of luck in stopping lots of killings. And give peace (between Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd) a chance!

In Canada, many seals are bludgeoned to death by Canadians
every year.

No Greenpeace member wants to stop this cruel massacre of those beautiful seals.

Why do you want to stop only the whale hunting?
What about the inhumane seal hunting in Canada?

Who are you, Greenpeace???
Whom are you really working for???

p.s. Dave on the Esperanza,
I read your last comment three times, and you know, I think I'm going to read it again. Perfect Love = Perfect sense. Thanks Dave...

Dear Dave on the Esperanza:

It is neither my desire nor intent, Dave, to engage you in debate, particularly on your ship’s Weblog. We both have infinitely more important things to do. That is why this message is not intended for the Blog, but for you personally.

Your criticism of my message is unfounded for two very simple reasons and one relatively complex. First, I began it by telling “Will,” the latest in a whole boat-full of folks clamoring for GP-SSCS cooperation, to, quote, “Give it up.” And I explained GP’s position as one of unhappiness with SSCS’ “methods.” Second, I ended it by noting NOT that I hadn’t heard from the ESPERANZA on this matter, but that I hadn’t heard from GP-HQ in DC. As a dues-paying member, I think I am entitled, and the ESPERANZA is entitled, to a response by HQ to a message that was forwarded from the ESPERANZA to that HQ. Maybe I’m not. And maybe I’m no longer a dues paying member either. So, either you didn’t read the beginning and end of my message, or you chose to ignore it.

The third count upon which you are wrong about my message is this: I have not been asking the same question waiting for the right answer; rather, I have been asking the wrong questions.

The right questions, the questions I should be asking, are:

Question 1: Is Whaling legal?

a. If Whaling is “legal,” then by whose ruling and authority, and under whose or which jurisdiction?

b. If Whaling is not “legal,” then by whose ruling and authority, and under whose or which jurisdiction?

Question 2: Is protest or any other activity that interferes with legal commercial and/or scientific activity in international waters on the high seas legal?

(NOTE: If The Moratorium is overthrown, then Question 1 becomes moot, and Question 2 becomes very critical not only to Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd, but particularly to The Whales.)

Question 3: Which is more critical to the well-being of this Planet: Man or Whales? Because the answer to this Question is and will remain the Key Indicator as to what is and is not a Moral Response - as opposed to a Political, Economic, or Legal Response - to Whaling.

I would send this to your Headquarters for consideration and response, but I am not going to waste either my time or their bandwidth.

Good luck at whatever it is that you are attempting to accomplish. I think,

Sincerely,

JG Moebus
S/V WayFinder
Half Moon Bay, CA USA

While it's a nice sweet politically correct popular with donors thing to say, those who say violence solves nothing just don't accept the reality of history. Though I don't classify Sea Shepherd's actions against ships as violent, real violence has put an end to many things such as slavery in the southern US, and the Third Reich. Holding hands or standing in the bad guys' way didn't get it done.

I believe Greenpeace as an organization is more concerned with their image and their donations than with actually saving the lives of whales. Fortunately, there always seems to be some individuals within the organization who are willing to cooperate with Sea Shepherd.

Greentangle: We've been annoying different groups of people for more than 30 years now, and this time it's your turn it seems. There is nothing radical about being violent. Perhaps you could put some of your aggressive energy into constructive (and non-violent) use for the whales, instead of attacking a crew that is prepared to put their own bodies in front of the harpoons.

- Iréne on the Esperanza

Iréne, your reaction to greentangle says it all! He isn't putting his aggressive enery into attacking the crew. Greenpeace keeps on ignoring the cries of the whales and the cries of their members!! Do you guys don't get it??? Will greenpeace only realize it when thousand and thousand of supporters stop supporting greenpeace financially???? Or will you keep on ignoring them????It's so ironic hearing you saying that the crew is puttig their own bodies in front of the harpoons. For years you have been doing nothing but taking pictures, with no results what so ever!! LISTEN TO YOUR (EX)MEMBERS and stop being silly!

JG Moebus - Greenpeace headquarters is not in Washington DC - that's the regional office for the US. Our headquarters is in Amsterdam, Netherlands. I'm not sure why you don't accept our answers to your questions as being valid. I'll make enquiries into why your email to the US office has gone amiss.

a. If Whaling is “legal,” then by whose ruling and authority, and under whose or which jurisdiction?

Commercial whaling is not legal, under the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling, passed by the International Whaling Commission. International Whaling Commission's provisions do allow lethal scientific whaling - but this provision was always only meant to allow a few kills a year for truly research purposes.

What Japan is doing is attempting to widen the loophole, in an admitted attempt to return to commercial whaling.

b. If Whaling is not “legal,” then by whose ruling and authority, and under whose or which jurisdiction?

See above. Also, everything south of 40 degrees south (with one exception) is a designated whale sanctuary, the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, as voted in by the International Whaling Commission.

Question 2: Is protest or any other activity that interferes with legal commercial and/or scientific activity in international waters on the high seas legal?

See articles 18,19, 21 and 22 of the UN International covenant on civil and political rights

I would also refer you to article 88 of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea (under Part VII)

And the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (articles 18, 19, 20)

Question 3: Which is more critical to the well-being of this Planet: Man or Whales? Because the answer to this Question is and will remain the Key Indicator as to what is and is not a Moral Response - as opposed to a Political, Economic, or Legal Response - to Whaling.

I don't think that's a very answerable question to be honest. I think it's clear that humans are more detrimental to the wellbeing of the planet. I don't see whales running around starting wars or damaging the climate. And it's humans that are screwing up the fish, ">not whales!.

Thank you, Dave.

You have given me a good start toward getting around this matter.

I look forward to David@Tokyo's and/or Isanatori's and/or the ICR's and/or High North's reaction and response to your answers to these Questions.

One additional Question has arisen: what are the Enforcement provisions that have been established so as to enforce the Law regarding whales and whaling, and by whom were they established, and by whom are they actually in fact enforced?

JG Moebus
S/V WayFinder
HMB CA USA
sv_wayfinder@yahoo.com

Irene, Olivia answered wonderfully for me. I wasn't attacking the crew at all. I think they're wonderful, especially the ones who contact Sea Shepherd. I haven't been a Greenpeace member for many years but I was, probably well before many of the crew were born. I think there's plenty of room for many tactics in these battles. It's Greenpeace which apparently thinks their imaginary moral high ground is more important than doing what it takes. Or if I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, perhaps Greenpeace's condemnation of Sea Shepherd is just a tactic itself. Either way, I'd love to see Sea Shepherd get more financial support for their actions, and Greenpeace less for their public relations.

For JG Mobius--Thanks for asking those questions, which have been on my mind, also. Enjoy your viewpoint and mostly agree, even though I give my full support to BOTH GP and SSCS. Anybody fighting the whalers, non-violently or not is OK in my view. We do what we can, it's surreal being half a world away in Alaska watching the webcam.
It's about the whales! Peace be with you all.

Jodi -

I think that most Greenpeacers hate the seal hunt in Canada, and accept that it is inhumane and unnecessary - especially since most of the problems blamed on the seals are quite clearly the consequence of bad environmental management by humans.

Greenpeace has a long history of acting against the seal hunt in Canada. However, the fact is, that funds are limited and Greenpeace has to choose to prioritise its work based on its environmental impact - Greenpeace is not an animal rights organisation although obviously most of its supporters and staff are also concerned with animal welfare, it is not Greenpeace's main mandate. There are many groups who have the power to take action against the seal hunt - however, only two groups have the resources to send ships to Antarctica to physically stop the whale hunting (not including the Australian government).

As an ex-Greenpeace-staffer, believe me I can tell you the choice on this and many other projects is not easy and often individual Greenpeace offices do take non-violent action against the hunt in their own countries (eg protests at the Canadian embassy).

So the answer to your question 'who is Greenpeace really working for' is - Greenpeace is working for its supporters and for the environment, and tries to balance those priorities accordingly.

I think you'll find the whale hunt is also incredibly inhumane - as evidenced by IFAW studies of much of the footage that Greenpeace - and only Greenpeace - can get - yet another reason why they should be there.

-Adele

Hi Dave,

I must say this blog does seem to attract it's fair share of extremist crazies. Greenpeace's policy makers are wise to attempt to avoid giving the impression that they are working in concert with Sea Shepherd. The few nutters that come along here suggesting otherwise are just the ultra-extremists as opposed to the normal extremists, and can most certainly be safely ignored.

However you ought know that it's not just the JFA people you guys are up against. Hosokawa-san at Greenpeace Japan himself notes in his book, published last year, that the full political spectrum in Japan is in support of whaling.

And while Greenpeace staff members talk about winning the debate back in Japan, unfortunately for Greenpeace you guys simply have too much bad history behind you. Everytime Greenpeace is mentioned at 2ch (Japan's number one message board by far), a whole bunch of comments come in describing you guys as terrorists. Now even I think that's extreme, but let's face it, you guys can't convince me of much, you sure as heck aren't going to be convincing the Japanese public of much either.

Greenpeace needs to reinvent itself if it is serious about having a positive impact, and that's going to have to include some "policy" concession on your part as well.

Mind you, lots of people in Japan also think you guys are just doing this for the fund raising opportunity it presents, and if they are right, I shouldn't be holding my breath :)