Whale wars loom again for southern summer

Both sides of the whaling debate have vowed to ramp up the fight over whaling in the Southern Ocean this season, with Japan boosting security for its fleet and conservationists saying they are prepared to die for the cause.

The escalation follows reports in the Japanese media that whaling will return to Antarctic waters this summer and that an additional $27 million has been invested in protecting the security of the whaling fleet from protesters this season.

Sea Shepherd head Paul Watson said his group would return to the remote waters for their eighth whale-defence campaign with a stronger anti-whaling fleet in early December 2011.

“They will have to kill us to prevent us from intervening once again,” Captain Watson said.

“Are the Japanese people ready to take human lives in defence of this horrifically cruel and illegal slaughter of endangered and protected species of whales,” he said.

“Do we have to die to appease Japanese honour? If so, my answer to the Japanese government is “hoka hey” (Lakota for ‘it’s a good day to die’), and we will undertake whatever risks to our lives will be required to stop this.”

Captain Watson said Operation Divine Wind would send over 100 volunteers to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to defend the whales.

Last year the Japanese fleet pulled out of whaling in the Southern Ocean months earlier than planned blaming harassment from the conservation group for forcing its ships to return to Japan with less than 20 per cent of their annual quota.