Japan is still defying the international ban of commercial whaling, which could lead to the extinction of 5 out of 13 great whale species.

This is a shame for a nation considering itself highly technologized and assuming one of the highest life standards.

Anti-whaling campaigners yesterday offered a $25,000 reward for information helping in locating the Japanese whaling fleet that is hiding in waters near Antarctica, in order to attempt its disrupting.

New Zealand military has spotted the fleet on Friday in waters south of Australia but the Government refused to reveal the co-ordinates as it is concerned that activists could use violent tactics against the whalers.

Two ships of the protest group Sea Shepherd ships have unsuccessfully searched for the Japanese whalers in the Ross Sea for the past 12 days.

The Japanese mission is to kill about 850 minke whales and 10 fin whales.

Commercial hunting was banned in the 1980s, but Japan still continues its annual harvest for what it calls "scientific research", an obvious lie.

This is simply a tactic to circumvent the regulations, and amounts to commercial whaling in all but name.

"The New Zealand Air Force flew over the whaling fleet in the Ross Sea on Friday and filmed them killing whales, but the Government won't reveal the co-ordinates," said Captain Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd.

"We'll offer a $25,000 reward to get someone to leak the co-ordinates."

"We'll save that much on fuel."

A dangerous three-week game of hide-and-seek is being played out in remote waters off Antarctica.

New Zealand's air force planes had been guarding for illegal fishing but did nothing except taking pictures.

"Japan requested New Zealand not to release the co-ordinates . . . That makes the New Zealand Government complicit in criminal activity, as what Japan is doing is illegal."

"We believe the whalers are within 400 nautical miles of us, but we have information the Japanese are using satellite tracking to find out our position every day. That's way they can keep clear of us," Captain Watson said.

"We have also found out US Naval Intelligence has been tracking us by satellite and giving information to the Japanese."

A Greenpeace ship left Auckland on Friday, joining the search of the whaling fleet in the Ross Sea.

Finding the whaling fleet in such a vast area is a gigantic problem.

But Greenpeace is not collaborating with Sea Shepherd.

They intend to use small inflatable boats to put themselves between the hunters and their prey.

"We have a principle of peaceful protest, which Sea Shepherd does not," Greenpeace spokeswoman Sara Holden said.

"The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has never and does not have any intention to cause injury to the whalers. Our objective is to intercept and obstruct illegal Japanese whaling." said Captain Watson.

New Zealand and Australia both disagree with Japan's whaling program.