14 DAY TRIAL // Hard-line environmental group Sea Shepherd announced on Saturday that its fleet's flagship, the Steve Irwin, had docked safely in Hobart, the capital of the island-state of Tasmania. Paul Watson, captain of the ship and leader of the group, told Reuters that the ship would most likely be on its way next week, around Tuesday or Wednesday, after refueling procedures and other reparations are completed.
The Steve Irwin has been engaging the Japanese whaling fleet since December, but decided to break off the chase recently on account of the fact that it ran low on fuel. Watson didn't want to disclose the destination of the ship, although the Australian acting prime minister announced that the country would not give in to Japan's demands, and that the group would be granted access to any Australian port of its choice, for refueling and repair.
Sea Shepherd revealed that it would continue to pursue the Japanese fleet until March, when the hunting season was scheduled to end. Paul Watson said that, during the short weeks in which the organization chased the whalers off Australia's waters and into those of New Zealand, the Steve Irwin handled the situation wonderfully, and it was a pity that it had to discontinue the chase, on account of the fact that the Japanese fleet would then have time to cull some whales before it was able to catch up with it again.
Japan aims at culling over 900 whales this year, during the unfolding of its annual "scientific experiments." International pressure is, however, mounting in Tokyo to stop this behavior, which contradicts a signed and ratified UN Charter. The country can only continue to hunt whales because it's exploiting a "loophole" in the international convention, which still allows the killing of whales for scientific purposes.
In Hobart, Australia's Environment Minister Peter Garrett was invited to visit the Steve Irwin by captain Paul Watson. "I think we need to work with the Australian government to oppose illegal whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Mr. Garrett may disagree with our tactics, but the bottom line is we are on the same side, we both represent the concerns of the Australian people, and Sea Shepherd is a non-violent organization with no criminal record. I think a meeting and friendly discussion would be a positive contribution towards marine conservation efforts," he said.