Jon Sumby Sea Shepherd intends to attempt a citizens arrest of Japanese whaling ships

SEA SHEPHERD is intending to board and arrest any Japanese whaling ship it finds in the Southern Ocean. The Steve Irwin has nine Australian crew and they have volunteered to board the whaling ships with a warrant issued by Captain Paul Watson.

The Australian crew will be specifically tasked with restraining the whaling ships by acting to uphold the recent ruling by the Australian Federal Court.
Warrant
(issued February 21, 2008)

In accordance with the provisions defined in the United Nations World Charter for Nature, I hereby issue an order to uphold the rules and regulations of the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) and the regulations of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

The order also calls for action to restrain Japanese whaling activities in accordance with the January 15th, 2008 ruling of the Australian Federal Court.

This warrant hereby authorizes the crew of the Steve Irwin to board if required, to disable equipment if necessary, to destroy harpoons if possible and to intercept, blockade and harass all illegal whaling and poaching activities in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

The warrant is signed by Captain Paul Watson – Master of the vessel Steve Irwin.

The Court order was issued on January 15th, 2008 by the Australian Federal Court. The Court found that the Japanese whaling fleet killing whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary contravenes the Environment Protection and Bio-Diversity Conservation Act of 1999 of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Specifically the Court ruled that:

1. The COURT DECLARES that the respondent has killed, injured, taken and interfered with Antarctic Minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) and Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and injured, taken and interfered with Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Australian Whale Sanctuary in contravention of sections 229, 229A, 229B and 229C of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), (the “Act”) and has treated and possessed such whales killed or taken in the Australian Whale Sanctuary in contravention of sections 229D and 230 of the Act, without permission or authorization under sections 231, 232 or 238 of the Act.
2. THE COURT ORDERS that the respondent be restrained from killing, injuring, taking or interfering with any Antarctic Minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis), Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) or Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Australian Whale Sanctuary, or treating or possessing any such whale killed or taken in the Australian Whale Sanctuary, unless permitted or authorized under sections 231, 232, or 238 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is legally authorized to intervene in accordance with the United Nations World Charter for Nature that was ratified by the U.N. General Assembly in 1982.

Section 21 of the World Charter for Nature states:

States and, to the extent they are able, other public authorities, international organizations, individuals, groups and corporations shall:

(c) Implement the applicable international legal provisions for the conservation of nature, and the protection of the environment.
(d) Ensure that activities within their jurisdiction, or control do not cause damage to the natural systems located within other States or in the areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.
(e) safeguard and conserve nature in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

AND Section 24 states:

Each person has a duty to act in accordance with the provisions of the present Charter; acting individually, in association with others or through participation in the political process, each person shall strive to ensure that the objectives and requirements of the present charter are met.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society believes that the acts of illegal exploitation of whales by the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Whale Sanctuary in violation of the laws and regulations of the IWC, CITES, and the Antarctic Treaty and violations of and contempt of an Australian Federal Court ruling defines the Japanese whaling vessels as poachers.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society regards the vessels of the Japanese whaling fleet as outlaw ships being operated for the purpose of committing criminal activities.

Therefore the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society regards the boarding of, damage to and interference of the operations of such ships as being appropriate tactics for opposing said criminal operations.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society however does not see any justification for inflicting any physical injuries against Japanese whalers in accordance with Sea Shepherd internal policies prohibiting the causing of harm to any sentient being.

Email from Paul Watson: Feb 23

It’s been nine days and over 2,500 miles and the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin is now off the Shackleton Glacier off the coast of Antarctica and very close to the Japanese whaling fleet. We expect to find them sometime today.

And when we find them we will engage them in confrontations for the next few weeks in an effort to stop their illegal whaling activities.

I’ve got a great crew. There are 33 of us. Sixteen are Australians and the rest are Canadians, Americans, British, Dutch, South Africa, Swedish, New Zealanders and Spanish. This crew is committed to taking the risks reuired for this campaign to be a success.

I hope to have some very positive reports over the next few days.

For the whales.

Captain Paul Watson

Sea Shepherd Hot on the Tail of Japanese Harpooners

The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin in hot on the tail of the Yushin Maru No.2 and is chasing the ship through a snow storm through an obstacle course of icebergs.

“We have them on the run,” said Captain Paul Watson. “The Yushin Maru is only a mile in front of us and running at full speed. The Fukuyoshi Maru No. 68 which carries armed Japanese Coast Guard officers is one mile behind the Yushin Maru and closing aggressively”

This chase is taking place well inside Australian Antarctic Territorial waters. The position at 1530 Hours (Melbourne time)(0345 G.M.T.) was 62 Degrees 30 Minutes South and 096 Degrees 58 Minutes East.

The Steve Irwin is preparing a boarding party to deliver a warrant ordering the Yushin Maru No. 2 and the other Japanese whaling vessels operating illegally in the Australian Whale Sanctuary to surrender themselves to the nearest Australian port.