Independent.co.uk
Japanese whalers blame 'sabotage' by activists as fewer whales are
killed
By Cahal Milmo
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
A Japanese fi****ng fleet is expected to return from its latest
expedition having killed just over half its target number of whales.
The 8,000-tonne Nis****n Maru factory ****p and five other whaling
vessels were due to dock in Japan last night after returning from the
Antarctic laden with the meat from 551 minke whales caught during a
four-month "research" voyage which was repeatedly targeted by animal
rights activists.
The catch was far below the target of 935 set by the Japanese
authorities, which in turn blamed the campaigners, the American-based
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Greenpeace, for reducing the
amount of time it could devote to hunting for "scientific purposes".
Japan insists its self-declared annual quota of 1,000 whales is part
of a research programme permitted by the International Whaling
Commission. Opponents claim the yearly hunt is commercial whaling in
disguise and should be banned. Activists on board a vessel from the
Sea Shepherd group repeatedly clashed with the Japanese fleet as it
plied the Southern Ocean looking for minke whales and the much larger
fin whales.
A spokesman for Japan's Fisheries Agency said: "Sabotage by activists
is a major factor behind our failure to achieve our target. We did not
have enough time for research because we had to avoid sabotage."
A plan to hunt 50 humpbacks was abandoned after international
criticism.
