Hard-Liners Against Whaling

Paul Watson has no affection for Japanese whalers. He’s a former Greenpeace member who broke off to start the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Lately, his organization’s boat, the Steve Irwin, has been chasing the Japanese whaling fleet in Antarctic waters — some would say “harassing” the whalers — because they haven’t been sticking to the 1986 global whaling moratorium. Tokyo calls these expeditions “scientific research,” but sources say that typically 900 whales are harvested in a season, and much of the meat ends up on Japanese dinner plates. Harassing whalers can be a dangerous business. With 50-knot winds, dense fog, icy seas and a great deal of mutual hostility, confrontations get nasty. Last season, members of Sea Shepherd were taken and held on a whaling ship after an encounter. This season, the whalers have prepared a type of net to keep the protesters at bay. Get that net ready, fellas. Watson speaks of the society showing their distain by using “rotten butter bombs.” Questions can be sent to Jim Parks at jrparks@mac.com.