Whalers Caught in the Act

Greenpeace activists went into action in eight of our rigid inflatable boats (RIBs).  Because the RIBs are easy to maneuver and can travel at high speeds, they are ideal for getting in the way of the whalers' harpoons.  As the action was in full swing, two Japanese "catcher" ships arrived on the scene with dead minke whales hung from their hulls, ready to be transferred to the fleet's factory ship.  Our ship, the Esperanza, attempted to block access to the stern ramp of the factory ship, prompting one of the catcher ships to try to push our ship out of the way.  Out of the interest of safety, the Esperanza was forced to pull back. Meanwhile, the whalers turned high-pressure fire hoses on our activists in the RIBs and tried to beat them with metal rods and hooks.

The whalers have no right to be angry with us, since their actions on the high seas flout international law and world opinion.  There has been a moratorium in place banning commercial whaling for the past 20 years.  The Japanese are exploiting a loophole in the ban that allows whaling for scientific research. Coincidentally, the whales Japan hunts in the name of "science" end up on supermarket shelves.

However, it's not just Japan that supports whale slaughter.  Gorton's of Gloucester, Massachusetts - the company that makes the fish sticks you've been eating since you were a kid - is a wholly-owned subsidiary of a Japanese whaling company.  We're calling on Gorton's to use its influence with its parent company to put an end to whaling.

Take Action!  Tell Gorton's to reel in its parent company.

Our confrontation with the whalers is part of the initial phase of a yearlong expedition to protect our oceans.  Throughout the coming months we will travel across four oceans, exposing environmental threats like whaling and calling for protected marine reserves.

Find out more about this ambitious voyage.

Discuss this issue >> visit our message board forum and let the world know what you think of the whalers.