Japan whaling vessels will be heading into the Antarctic in December to once again hunt for whales.

Last year  the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society lost one of their own vessels after it sank during a collision with a Japanese vessel while protecting whales from a cruel death, even with the loss of a boat the groups efforts forced the fleet to return home with just one fifth of their quota.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society promises to be back in full force for the new season even as Japanese fisherman have promised to have more security on their side.

While whale hunting has been banned since 1986 Japanese officials have used a pathetic excuse that their killing of the species is for “research” purposes only.

According to the Associated Press:

Japan hopes to prove that enough whales exist to overturn the ban on commercial hunting. Sea Shepherd, meanwhile, is calling this year’s effort to stop the ships “Operation Divine Wind”—after Japan’s kamikaze suicide missions of WWII.

Do you think the entire practice of Whale hunting even for research purposes should be banned.

Japan Promises To Kill Innocent Whales, Will Ramp Up Security is a post from: The Inquisitr

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is disappointed that Japan’s whaling fleet is reportedly planning a return to Antarctica later this year to kill more whales for its dying market.
Reports are saying that whaling will continue with around $27 million in government security budget to protect the fleet.

IFAW opposes whaling because it is cruel and unnecessary. According to IFAW scientists, whales can take more than half an hour to die. The organization is suggesting that whale watching even offers humane and profitable alternative to whaling, aside from generating around $2.1 billion annually for coastal communities.

Patrick Ramage, Director of IFAW’s Global Whale Program, said:

“If true as reported, this decision doesn’t change the basic facts:  whaling is an economic loser that makes no more sense for post-tsunami Japan than it did before the tragedy. The government bureaucrats are throwing good money after bad to pursue whales in a sanctuary.”

IFAW is urging Japan to reconsider its decision to continue whaling in defiance of global opposition and several international laws.

Would you join IFAW in urging the Japanese government to abandon whaling?

Japan Planning to Kill More Whales in Antarctica (IFAW Reports) is a post from: The Inquisitr

If there is one label that get thrown out in just about every part of our social interactions it has to be the terrorist one. You sneeze the wrong way you can be a terrorist. You belch the wrong way and you can be a terrorist. Decided to do whatever you can to save whales from being slaughtered by Japanese <cough> research </cough> ships in the Antarctic and you will find yourself being called a terrorist.

At least that is the case with the Sea Shepherd and the people behind the organization. It is this organizations goal to stop any whaling operations in any of the worlds oceans – especially the Antarctic as this is where the Japanese whaling fleet has been operating lately. The Sea Shepherd organization has been so successful over the last year that the Japanese press has labelled them a terrorist organization.

Japanese research whaling in the Antarctic Ocean has been sabotaged by the radical US conservation group Sea Shepherd.
Japanese fishery officials say activists hindered the whaling ship Kaiko Maru by throwing bottles of strong-smelling liquid into it and banging a boat into it over about 3 hours on Friday. They say the ship was only slightly damaged and that no one on board was hurt.

Source: NHK World

You can also watch the exploits of the Sea Shepherd ships in the new reality television show The Whale Wars on the Animal Planet cable station. As well you can see back shows on the AnimalPlanetTV channel on YouTube

[hat to Treehugger]

Saving whales can get you labelled a terrorist is a post from: The Inquisitr