Post by Argo on Jan 12, 2006 2:57:11 GMT -5
The captain of a conservation ship clashing with Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean has slammed the Australian and New Zealand governments as irresponsible for allowing continued whale harvesting.
Captain Paul Watson, of the Sea Shepherd vessel Farley Mowat, was on Wednesday criticised by NZ Conservation Minister Chris Carter as irresponsible for using tactics such as running into whaling ships with a "can opener" device in a bid to stop them taking whales.
Watson said such criticism was unfounded.
"If the Australian government and the New Zealand government were acting responsibly then we wouldn't be down here," he said from his vessel in the Southern Ocean.
"The fact is the Japanese whaling fleet is in blatant violation of international law and nobody is doing anything about it.
"We're not here to protest; we're down here to uphold international conservation law and to chase these guys out of here and it's working."
Carter on Wednesday condemned the Sea Shepherd actions.
"The increasing anxiety that the Japanese are showing is partly a response to the very irresponsible behaviour by Paul Watson from the Sea Shepherd group," he said.
But Watson, a Canadian-born United States resident, said if anybody was irresponsible, it was not Sea Shepherd.
"If the New Zealand government is concerned about it, then hey, send a navy vessel down here and check it out. Keep an eye on things and act responsibly."
He said the Australian and New Zealand governments were "contemptible" in allowing the whaling to continue.
"I think they're kissing the rear ends of Japan, is what I think.
"If these were Indonesian fishermen, Australia would be very aggressive about it.
"There's no difference between illegal poaching by Indonesia and poaching by Japan."
The Japan Whaling Association's president Keiichi Nakajima on Tuesday labelled Sea Shepherd "dangerous vegans" and "circus performers", but Watson was unconcerned.
He said the 43-crew member Farley Mowat could stay in the Southern Ocean for another three weeks before it needed to leave for refuelling.
It would continue to pursue the Japanese whalers until then, he said.
Greenpeace, which is committed to non-violent action, has distanced itself from the group Watson established in the 1970s when he quit Greenpeace - an organisation he helped set up.
seven.com.au/news/topstories/134668
Captain Paul Watson, of the Sea Shepherd vessel Farley Mowat, was on Wednesday criticised by NZ Conservation Minister Chris Carter as irresponsible for using tactics such as running into whaling ships with a "can opener" device in a bid to stop them taking whales.
Watson said such criticism was unfounded.
"If the Australian government and the New Zealand government were acting responsibly then we wouldn't be down here," he said from his vessel in the Southern Ocean.
"The fact is the Japanese whaling fleet is in blatant violation of international law and nobody is doing anything about it.
"We're not here to protest; we're down here to uphold international conservation law and to chase these guys out of here and it's working."
Carter on Wednesday condemned the Sea Shepherd actions.
"The increasing anxiety that the Japanese are showing is partly a response to the very irresponsible behaviour by Paul Watson from the Sea Shepherd group," he said.
But Watson, a Canadian-born United States resident, said if anybody was irresponsible, it was not Sea Shepherd.
"If the New Zealand government is concerned about it, then hey, send a navy vessel down here and check it out. Keep an eye on things and act responsibly."
He said the Australian and New Zealand governments were "contemptible" in allowing the whaling to continue.
"I think they're kissing the rear ends of Japan, is what I think.
"If these were Indonesian fishermen, Australia would be very aggressive about it.
"There's no difference between illegal poaching by Indonesia and poaching by Japan."
The Japan Whaling Association's president Keiichi Nakajima on Tuesday labelled Sea Shepherd "dangerous vegans" and "circus performers", but Watson was unconcerned.
He said the 43-crew member Farley Mowat could stay in the Southern Ocean for another three weeks before it needed to leave for refuelling.
It would continue to pursue the Japanese whalers until then, he said.
Greenpeace, which is committed to non-violent action, has distanced itself from the group Watson established in the 1970s when he quit Greenpeace - an organisation he helped set up.
seven.com.au/news/topstories/134668
