(AU) Japan whalers silent on killing Migaloo

[Guest guest]

Japan whalers silent on killing Migaloo

AAP

November 12, 2007

 

Japanese whalers have refused to say if they will target white humpback whales

such as Migaloo, which annually travels along the east coast of Australia, in

their research slaughter this summer.

 

As the Japanese whaling fleet prepares to leave port and head for the Antarctic,

the Japan Fisheries Agency has given a firm " no comment " to questions about

white whales.

 

Japan, which uses a loophole in International Whaling Commission (IWC) laws to

hunt almost 1,000 whales each year in the southern hemisphere, allegedly for

scientific research, will target humpbacks for the first time this summer.

 

The ships have been given a quota of 50 humpbacks along with 50 fin whales and

hundreds of the smaller minke whales this year.

 

Migaloo, whose Aboriginal name means White Fella, is believed to be the only

completely white humpback whale in the world and is often spotted among the

humpbacks which form the basis of Australia's whale-watching industry.

 

AAP inquiries of Japan Fisheries Agency about the fate of Migaloo and other

white whales were met with " no comment " .

 

Japan Fisheries Agency spokesman Hideki Moronuki says the fleet will step up

security this season after heated clashes with anti-whaling protesters in the

Antarctic last summer.

 

He called on Australia and New Zealand to take measures to curb the actions of

protest ships he described as environmental " terrorists " .

 

" Those two countries maintain the same position as Japan does against the

violent action of terrorists, " Mr Moronuki told ABC Radio.

 

" So, everybody can imagine that Sea Shepherd may take very dangerous illegal

action again.

 

" I need a kind of support from those two countries in order to secure the safety

of our crews and (our ships).

 

" We can take legal actions even though Sea Shepherd would take very dangerous

illegal actions so we have to take other legal actions in order to keep from

dangerous action by Sea Shepherd.

 

" It's very difficult, but we should do something. "

 

Sea Shepherd ship's captain Paul Watson, whose vessel was involved in a

collision with a whaler last summer, said he did not believe any stepped-up

security arrangements would have any impact.

 

" What we have to understand here is Japanese whaling is illegal, he told ABC

Radio.

 

" They're targeting endangered species in a whale sanctuary in violation of a

global moratorium on whaling.

 

" We have the law on our side.

 

" If Japan reacts violently to us, causes any injury at all to any of our people,

that will backlash very severely on Japan because Japan is the criminal nation

here. "

 

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Japan-whalers-silent-on-killing-Migaloo/2\

007/11/12/1194766551855.html

.........................

Migaloo

 

http://www.migaloowhale.org/