SOUTHERN OCEAN (10 Jan 2007) -- Marine sanctuary patrol vessels in Antarctica are closing in on Japanese poachers disguised as scientific research ships. The 1,000-tonne 'Robert Hunter' and the 657-tonne 'Farley Mowat' are speeding towards an area in the Southern Ocean marine sanctuary where pirates funded by Japanese ultranationalists are poaching whales. Defiant Japanese political extremists, whose strident ultranationalist rhetoric echoes the anti-western slogans of Japanese fascists convicted of war crimes and executed after World War II, have threatened to kill more than 1,000 whales and attack marine sanctuary patrol vessels. Earlier this week, Japan Whaling Association President Keiichi Nakajima threatened to sink the 'Farley Mowat' and attempted to justify endangering the lives of its crew citing "international law" related to the sudden cancellation on December 29 of the vessel's registration. "(The crew) will be risking everything," Nakajima warned. 'Farley Mowat' Captain Paul Watson dismissed Nakajima's threats of violence against his vessel and crew, which he described as a smokescreen aimed at diverting attention from the fact that slaughtering endangered whales (humpbacks and fin whales) is a clear violation of "international law". "Can opener" A third patrol vessel, the fast ship 'Esperanza' is headed for Ross Bay to intercept poachers expected to move to that area but only if they manage to avoid the "can opener". Whaling wars: Antarctic marine sanctuary patrol officers in high-speed RIBs attempting to snare the Nisshin Maru's propellers in January 2006 after the outlaw factory whaling ship rammed a Greenpeace patrol vessel. | | The mission of the 'Robert Hunter' is to enforce international law and protect the Antarctica marine sanctuary from pirates and poachers often disguised as scientific research ships. Engineered to disable vessels caught illegally poaching within marine sanctuaries, the "can opener" is a solid steel hydraulic ram mounted at deck level on the "Farley Mowat". According to Captain Watson, the device is designed to enforce international conservation law by damaging, but not endangering, vessels caught poaching. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORKScuba Poll
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