Battle Between Pro-Whalers and Anti-Whalers

The Institute for Catacean Research in Tokyo, which is behind the funding of the Japanese fleet's hunt for 850 wales stated after a major clash between environmentalists and members of the Kaiko Maru, a research vessel, had been attacked by the two Sea Shepherd environmentalist boats. This allegetion and denial that the Kaiko Maru was whaling, came after a major sea clash in the Antartic between environmentalists and the Japanese whaling fleet.

The fight was carried out in sub-zero temperatures and intertwined among the icebergs and ice flows.. Accusations of ships being rammed and attacks on crew members, issuing of maritime distress calls and various extensive clashes were reported from both sides. The two environmentalist boats owned by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Group insisted that they were protecting the whales and intervened when the Japanese boat started to hunt a pod of whales.

Amid the most violent scenes so far in the battle between pro-and anit-whalers, the environmentalist ship belonging to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Group received two extensive gashes to its hull in what it called a "deliberate ramming". The Sea Shepherd crew claimed it spotted the Japanese vessel Kaito Maru hot in pursuit after a pod of minke whales and moved its vessels to incercept the hunt. The events that followed are a major matter of dispute between the two parties.

The Japanese state that it their boat the Kaiko Mara was a "research vessel" and was violently attacked by the two Sea Shepherd boats. However, Captain Paul Watson, who was aboard one of the group's ships, said the Kaito Maru sideswiped their vessel and caused a major gash to the hull of their boat. This controversy will not disappear easily with so many people completely against the Japanese Whaling Project being re-started and we can only wait to see what the next fracas will involve.