Minister questions Sea Shepherd link

Sea Shepherd’s flagship, the Steve Irwin, is registered as a Dutch vessel. It is due to depart from Australia in early December for Sea Shepherd’s sixth Antarctic whale defence campaign, Operation Waltzing Matilda.

According to Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Tineke Huizinga, Deputy Transport Minister, has said that the link with Sea Shepherd is harming relations with Japan. She believes that the Steve Irwin’s Dutch flag should be removed.

Geert Vons, of Sea Shepherd Netherlands, replied that Sea Shepherd does not advocate violence in its operations to prevent whalers operating “within the borders of an internationally recognised sanctuary, established by the International Whaling Commission in 1994”.

Sea Shepherd has said that it plans to “mount the most ambitious and aggressive effort to date to obstruct the slaughter of the whales in the Southern Ocean”, while operating “within maritime law”.

The Steve Irwin will be joined by the high-speed, wave-piercing trimaran Ady Gil. The former Earthrace, which set a 61-day circumnavigation record in 2008, will be used to “intercept and physically block the harpoon ships”.

Related links
Sea Shepherd website
Sea Shepherd withdraws (February 2009)
Sea Shepherd's lonely patrol (November 2008)
Sea Shepherd claims captain shot (March 2008)