What is the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's plan for the 2009-2010 campaign in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary?

Where is the 2009-2010 Sea Shepherd Campaign Taking Place?

The current Sea Shepherd anti-whaling campaign is dubbed Operation Waltzing Matilda, after the many crew members who are from Australia. The campaign began in early December 2009 and will continue into February or March of 2010. The campaign is taking place in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, a 50 million square kilometer area that is supposed to be off-limits to whaling.   

How Many Whaling Ships and Anti-Whaling Ships Are Involved?

The Sea Shepherd fleet has two main vessels this year. The Steve Irwin is the primary ship and plays host to many smaller boats. The Ady Gil, formerly called The Earthrace, is a very fast stealth ship that can cut through waves. It is also known for breaking the current world speed record for global circumnavigation. Greenpeace has historically used its ship The Esperanza to chase away whaling ships from the sanctuary.

Japan's whaling fleet has expanded this season, perhaps in an attempt to get their desired quota of whales and intimidate the protesters. The current fleet includes four whale hunting vessels, a spotting vessel and two security vessels.

The Goals of the 2009-2010 Japanese Whaling Campaign

The Japanese whalers are aiming to meet their quota of 935 piked or minke whales and 50 fin whales. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Greenpeace aim to stop them and put a hole into the budget for the Japanese whaling campaign.

How the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Works to Stop Whaling

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was established in 1977 by Captain Paul Watson. Watson was originally a member of Greenpeace, but he was dropped from the board when his direct action tactics did not mesh with the Greenpeace ethics of nonviolence. While the two organizations differ in their approach, both work to stop Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society believes that the whaling done by the Japanese is illegal and that it must be stopped. The society uses direct action campaigns and its vessels The Steve Irwin and The Ady Gil to track down Japanese whaling boats and disrupt their ability to kill whales. This includes tactics such as throwing butyric acid on the decks of ships and getting in the way of harpoon ships. Sea Shepherd aims to bankrupt the Japanese fleet by making it difficult for them to catch their quotas of whales.

How Greenpeace Works to Stop Whaling

Greenpeace works in a non-violent manner to stop whaling. It moves boats between harpoon ships and whales. Their actions have led to the departure of whaling ships, since the ships do not want to lose time due to interference with their whaling mission. Greenpeace also works at a policy level to advocate for the whales. They were one of the two organizations that worked to create the pressure that led to the 1982 moratorium on commercial whaling. This moratorium led to the end of whaling in Russia, Peru, Brazil, Chile, and Spain. At the moment, Greenpeace also works to sway the conservation-minded majority in the International Whaling Commission to ensure that it works to conserve the whales.