Sea Shepherd vs Whalers battle goes high tech

[Daistallia 2104]

Looks like both sides of this have gotten their hands on some nifty gadgets acoustic weapons, lasers, stealth ships...

AFTER weeks of delays, the anti-whaling vessel Ady Gil wasted no time yesterday.

It took part in what was one of the most dangerous battles yet between Japanese whalers and militant conservationists.

Lasers and "fireball-like projectiles" were deployed by the Ady Gil crew as the vessel came within metres of the Japanese harpoon ship the Shonan Maru 2 during the three-hour attack.

The new ultra-sleek anti-whaling vessel that was a popular sight on Hobart's waterfront and its sister ship the Steve Irwin, were just 20 metres from colliding with the bow of the Japanese ship, the Japanese government-sponsored Institute of Cetacean Research said in a statement.

The Ady Gil was forced back to Hobart three times because of electrical faults and problems with New Zealand customs authorities.

It missed the first clash of the hunting season in the Southern Ocean between the Steve Irwin and the Shonan Maru 2 on December 14 but left port on Saturday. In yesterday's confrontation the collision alert system on board the Steve Irwin is reported to have been triggered more than 14 times.

The Ady Gil crew tried to temporarily blind the Japanese crew with lasers and projectiles of butyric acid, a rancid liquid that occurs in spoiled butter.

Sea Shepherd accused the Japanese of using crowd-control sound technology known as a Long Range Acoustic Devices, or LRADs, as well as water cannon against the Ady Gil crew. The activists said they responded with lasers to get the Japanese to retreat to a safe distance.

In a statement, Captain Paul Watson said his crew deployed a 100m stern protection line, which the Shonan Maru had run over and snapped.

"The Shonan Maru backed off but there was no visible indication that the vessel suffered prop damage," Capt Watson said.

Each accused the other of coming dangerously close during the clashes but neither reported any injuries or ship damage.

Greens senator Bob Brown yesterday lashed out at the Federal Government for not doing more to protect the Sea Shepherd crews.

"Rudd should at least send surveillance planes or vessels to record this David-and-Goliath war over whales," Mr Brown said.

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/20 ... -news.html

Here's a run through the stealth ship* http://tools.themercury.com.au/photo-ga ... ry_id=5475

I wonder when this will escalate to "real" weapons?

[Post-Unity Terra]

Those sea shepherd guys are dicks.

[Daistallia 2104]

Those sea shepherd guys are dicks.

So are the whalers. And both are breaking laws.

[Gauthier]

Those sea shepherd guys are dicks.

So are the whalers. And both are breaking laws.

Which makes this a dick fencing match.

[Daistallia 2104]

Which makes this a dick fencing match.

And one that's escalating...

[Gauthier]

Which makes this a dick fencing match.

And one that's escalating...

Getting longer and harder.

[Daistallia 2104]

Which makes this a dick fencing match.

And one that's escalating...

Getting longer and harder.

If tghey aren't careful the could be arrested for engaging in bloodsports.

(Lordy, why did I help this greeting of John by his nickname.)

[Enormous Gentiles]

I wonder when this will escalate to "real" weapons?

If you believe Paul Watson, the whalers already took a shot at him.

[Dyakovo]

I wonder when this will escalate to "real" weapons?

If you believe Paul Watson, the whalers already took a shot at him.

I don't, although I wish they would.

[Lord-General Drache]

While I do agree with the antiwhaling lads, I disagree with their methods. Though I doubt I'd be too torn up if the whaling ship sank.

On another note, Batman is gonna be PISSED to find some animal loving treehuggers stole his boat. Goddamn, that thing looks cool.

[Rolling squid]

Just give them all real weapons already and let the gene pool be improved as they kill each other off.

[Jedem das Seine]

Humanity is closer to extinction than whales.

[Non Aligned States]

I wonder when this will escalate to "real" weapons?

If and when it does, I would say the activists would start it up. They're more likely to resort to extreme measures and less likely to be held back by the cost of arming and equipping themselves.

And if the piracy example is anything to go by, the whaling companies will simply do nothing until the activists start killing crews and sinking the whaling ships. Then they'll likely call in for coast guard protection rather than arm their crews.

[Lord-General Drache]

Humanity is closer to extinction than whales.

I think the billions of us, versus thousands of them negate this. Unless you mean us killing each other off, which would really not be a loss if we were so gods damned stupid as to do that.

[Jedem das Seine]

I think the billions of us, versus thousands of them negate this. Unless you mean us killing each other off, which would really not be a loss if we were so gods damned stupid as to do that.

I disagree. Don't undervalue yourself. You have potential as a serf.

[Samatolian City-States]

Goodness gracious, great balls of fire?

Also, there's potential for a joke to be made here about bombing Steve Irwin.

[Pope Joan]

Great scenario for a confrontation; ripe for a roleplay!

It reminds of Star Trek IV and the klingon ship vs. the whalers; that sort of gear could turn th etables

[Greed and Death]

Those sea shepherd guys are dicks.

So are the whalers. And both are breaking laws.

No, those are international waters, New Zealands claim to antarctic waters is not recognized by most countries in the world. Also Japan is using scientific whaling permits which allow whaling for research purposes in the southern whaling sanctuary.

The whale wars crew should be arrested by the Japanese navy sent to Japan and tried for piracy.

[Non Aligned States]

Those sea shepherd guys are dicks.

So are the whalers. And both are breaking laws.

No, those are international waters, New Zealands claim to antarctic waters is not recognized by most countries in the world. Also Japan is using scientific whaling permits which allow whaling for research purposes in the southern whaling sanctuary.

The whale wars crew should be arrested by the Japanese navy sent to Japan and tried for piracy.

Unless they board and attempt a hijacking of the ship, they don't qualify for piracy charges.

If they just attempt to board and make a general nuisance, they're considered stowaways. I'm not sure what the laws are on stowaways though.

[Unidox]

Those sea shepherd guys are dicks.

So are the whalers. And both are breaking laws.

Which makes this a dick fencing match.

:sigh: It's called "crossing swords" when dicks are involved.



... Wait, are the kids gone to bed yet?

[Greed and Death]

Those sea shepherd guys are dicks.

So are the whalers. And both are breaking laws.

No, those are international waters, New Zealands claim to antarctic waters is not recognized by most countries in the world. Also Japan is using scientific whaling permits which allow whaling for research purposes in the southern whaling sanctuary.

The whale wars crew should be arrested by the Japanese navy sent to Japan and tried for piracy.

Unless they board and attempt a hijacking of the ship, they don't qualify for piracy charges.

If they just attempt to board and make a general nuisance, they're considered stowaways. I'm not sure what the laws are on stowaways though.

You mean like when Paul Watson had asked Potts and Lane to board the Yushin Maru ?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,323012,00.html
The captain ordered a boarding, that ship is a pirate vessel and should be treated as such by the navys of the world.

Weather they were making nuisance or attempting to hijack can be determined in a Japanese court of law.

[Israslovakahzerbajan]

Let them whale as mutch as they want, the joke is on them. Idiot supporters are eating whale meat that has more mercury due to pollution.

[Slaytesics]

The Japanese are not breaking the law because they are in waters that allow whaling. The Anti-Whalers should be arrested, they are terrorists.

[Daistallia 2104]

]Also Japan is using scientific whaling permits which allow whaling for research purposes in the southern whaling sanctuary.

They're using those research permits to continue commercial harvests of whales. That contavenes the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

[Non Aligned States]

You mean like when Paul Watson had asked Potts and Lane to board the Yushin Maru ?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,323012,00.html
The captain ordered a boarding, that ship is a pirate vessel and should be treated as such by the navys of the world.

Weather they were making nuisance or attempting to hijack can be determined in a Japanese court of law.

Boarding the ship without permission is one thing. You could be gotten on criminal trespass, but that's about it, just like you can be charged with B&E if you snuck into your neighbors house but stood there and did nothing else.

If they actively interfered with crew and ship operations, then you can get them on piracy charges, depending on how good your lawyers are.

Of course the crew of that boarded whaler would have been perfectly within their legal rights to clap the boarders in irons and toss them into a holding compartment until they reach shore.