Ocean Sentry
The anti-whaling vessel Steve Irwin has anchored off Fremantle as its crew prepares to leave WA for Antarctic waters in December.
Each year, crew members with conservation group Sea Shepherd take part in a controversial military-style battle to disrupt Japanese whalers. The Steve Irwin will berth at Fremantle Harbour’s C Shed from November 8, and the public will be able to view the ship and talk with crew members on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The vessel will then leave port on December 7, bound for a six-month Antarctic voyage.
In February, protesters claimed Japanese whalers attacked them with long-range noise weapons that can cause deafness and vomiting.
Japanese whalers use explosive tipped harpoons to shoot about 1000 whales each year. The whales are winched from the ocean and electrocuted before being sold as meat.
Japanese whalers claim the practice is part of a scientific research program.
In 1986 an international moratorium on whaling was introduced allowing lethal research to take place.
Steve Irwin captain Paul Watson has been criticised in the past for the Sea Shepherd’s tactics, which include trying to disable commercial whaling vessels.
But Captain Watson says he wants to expose and confront illegal activities in the high seas.
