Four governments warn about whaling clashes in Antarctic (correction)

Dec 14, 2011, 2:39 GMT

Wellington - The governments of Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States warned Wednesday of the danger of clashes between Japanese whalers and anti-whaling protesters in the Antarctic over the next few months.

'We are deeply concerned that confrontations in the Southern Ocean will eventually lead to injury or loss of life among protesters, many of whom may be nationals of our countries, and whaling crews,' they said in a joint statement.

They said they were disappointed about the recent departure of the three-ship Japanese whaling fleet for its seasonal hunt in the Southern Ocean and affirmed their opposition to what Tokyo calls a scientific whaling programme.

A Japanese fisheries agency escort boat accompanied the fleet for the first time for protection as it set out last week to reportedly kill 1,000 mainly minke whales in the season about to start.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is sending three ships to confront the whalers in its annual attempts to try to stop the whaling. In January 2010, a New Zealand-flagged trimaran, the Ady Gil, sank after a collision with one of the Japanese ships.

'We call on the masters of all vessels involved in these actions in the Southern Ocean to take responsibility for ensuring that safety of human life at sea is their highest priority,' the four nations said.

The statement said the four countries respected the right of individuals and groups to protest peacefully, including on the high seas. 'At the same time, we condemn dangerous or violent activities from all participants on either side,' they said.

The four countries warned of the harsh conditions of the area and the difficulty in sending rescue personnel while also saying they were prepared to punish any unlawful activity.

Japan's whaling critics said it has used a loophole in a 1986 international whaling moratorium to continue hunting under the premise of scientific research.

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