Anti-whaling ships leave Hobart today for their seventh campaign in the Southern Ocean to try to stop Japan’s whaling program.
The Sea Shepherd ships Bob Barker and Steve Irwin will leave Hobart’s Macquarie Wharf this afternoon for “Operation No Compromise”.
They will be joined by the group’s first Australian-registered ship, the Gojira, which is on its way to Hobart from Fremantle.
The conservation society’s captain, Paul Watson, says the Gojira is expected in Hobart tomorrow or Saturday.
“We will be waiting just outside of the harbour. We’re going to do some training sessions after we leave and then all three of us will head out together,” he said.
Captain Watson says this campaign includes the largest crew to be sent to the Southern Ocean.
“Our vessels are ready to head out but the Japanese fleet has not left Japan yet,” he said.
“That’s very unusual; we don’t know what they’re up to. But we’re ready if they do [leave Japan] and we intend to go down to the Southern Ocean and protect as many whales as possible.”
