Anti-whalers, Japanese fleet fire water cannons

By TANALEE SMITH, Associated Press Writer Tanalee Smith, Associated Press Writer – 28 mins ago

The Sea Shepherd conservation group said its ships, the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker, confronted the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru early Monday.

On Saturday, the Bob Barker and a Japanese harpoon boat collided in icy Antarctic waters, causing minor damage to both vessels. A Japanese whaler struck Sea Shepherd‘s high-tech speed boat Ady Gil and sheared off its nose on Jan. 6. The Bob Barker then came to rescue the crew of the Ady Gil, which sank a day later.

A Japanese foreign ministry official said Japan lodged a protest with the Netherlands and Togo over the water cannon fire in the Antarctic Ocean — the countries where the Steve Irwin and Bob Barker are registered.

Sea Shepherd, a U.S.-based activist group, sends vessels to confront the Japanese fleet each year. Two major clashes have already occurred this year, one a collision that destroyed a Sea Shepherd vessel.

"We intend to turn these three whaling-free days into three whaling-free weeks," Watson said in the statement. "I am confident that once again we will severely cut their kill quotas and we will once again negate their profits."

Watson estimated the whaling fleet has so far killed about 350 minke whales.

The whalers have responded by firing water cannons and sonar devices meant to disorient the activists. Collisions have occurred occasionally.

"It does not matter where they go, east or west along the Antarctic Coast," said Steve Irwin 1st Officer Locky MacLean. "We intend to stick to their rear like glue and we will not allow a single whale to be loaded onto the decks of that foul floating abattoir."

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.