Another of the Japanese Whaling Ships Out of the Hunting Grounds

Southern Ocean, International — The Yushin Maru No.2, one of the harpoon-carrying “catcher boats” rendezvoused with the Nisshin Maru hundreds of miles north of the whale hunting ground. Sakyo Noda, Greenpeace Japan Whale Campaigner on board the Esperanza said “We are very happy to see yet another of the fleet has left the whaling grounds, and we will do everything we can to ensure they do not return to hunting.”
The Esperanza has been chasing the Nisshin Maru since it discovered the whaling fleet in the early hours of January 12th. The Nisshin Maru ran from the whaling grounds, leading to six day chase during which no whales have been killed.. Without the factory ship the fleet has been unable to hunt, because the whales must be transferred to the factory vessel, cut up and frozen immediately that they are harpooned.

“We saw a number of whales surfacing and blowing in front of the catcher boat, and its fantastic to know that they are still safe from the harpoon, because we have kept the factory ship out of action and out of the hunting grounds,” said expedition leader Karli Thomas.
Contact information

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Dave Walsh, Greenpeace International communications officer on board the Esperanza.

Sara Holden, Greenpeace International Whales Project leader, on board the Esperanza. Tel: +873 324 469 014 and +47 514 079 86

Junichi Sato, Greenpeace Japan Whales Project leader, Tokyo. Tel:+81-80-5088-2990

Photos are available from Michelle Thomas, + 81 903 593 6979 and video from Michael Nagasaka +81 806 558 4447, both in Tokyo