CANBERRA—Greenpeace has beaten the Australian government to finding the Japanese fleet hunting whales in the Southern Ocean, vowing to take whatever risks are necessary to prevent whaling.
After 10 days of searching, the Esperanza located the fleet of six ships conducting so-called scientific whaling about midnight (AEDT) and has since been pursuing the main vessel Nisshin Maru .
The customs ship Oceanic Viking is still en route to the whaling area to carry out surveillance of the Japanese activities after leaving Western Australia on Tuesday.
Greenpeace said it had not had contact with the customs ship and tracked the fleet by following krill, a source of whale food.
"Instead of whaling, they are attempting to avoid Esperanza . They have not been able to do that so far. We have been able to keep up with the (Nisshin) Maru " Greenpeace Australia and Pacific head Steve Shallhorn told reporters in Sydney.
"As long as we are in pursuit, the ship will not be capable of whaling. If whaling does resume, we will be there to prevent whales being killed."
Australian government minister Chris Bowen said everyone was concerned about whaling but personal safety was paramount.
"For the people actually at the site, on the high seas, (they) need to be very careful," Mr Bowen, the assistant treasurer, told reporters.
"They need to exercise restraint because their own personal safety is at risk and the personal safety of others is at risk."
Mr Shallhorn said the activists would do whatever was necessary to prevent whales being killed.
"There is nothing inherently dangerous to anyone else than our boat crews who volunteer themselves ... and realise a risk is being taken.
"(We will) put ourselves between the whale and the harpoon to prevent whales being killed."
International spokesman for Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research, Glenn Inwood, said his organisation believed Greenpeace used whaling as a way of fundraising.
"We have made our views known on the whole Greenpeace thing. Japan's research is legal. What Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace do is illegal," he said.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship the Steve Irwin has also been trying to locate the Japanese fleet.
The Oceanic Viking was still en route to the whaling zone and no operational details would be made public, a spokeswoman for Australian Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus said.
The Australian Opposition justice and border protection spokesman Christopher Pyne said a government expert had told him the former P&O cruise ship was only equipped to operate in sub-antarctic waters.
"Ships have to have a certain capacity to be able to go into the Antarctic waters where the actual slaughter of the whales takes place," Mr Pyne said.
Mr Debus rejected the claim. "The Oceanic Viking is totally capable of sailing in the area of operation that's required to monitor the Japanese fleet and there has never been any suggestion otherwise," his spokeswoman said.
Mr Pyne called Mr Debus' response a lawyer's answer which didn't clarify the matter.
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