People who endanger life on the high seas in this way deserve to be sentenced to long jail terms, not be lauded by Hollywood's Beautiful People or invited to speak at schools.

So awsome. Go Sea Shepard, go.

"Perhaps it’s time the Federal Government enforced Australia’s territorial sovereignty. This applies as much to Japanese whalers (compared with Indonesian fishermen) as it does to the Sea Shepherds, who are engaging in violent activities and technically operating a pirate vessel within Australian waters"

Here's a point I agree with. While I don't condone all the sea shepherd's actions, I think they're the lesser of two evils.

Something to consider: for the last three or four years, new Federal Laws have been put in place - the Environmental Protection and Biosecurity Conservation Act (EPBC).

Now... the act is designed to be a broad piece of legislation - it's not so much about small environmental things, more the big picture items. It specifically refers to cetaceans and migratory species as one of the key sections.

One of the cases which road tested this legislation related to the capture of the Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha company, which was whaling in Australian waters.
Phillip Ruddock refused to charge those responsible, and promptly sent them back to Japan where they were of course, released.
It would appear this legislation doesn't apply when it affects one of our major trading partners...

Anyhow, in relation to the article. If it's empty condemnation, such as is directed at whalers, then sure. I'll condemn the behaviour of the Sea Shepherd.

If it's action to be taken however - then for crying out loud, take action against the whalers. That will solve both problems.

Use of the passive voice and vagueness to avoid attributing sources and details is not good enough in an article making some serious allegations ("they have reportedly sunk at least ... ", "they are said to have ... ", "apparently low on fuel ..." "... apparently backed down .." " ... space does not permit .. ")

I have no truck with violence or piracy, and if these people have done wrong they deserve to be criticised for it, but you won’t win the argument with innuendo

Strange close by Rhian? Innuendo! Perhaps a freudian reference to the 'steel enema'?

Great article. Inspite of the likes of Rhian, we need more of this kind of reporting. It seems to me that the jounalists in many of our dailies (with the exception of those contributing to this forum)simply serve us up regurgitated media releases with out somuch as a modicum of effort to 'mine' an issue.

Well done Damian!

I don't think it has to go as far as kicking them out the country. I think that the Sea Shepherds take it to the point of sabotage because they know the fisherman won't get anything but a slap on the wrist and they'll be at it again. I thought whaling was condemed anyway. The people of those countries have over fished a number of animals in the past. I think their governments should step up to the plate and follow the U.S. in their footsteps to protect certain animals. The reason why I think it should be enforced globally is that it might happen in another country but it will effect us all over the planet.