8 Feb 2009

Protestors say no more whales killed since clashes

7:21 pm on 8 February 2009

Anti-whaling protestors say Japanese whaling boats operating in Antarctic waters have not killed any more whales since clashes between the vessels on Friday.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's boat, the Steve Irwin, collided with Japanese whaling vessels twice in the Ross Sea on Friday as the boats tried to transfer dead whales on board.

The captain of Steve Irwin Paul Watson says the boats killed five whales that day, but the Sea Shepherd's helicopter has not seen any killed since.

Mr Watson says normally the Japanese boats would be taking 8 - 10 whales a day.

Both sides claim the other group is using increasingly violent tactics and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully has warned that someone could be killed or seriously injured if the conflict continues.