The Governments of Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands are condemning a new round of Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean.
Foreign affairs ministers from the three nations have sent a joint communique, outlining deep disappointment the Japanese fleet has returned.
They say they strongly oppose violence by both protest groups and whalers on the high seas, and warn the risk of adverse incidents is high.
The Institute of Cetacean Research has despatched six whaling vessels from Japan.
It's calling the communique an orchestration, timed to coincide with the departure of Sea Shepherd's anti-whaling vessels.
Sea Shepherd's ship the Steve Irwin set off from Fremantle on Monday. A second boat will leave Hobart on Tuesday afternoon, with the aim of disrupting the harpooning.
