Whaling protest ship heads home, says 500 whales saved

AFP, March, 2008

SYDNEY (AFP) — A militant conservation group involved in a series of high-seas clashes with Japanese whalers said Tuesday its ship was heading home after a successful harassment campaign that saved 500 whales.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said its ship the Steve Irwin was ending its pursuit of the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean because it was running low on fuel.

"We have no alternative but to retreat from the Southern Ocean. We have just enough fuel to make it back to port," Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson said in a statement on the group's website.

"We've done everything we can do down here for this season and it has been an enormous success. I believe we have saved the lives of over 500 whales."

The Steve Irwin has made two forays to the Southern Ocean this season to harass Japanese whalers, which use ...