The federal environment minister, Greg Hunt, has ordered an investigation into claims a Japanese whaling fleet rammed one of activist group Sea Shepherd’s vessels. The anti-whaling group says its ship the Bob Barker was deliberately struck by the Yushin Maru No 2 early on Sunday, in retaliation for the Sea Shepherd preventing any whales from being captured for more than a week.
Hunt said that while the alleged incident occurred in New Zealand waters he had ordered an investigation and briefing on the matter.
“This must be a message to both parties – whalers and protesters – these are dangerous waters, nobody can play any games with safety, nobody can play any games with international maritime law,” Hunt told ABC Radio.
“Everyone must abide by the law and of course if there is evidence that either party has breached international maritime law we will raise it.”
The commercial hunting of whales is banned in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, but Japan catches the mammals under a “scientific research” clause in the moratorium.