Paul Watson

The Sea Shepherd anti-whaling fleet docked in Australia Wednesday claiming victory over Japan, as Canberra indicated fugitive founder Paul Watson would not face arrest if he came ashore.

The Sea Shepherd anti-whaling fleet docked in Australia on Wednesday claiming victory over Japan, as the activist group urged Canberra to grant fugitive founder Paul Watson free passage into the country.

Militant anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd said on Saturday the Japanese fleet had left the Antarctic whale sanctuary and appeared to be heading home with its smallest catch yet, hailing an "enormously successful" harassment campaign.

Militant anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd said Japan's entire harpoon fleet had left the Antarctic whale sanctuary on Saturday and was heading north, suggesting that their annual hunt may have come to an end.

A US appeals court has labeled militant conservationist group Sea Shepherd as pirates, and cleared the way for Japanese whalers to pursue legal action against them.

Japan's fisheries minister said Tuesday his country will never stop hunting whales, despite fierce criticism from other nations and violent clashes at sea with militant conservationists.

Japanese whalers and militant conservationists have been involved in dangerous clashes in icy waters off Antarctica, with both sides accusing the other of ramming their vessels.

Japanese whalers and militant conservationists have again been involved in dangerous clashes in icy waters off Antarctica, with both sides accusing the other of ramming their vessels.

Japan vowed to continue its whale hunt in the Southern Ocean after clashes with the militant conservationist Sea Shepherd group, which claimed Tokyo had been forced to end the mission.

Japan vowed on Thursday to continue its whale hunt in the Southern Ocean after clashes with the militant conservationist Sea Shepherd group, which claimed Tokyo had been forced to end the programme.

Militant environmentalists Monday accused Japanese whalers of attempting to crash into their ship as they tried to prevent harpoonists from hauling a slaughtered whale on board.

The US Supreme Court has denied a plea from anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd to end restrictions on its movement, following Japanese allegations that its activists had violated orders to stay away.

The Sea Shepherd conservation group asked the US Supreme Court on Monday to lift an order forcing it to steer clear of Japan's whalers, who are seeking legal reprisals over harassment at sea.

The Australian government Friday lodged a protest with Tokyo after a ship from the Japanese whaling fleet entered its exclusive economic zone in the Southern Ocean near Macquarie Island.

The Australian government said it has lodged a protest with Tokyo after part of the Japanese whaling fleet entered its exclusive economic zone in the Southern Ocean near Macquarie Island.

Militant anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd said Wednesday it had zeroed in on the Japanese fleet before a single mammal had been killed, claiming an early victory in their annual Southern Ocean battle.

Anti-whaling activist group Sea Shepherd said Wednesday it had intercepted the Japanese fleet in its annual Southern Ocean hunt "before a single harpoon has been fired".

The fugitive founder of Sea Shepherd has stepped down from key roles at the militant anti-whaling group, passing the Antarctic harpoon chase mantle to a former Australian politician.

Japanese whaling vessels left port Friday bound for the Southern Ocean on their annual pursuit of the huge marine mammals, and on a collision course with militant environmentalists vowing to halt the hunt.

US conservation group Sea Shepherd vowed to fight a court order to stay at least 500 yards away from Japanese whaling ships, and to keep protecting whales "with our ships and our lives".