Greenpeace deny 'prolonging whales' suffering' claims

A Greenpeace activist astride a harpooned whale. Picture / K Davison, Greenpeace

Greenpeace has denied claims by Japanese officials that protesters are increasing whales' suffering in order to obtain "bloody footage" for their PR campaign.

New Zealander Phil Lloyd, a crew member on one of two Greenpeace ships shadowing a Japanese "scientific whaling" fleet in the Southern Ocean, said protesters were confident their actions had prevented a lot of hunting, The Dominion Post reported.

He believed 242 minke whales had been caught 40 days into the 100-day hunt -- far short of Japan's target of 935 minkes and 10 fin whales.

Japan's Far Seas Fisheries Division deputy director Hideki Moronuki, earlier told Reuters the protest was slowing down the hunt, which was necessary to "study" ages and breeding patterns.

"If the harassment continues, there may be some effect," he said.

But when later contacted by The Dominion Post, he denied there were any progress targets for the catch.

Meanwhile, Japan's Institute for Cetacean Research said Greenpeace was prolonging the time taken for whales to die.

Director-general Hiroshi Hatanaka said without Greenpeace interference, 52 per cent of the whales would die instantly, and the rest in less than two minutes.

"The point is that Greenpeace knows that if they harass the catcher boats they can get the bloody footage required for their PR campaign."

New Zealand has ordered its Air Force Orion surveillance fleet to widen its brief from monitoring fishing vessels to keeping tabs on the situation but has stopped short of agreeing to Green Party and conservation group calls to send a navy frigate to the area.

- NZPA