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Hardline whaling activists will today abandon their pursuit of Japanese whalers in Antarctic waters and head back to Australia because one of their vessels has almost run out of fuel.
Leader of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Captain Paul Watson, said his ship the Farley Mowat would set a course for Melbourne today with the organisation's other craft, the Robert Hunter.
The decision means the two ships will abandon their pursuit and harassment of Japanese whaling vessels operating in the area.
Once in Australia, Watson fears the Farley Mowat could be permanently stranded in Melbourne, as it was deregistered by Belize on December 29, and left port as a pirate vessel.
The Robert Hunter was registered to Britain when it left port, and provided it returns to Melbourne by February 19, British time, it will be able to leave once it is re-registered elsewhere, Watson said.
He said the Farley Mowat had only eight days of fuel left, and with Melbourne about eight days' journey for that vessel, he had no choice but to head back to port today.
- AAP
