Japan will lay five charges against anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune, for boarding the Shonan Maru II in the Southern Ocean in February. His lawyer says the situation is potentially very serious.

NZ representative Sir Geoffrey Palmer fears the IWC could collapse if current negotiations on whales were to fail.

Chris Carter has accused Murray McCully of throwing a temper tantrum after a government briefing on whaling was cancelled because of Carter's blog.

It was a question many Herald readers wanted answered - what the heck is a pseudorca?

The moratorium on commercial whaling in the Southern Ocean looks likely to end next year.

Japanese lawyers are lined up to defend incarcerated anti-whaling protester Peter Bethune, but an environmental group still hopes Japanese authorities will send him home.

Researchers say a decline in Ross Sea orcas may be partly due to NZ's deep-sea fishing.

Japanese media have expressed frustration at a NZ activist's anti-whaling protests, with one top newspaper accusing him of terrorism.

John Key says the Govt can not intervene in Japan's legal processes to help anti-whaling campaigner Peter Bethune.

The leader of Australia's Green Party is backing a campaign to free anti-whaling protester Peter Bethune.

Any deal with Japan to allow whaling would have to be very attractive to get New Zealand support, Foreign Minister Murray McCully says.

Murray McCully says NZ will consider joining any legal action to force Japan to stop whaling in the Southern Ocean if diplomatic channels fail.