Activists tailing a Japanese whaling ship say it has turned around and is on course for Japan.

Anti-whaling activists say reports of Japan's annual Southern Ocean whale hunt being suspended are a bluff.

The Japanese whaling fleet appears to have called an early end to its whaling season in Antarctica, a move which conservationists tentatively say could spell an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean.

DOC says the longer a refloated pod of whales are in deep water the better the chances they will not restrand

About 70 pilot whales which became stranded at the top of the South Island have made it to deeper water.

A group of pilot whales appears to have beached once more on Farewell Spit, at the top of the South Island.

A pod of 66 pilot whales beached west of Nelson yesterday swam off on the high tide overnight, DOC says.

Four whales stranded at Port Waikato yesterday are to be buried in sand dunes just metres from where they lay.

Anti-whaling activists are promising more attacks after throwing smoke grenades and "flash bangs" at Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean today.

Anti-whaling activists in the Southern Ocean say they have located the Japanese whaling fleet and have already clashed with the whalers.

A whale that washed up last week around 40km north of Muriwai beach on Auckland's west coast will be left to rot, the Department of Conservation says.

New Zealand won't join in Australian court action over Japanese whaling but will have input into the case.

New Zealand is one of four nations calling for whaling protest ships in the Southern Ocean to safeguard life at sea.

New Zealand has told Japan its whaling ships will be closely watched during the season that is about to start, which will see whalers enter our search and rescue zone.

Kayaker Mark Jones had unexpected company when a pod of whales surrounded him as he paddled to Great Barrier Island.