KEY POINTS:
The Greenpeace ship Esperanza remains hot on the trail of the Japanese whaling factory ship the Nisshan Maru.
The Japanese whaling fleet scattered after the Esperanza, following a trail of krill, located the Japanese ships by radar amid fog-shrouded icebergs on Saturday night.
Speaking via satellite phone on board the ship, Greenpeace whales campaign coordinator Sara Holden said the Nisshan Maru was now heading south.
"We're still in a position where the whaling programme has been disrupted. They're unable to whale at the moment.
"Obviously if they try and link up with the rest of the whaling fleet and restart whaling, then we will take peaceful action to stop that from happening," Ms Holden said.
She said the Australian government had not been in touch with Greenpeace regarding the Sea Shepherd crew members being held on board the Japanese hunting vessel but the Esperanza is following a different ship.
Ms Holden said it would be a "reasonable guess" that the factory ship intends to meet up with the hunting vessels.
"But wether that means we're going all the way to them or they're coming all the way to us is anyone's guess," Ms Holden said.
- NZHERALD STAFF
