Author: earthfirst

A forest that has to be cut down for NATO-planes, is already for more then a month occupied. AWAC-planes are terrorising the local people for over 25 years. But currently a minority of politicians and police (yes they are a minority) are trying to take over the forest and chop it down.

Background:
For 25 years the inhabitants of Schinveld and Brunssum in Dutch Limburg are organising actions against the prensence of the AWACS, these tremendously noisy planes cause noise nuisance, pollution and health problems for the locals since those planes have been banned from flying in the United States for exactly those reasons.

On top of all this, NATO wants to destroy 20 hectares of forest. Because the town council refused to deliver the necessary licenses to cut down the forest, a NIMBY-procedure was set up to take away the councils decision making power. On august 3rd the minister of territorial infrastructure delivered an exemption so the ministry of defense can start cutting the trees. The council appealed that decision with the supreme court (Raad van Sate) but lost the appeal on december 2nd for the 6 hectares of forest that are the closest to the base. Thats why two days later the forest was occupied, the activists get an enourmous support from the locals.

The local mayor is in favor of cutting the forest, but the rest of the council is doing their best to fight every decision he takes. Political parties are finally after all these years standing up against the NATO, hoping to profit from the enormous support that local actiongroups and Earth First get.Thanks to the great support, the camp has built up a nice defense against the loggers. However tonight the police is preparing everything to start the evicition. The governement plans to start logging on Monday morning.

Ongoing: (top is newest)
Monday 9 January 3:16 Riot police starts sweeping the forest. People are chaoticly running around. After the first line of cops, are cops with dogs. The people in the tree huts are being left alone at the moment. It’ s unclear how many people are in lock-ons on the ground.
2:42 German police retreats, they only gave logistic support 2:34 100 German cops are giving support to their Dutch collegues
2:15 The tree camp is besieged by Dutch riot cops
2:10 Riot cops are entering the forest
1:49 20 vans of riot police arrived
1:38 Helicopter is circling above the camp

Sunday, 8 January
23:30 Riot police returned to their departure place at the back side of the Maastricht-Aachen airport.
23:15 At the Groenfront!website (Earth First) there were lots of messages from people on their way to the forest. At least 100 people.
23:06 Cops left from Roermond, there are only 6 vans left there.
22:30 A group from the fire departement of Brunssum (nearby village) are in the forest. They decided to do so when the police requested their assistance to provide light for the eviction, they refused.
22:10 There are still many people in the forest, many activists, locals and some press teams.

An overview of the earlier developments might be posted later, stay tuned…

Older newshttp://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/12/329845.htmloverview 13/12http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/330807.htmlgeneral

After three days of obstructing the whale hunt by placing inflatable zodiacs between whales and the harpoon, the Nisshin Maru rammed the Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise. The whalers are counter claiming their ship was rammed by Greenpeace. The collision ocurred in the Australian Antarctic Territory in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. The Nisshin Maru has continued north at full speed, with the three conservationists ships in pursuit.

Both sides have said that no one was hurt in the collision, although some damage was sustained above deck and to a mast on the Arctic Sunrise.

According to an ABC report, Shane Rattenbury from Greenpeace said that the Arctic Sunrise had been observing their activists onboard inflatable zodiacs as they painted the words “whale meat from sanctuary” on the side of the Japanese supply vessel, Oriental Bluebird, shortly before the collission occurred. According to Mr Rattenbury, it appeared to be a deliberate move by the Japanese Factory ship.

“At the time we were over a kilometre from the Nisshin Maru – it had been tied up with another vessel making transfers, it then pulled away, it had to come around the vessel that it had been transferring from and had to head directly toward the Arctic Sunrise,” he said. “There were no other vessels in the area and there was no reason to head towards us, the Arctic Sunrise was virtually stopped at the time.”

“There is no way to describe this as anything but a deliberate ramming which placed the safety of our ship and the lives of our crew in severe danger.” said Rattenbury. He said that the Nisshin Maru is more than twice as long and six times heavier than the Arctic Sunrise. The impact has left the Sunrise “battered and bruised” but with no crew members were injured.

A statement on the Institute of Cetacean Research website by Director-General Hiroshi Hatanaka said the Arctic Sunrise’s bow hit the side of the Nisshin-Maru twice. “The captain of the Nisshin-Maru confirmed to ICR today that Greenpeace had rammed our vessel, which has sustained some damage. Luckily, no crewmembers were injured.”

Dr Hatanaka said the collision happened when the Nisshin-Maru was approaching the refueling ship, the Oriental Bluebird. He called for “Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd should stop at once their dangerous and criminal actions.”

Statements by both parties conflict as to when the collision occurred and who caused the collision, but the video of the incident on the Greenpeace site clearly shows the Nisshin Maru cuting across the path of the Arctic Sunrise in breach of the collision avoidance rules at sea.

On the Greenpeace Ocean Defenders Blog, Shane said:

“One minute the Nisshin Maru was tied up with the re-supply vessel, offloading whale meat, the next it was heading straight for us. I was on the phone at the time, when suddenly Arne (the captain) said, “they are coming straight at us”. I looked around and saw the Nisshin Maru bearing down. It was very surreal, their ship is so large compared to ours. Then it looked like we were going to miss. I went back to the phone interview I was doing, only to be distracted again by Arne sounding the ships horn. The next part was like it was in slow motion, the Nisshin Maru coming towards us, their crew hanging over the rails watching, until suddenly there was a loud bang, and our little ship shook. Then a second bang, as their stern swung around and caught us again. And then the strangest part – as their stern slid past, I looked up and saw that a man was standing at one of their water cannons, and as he passed by, he turned the water cannon straight at us, pouring water at the bridge of our ship.”

“So was it deliberate? I have no doubt. The Nisshin Maru turned a big circle to come around to where we were. When they started, the re-supply vessel was between us and them – they had to come around it to get to us. Why else would you make such a manoeuvre? And the guy with the water cannon – surely that was premeditated, and it was certainly an act of aggression.”

Arne, the Captain of the Arctic Sunrise, claimed the Nisshin Maru Captain was solely responsible for the collision and is in breach of the collision avoidance rules at sea. “The ship that has the other one on the starboard side has to give way. The Arctic Sunrise was on the starboard side of the Nisshan Maru. Therefore I maintained my course and speed.”

The day was also marked by the arrival on the scene of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel, the Farley Mowat.

The previous two days have been marked by Greenpeace activists obstructing the whale hunt by placing their zodiacs between the whales and the harpoon. Greenpeace have fitted fire hoses to their zodiacs to spray a shield of seawater to obstruct the sights of the harpooner.

=== Mercy Shot ===

On Friday January 6, Greenpeace were put in the position of assisting the mercy killing of a whale. The whale had been hit and was mortally wounded, but the harpoon had not set. Blood was gushing out of the whale. The Greenpeace activists in their Zodiacs fell to the back of the Yushin Maru No. 2, well out of its way – hoping the whalers would end the animal’s suffering.

A second harpoon shot missed, with the whale somehow escaping the pursuit. A second whaling hunter ship, the Kyo Maru, joined the first in the search as well as the Greenpeace ships and helicopter. According to Andrew on board the Esperanza “For a brief twisted period we found ourselves on the same side, both Greenpeace and whalers working together – maybe for different reasons, but I would like to think that they also regretted the animal’s pain.”

The Captain of the Esperanza finally located the whale and “called the whalers on the radio to tell them (in no uncertain terms) where to find it, and to finish it.” wrote Andrew.

The third harpoon set, and then a crewman aboard the whaler used a rifle to end the whales misery. The drama took nearly 30 minutes to play out.

=== Japanese Whalers cry foul over Sea Shepherd activists ===

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel, the Farley Mowat, caught up with the whaling fleet and the Japanese Factory ship, the Nisshin Maru on the 8 December, 36 nautical miles inside the Australian Antarctic Territory. The Nisshin Maru had just detached from the supply ship Oriental Bluebird, turned a full 360 degrees and rammed the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise. Three inflatables and a helicopter had been despatched from the Farley Mowat at some distance away. According to a news release from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, when the Farley Mowat was less than one mile from the Japanese factory ship, the whalers began to run at full speed northward.

Greenpeace Activists had succeeded in painting on the side of the Oriental Bluebird the words “whale meat from sanctuary”, and on the stern the words “whale meat”.

As the Nisshin Maru left the scene of the collision with the Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise, crew members of the Sea Shepherd in inflatables threw a fouling line as the Nisshin Maru whaling factory ship sped past, in the hope of entangling the ships propellor.

According to the Sea Shepherd website, the Farley Mowat is chasing the Nisshin Maru but but cannot match the speed of the factory ship. While the Nisshin Maru is under way at speed no whales can be transferred from the harpoon vessels. Dead whales need to be transferred to the factory ship within 32 hours. The two Greenpeace ships are also shadowing the factory ship. Thus the whale hunt continues to be disrupted.

Captain Paul Watson reported from onboard the Farley Mowat, chasing the Nisshin Maru: “They have been running all day and they have not been whaling. The whalers are now 17 miles outside of the Australia Antarctic Territory. We ordered them to leave, and they left.”

According to Sea Shepherd the factory ship appeared to be off-loading whale meat to the Panamanian registered supply ship, Oriental Bluebird. Paul Watson said : “There are sushi bars in Tokyo in desperate need of these ‘research materials’. It appears they can’t wait for the whaling fleet to return in March.”

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society says the Japanese whaling operation is in violation of many international laws and regulations, including:

* Violating the Southern Ocean Sanctuary.
* They are violating the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling.
* They are targeting endangered fin and humpback whales that are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. (CITES).
* The Japanese are also in violation of the Australian laws protecting the Australian Antarctic Territorial waters.
* They are violating the IWC moratorium on the use of factory ships to process any protected stock which includes the whales they are hunting – minke and fin whales.

See Also:

* Greenpeace Ocean Defenders Blog
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/oceandefenders/
* Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
http://www.seashepherd.org/index.html
* Institute of Cetacean Research website
http://www.icrwhale.org/eng-index.htm

Sources:

1. Japanese whaling ship collides with Greenpeace boat – ABC, January 8, 2006. 5:19pm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200601/s1543643.htm

2. Whalers ram Greenpeace ship (Video) Statement from Greenpeace, January 8, 2006
http://oceans.greenpeace.org/en/the-expedition/news/whalers-ram-ship-111

3. Their desperate Measures by Shane aboard the Arctic Sunrise, January 8, 2006
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/oceandefenders/archive/2006/01/their_desper…

4. Arctic Sunrise rammed by whaler’s factory ship by Andrew, onboard the Esperanza, January 8, 2006
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/oceandefenders/archive/2006/01/arctic_sunri…

5. Mercy Shot – by Andrew, onboard the Esperanza, January 6, 2006
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/oceandefenders/archive/2006/01/mercy_shot.html

6. Institute of Cetacean Research statement (PDF), January 8, 2006
http://www.icrwhale.org/eng/060108Release.pdf

7. Sea Shepherd scares off Japanese Whaling Fleet – News release January 8, 2006
http://www.world-wire.com/news/0107060001.html

8. No Whales Will Be Killed While the Chase is On – News Release from Sea Shepherd, January 8, 2006
http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_060107_2.html

Please take time to write to these recently arrested prisoners earth liberation prisoners. To receive more frequent updates on these and other prisoners email ELP4321@hotmail.com asking to subscribe.

Check out the website www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk for addresses and info on other prisoners taking action in defense of the earth and it’s inhabitants. Writing to prisoners costs you no more than a few minutes and a stamp, and it’s importance can not be emphasised enough. If you don’t know what to say visit the above website OR Brighton’s Anarchist Black Cross website:www.brightonabc.org.uk

SIX ARRESTS IN AMERICA

On the 7th December 05 police carried out a series of raids in four States across America arresting six environmentalists. The six were Chelsea Gerlach, Kevin Tubbs, Stanislas Meyerhoff, [name removed by request], Daniel McGowan and William Rodgers. Sadly, within a fortnight of his arrest, William “Bill” Rodgers ended his own life whilst in custody. At the time of their arrests all six were accused of involvement in a series of ELF & ALF direct actions which all occurred in Oregon between 1998 and 2001. William “Bill” Rodgers was personally accused of involvement in a joint ALF/ELF arson on the US Department of Agriculture research facilities in Olympia in 1998. He was also named as a suspect for the 1998 ELF arson against the ski-resort in Vail, Colorado. In addition Bill had been named as a suspect in the destruction of wild horse corals in Burns, OR and Rock Springs, Wyo.

Bill’s death is a tragedy and ELP’s thoughts and sympathies are with his family and friends. But we must remind everyone that despite Bill’s death the court cases against the other defendants are continuing and it is to them we must now offer our support. The charges against the others are as follows:

Chelsea Gerlach is accused of acting as a lookout during an ALF arson on Childers Meat Co, Eugene, in 1999. She is also accused of involvement in the toppling of the Bonneville Power Administration tower, OR, in 1999. Plus she is accused of involvement in an arson against Jefferson Poplar Farm, Clatskaine, OR, in 2001. In addition to these charges, at a bail hearing, Chelsea was named as a suspect for the 1998 ELF arson against the ski-resort in Vail, Colorado.

Kevin Tubbs is accused of involvement in an ALF/ELF arson on the US Department of Agriculture research facilities in Olympia in 1998. He has also been charged with an ELF arson against an SUV dealership, Romania Truck Chevrolet in Eugene, OR in 2001.

Daniel McGowan is accused of involvement in an ELF arson on Superior Lumber Co in Glendale in 2001. He is also accused of involvement in one of the two simultaneous arsons that also occurred in 2001 against Jefferson Poplar Farm, Clatskaine, OR, and University of Washington Centre for Horticulture in Seattle.

Stanislas Meyerhoff, who has been named by Chelsea Gerlach’s lawyer as a police informant, is accused of involvement in the toppling of the Bonneville Power Administration tower, OR, in 1999. He is also accused of involvement in an ELF arson on Superior Lumber Co in Glendale in 2001. Plus he is accused of involvement in one of two simultaneous arsons that occurred in 2001 against Jefferson Poplar Farm, Clatskaine, OR and University of Washington Centre for Horticulture in Seattle. In addition to these charges, Chelsea Gerlach’s lawyer has stated that Meyerhoff has admitted involvement in the ALF arson on Childers Meat Co, Eugene, in 1999, although he has not yet been charged with this offence. Because of the allegations that Meyerhoff is a police informant ELP has removed his details from our prisoner list pending further enquiries.

Besides those actually arrested on the 7th of December, according to media, the police suspect that at least two others were involved with one or more of the above listed actions. Josephine Sunshine Overaker has been indicted on charges of conspiring to destroy the Bonneville Power Administration tower. However it would appear from the media reports that the police failed to locate Josephine during their December 7th raids. An eighth person, who has not been named by the authorities, but who has been named by one of the Defence Lawyers as Jacob Ferguson, has been declared to be a police informant who has made statements against the others. The media have suggested that Jacob Ferguson has admitted involvement in the ALF/ELF arson on the US Department of Agriculture research facilities in Olympia in 1998. He has also admitted involvement in the ELF arson on Superior Lumber Co in Glendale in 2001 and the 2001 arson against Jefferson Poplar Farm, Clatskaine, OR. In addition to this he has admitted involvement in the Childers Meat Fire in 1999. Following the arrests on the 7th of December a number of support campaigns have been set up for the individuals involved.

Chelsea’s support campaign can be contacted viafreechelseagerlach@hotmail.com
Daniel’s support campaign can be contacted viaFriendsofDanielMcG@yahoo.com
Kevin’s support campaign can be contacted viasupportkevintubbs@gmail.com

Chelsea Gerlach #1308678, Lane County Jail, 101 W 5th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401, USA. On remand accused of involvement in a series of direct actions that occurred in Oregon between 1998 and 2001.

Daniel McGowan # 1407167, Lane County Jail, 101 West 5th Street, Eugene, OR 97401, USA. On remand accused of involvement in a series of direct actions that occurred in Oregon between 1998 and 2001.

Kevin Tubbs #1213751, Lane County Jail, 101 W 5th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401, USA. On remand accused of involvement in a series of direct actions that occurred in Oregon between 1998 and 2001.

There will be a reunion this weekend to commemorate ten years since the start of construction work on the Newbury bypass.

Although work started on the 9th, we are meeting on Saturday 7th as it is the nearest weekend (and some of us are involved in commemoration protests on the 9th!). There are no actions planned for the 7th, just a demo and meeting up.

Where – Middle Oak (A4/A34 junction)

When – Sat. 7th Jan 2006, from 2pm. Followed by get together and candlelit vigil at Donnington Castle.

What to bring – everything you need; there is no campsite or camp or accomodation sorted out, but we expect to find a place to camp, but please bring what you need as we are not providing anything. Bring candles and food to share too please!

It will be ten years from the first eviction of the No M66 Campaign in February 2006. There will be an exhibition about the No M66 Campaign, From wednesday 22nd february to sun 20th march at the basement social center, lever street, Manchester.

The M66 was a motorway which was built around the north east of manchester it is now called the M60. The campaign lasted for over a year. There were three camps on the route and the first was evicted in february 1996.

To mark the tenth anniversary there will be an exhibition about the campaign.

If you were involved with the campaign and can help out in anyway or if you have any photos, leaflets etc we could use drop me a line. Also we will be having a reunion get together details to be worked out yet.

Email address is pookieterrier (at) yahoo.com

GroenFront! (Dutch EarthFirst!) occupied the Schinveld forest in the SE of the Netherlands to protest agains the intended destruction of 6 hectares of woods.

NATO and the Min. of Defense want AWACS radar planes on the nearby Geilenkirchen NATO base, just across the border in Germany, to off with more kerosene in their fuel tanks. The AWACS are being used in the middle east. We have built treehouses and tunnels and expect them to be evicted this Monday Jan. 9th by 700-1000 military and regular police. GroenFront! is calling upon cops and soldiers to refuse work on ethical grounds. Authorities are immensely nervous about the immense support of locals, and have now called a local state of emergency to quell any more protests. As this had led to even more outrage, many people from the town of Schinveld are pledging to come and support or participate in the eviction.

For 25 years the inhabitants of Schinveld and Brunssum in Dutch Limburg are organising actions against the prensence of the AWACS, these tremendously noisy planes cause noise nuisance, pollution and health problems for the locals. The same engines have even been been banned from flying from US and Dutch commerical airports for those reasons.

NATO wants to destroy a total of 20 hectares of forest. Because the town council refused to deliver the necessary permit, a so-called ‘NIMBY-procedure’ was started. August 3rd the minister of planning overruled the non-complying local government so the ministry of defense can start cutting the trees. Recently by a so called ‘royal decree’ the regional government has also been put aside.. This ‘NIMBY’ legislation was created due to earlier protests against large infrastructure projects. The council appealed to the supreme court but lost the appeal on december 2nd, at least for the first 6 hectares of woods. Shortly after GroenFront! activists occupied the forest to physically defend it. A court decision on the remaining 20 will follow later.

The woods that will be destroyed are part of a larger natural reserve with mixed habitat woodlands, fields and moors with a high biodiversity and several rare and endangered species. Earlier threats by roadbuilding in the seventies were stopped by local protesters.

It is now clear the company that will do the clearing is Heijmans BV, part of the huge, corrupt and influential Dutch constructionmaffia, who have been targeted by GroenFront! and others before for their involvement in ecocide. They have offices and construction yards around the world – please target them.

GroenFront! is a banner that anyone can use for ecological direct action, similar to EarthFirst! in other parts of the world. Using the name means applying these principles: always putting the earth first; nonviolence against people (or other animals); no compromise; organising horizontally (no leaders); anticapitalism. GroenFront! has taken up direct action against roads, railways (Betuwelijn), ports (Afrikaport at Ruigoord), bridges (Panamabridge, Lekbridge), airports (Schiphol), genetics and many other hazardous devolopments. The most recent forest occupation in the Entwoods, against chopping down trees for hotels near a fantasy theme park, was ended because the developments were finally called off.

Please come to the camp this weekend. Bring warm clothes (it is cold and muddy and might rain), blankets, food and water for yourself to last for a few days through the eviction, some tarp to sleep on plus a sleeping mat (not everyone will be able to sleep up but there will be very basic places to sleep down) and a warm sleeping bag. Bring 12mm polypropylene rope and climbing gear if you have it, or bring chain and lock, or a monkeywrench. Please do not bring a dog.

No compromise in defense of mother earth!

— http://www.groenfront.nl —

How to get there:
If you’re from outside Holland or Belgium, the nearest places that might give you an idea of where we are are Maastricht (NL) and Aachen (Germany). The nearest large towns are Sittard and Heerlen.

Go to Sittard trainstation and take bus nr. 69 (direct) or 37 (transfer in Brunssum to bus 8, ask the busdriver). Alternatively take bus 8 to Schinveld from Heerlen. The nearest stop is called ‘Bouwbergseweg’. Theres a good chance passengers will want to help you get to the camp. As roads might be closed from tomorrow onward, and there might be police patrols due to the state of emergency, best is to ask a local to help you get to the camp or find the camp through the woods yourself.

The number of the site mobile is +31 (0)6 25411119

From Saturday 28th of January 2006 the Save Happy Valley Coalition will be indefinitely occupying the site of Solid Energy’s planned open cast coal mine in Happy Valley on the West Coast and we are inviting as many people as possible to join us.

Why? Because the mine will:

• Destroy the habitat of a number of endemic native species that are already threatened with extinction including great spotted kiwi (roa) and the snail Powelliphanta “patrickensis”.
• Pollute local waterways by acid mine drainage
• Contribute up to 12 million tonnes of climate changing carbon dioxide to the atmosphere when the coal is burnt for steel manufacture
• Devastate a beautiful pristine ecosystem that is too valuable to lose.

Solid Energy have recently cleared the last remaining legal hurdle and plan to start developing the mine site in 2006. (The High Court ruled against Forest and Bird’s Happy Valley appeal on Wednesday 21st December). The only thing that will stop them is a continuation of our grassroots campaigning, so we need as many people as possible to join us in Happy Valley, especially during the first weekend of the occupation. People coming later in the weeks after the initial weekend will also be much appreciated. You can stay for as short or as long an amount of time as you like! This is your chance to see why Happy Valley should be saved and contribute to a creative environmental campaign.

The route is marked, though there is no proper track. The walk takes less than half a day and you will be walking with others who have a good knowledge of the area. You need to come as a self contained tramper/camper and be prepared for unpredictable weather.

Happy Valley is located in the Upper Waimangaroa Valley, approximately 25km north-east of Westport. We access it by tramping from Cedar Creek Road, beyond Burnetts Face (near Waimangaroa). We will, however, all be meeting up in or near Westport beforehand.

We will update with more details closer to the date, but in the meantime if you want to know more about the occupation, to learn more about the tramping gear required, and to coordinate with others heading over, get in contact with the Save Happy Valley Christchurch group. Their details are:

Save Happy Valley Christchurch
Phone: (03) 388 0978 (ask for Dan Rae or Francie Mountier) or Francie on 021 1757 484
Email: savehappyvalley (at) yahoo.com

Hope to see you there!
Save Happy Valley Coalition

Update from the Farley Mowat –  Somewhere Off the Coast of Antarctica

Whalers still scattered and fleeing, the Farley Mowat still pursuing, a dead whale is found, and the crew take a plunge with the penguins. The crew of the Farley Mowat welcomed the New Year in with a truly unique style.

While the Farley Mowat’s helicopter was away on a three-hour reconnaissance flight, the ship parked alongside a beautiful iceberg. On small floes around the berg were numerous Adelie penguins. A large sperm whale swam nearby while a mother humpback and her calf circled the iceberg during the entire time.

Many of the crew earned their Penguin Swim Club status by diving into the zero degree Celsius water to swim with the penguins.

To qualify for the certificate, the swimmers must go in with a bathing suit only or nude, whichever they prefer. The only two nude swimmers were Geert Jan Vons from the Netherlands and Jon Batchelor from the United States. The only female crewmember to take the plunge was young Emily Hunter from Canada, eh. The other certificates awarded were to Wessel Jacobsz of South Africa, Peter Heller, Lincoln Shaw, Casson Trenor, Jeff Watkins, Joel Capolongo, Dennis Marks, Jim Pacheco, Dan Villa, and Chris Price of the United States, Darren Cullis and Luke Westhead of Great Britain and Simeon Houtman of New Zealand.

When the helicopter returned from reconning the ice edge westward and northward, the Farley Mowat resumed her course westward.

The helicopter had spotted a dead young sperm whale floating on the surface at a distance of thirty-five miles. The Farley Mowat investigated the situation and found a sperm whale of approximately eight meters in length. There were no visible wounds and the body was attracting dozens of seabirds. Cause of death is unknown.

Dozens of fin whales were also spotted from the helicopter. A search of an area one hundred and fifty miles long and sixty miles wide failed to spot any whaling vessels. We will send the helicopter up again tomorrow to continue the search.

The Japanese factory ship and one harpoon vessel continues to flee westward at top speed and January 1st was another day that no whales were killed.

The whereabouts of the three harpoon vessels and the spotting vessel remain unknown and as the Esperanza keeps dogging the Nisshin Maru, it is our job to search for these four missing vessels.

Could the three harpooners be whaling? Not likely without the factory ship. The harpooners have no facilities to process the slain whales. Could the Kyo Maru, the spotting vessel be acting as a processing ship? There is a small possibility, but it is unlikely considering that the vessel does not have the deck space for cutting up a live whale.

Eight days since Christmas without a whale being killed, the fleet scattered and running aimlessly. Are they waiting for military assistance from Japan? Their objectives remain a mystery but everyday that whales are not killed costs them money and spares the lives of whales.

One report we received is that the Japanese whalers are afraid of being “attacked� by the Sea Shepherd crew. We hope they keep thinking that way.

More news at
http://www.seashepherd.org/news.html