Thread: NZ urged to do more over whaling breach

NZ urged to do more over whaling breach
10/02/2014

The Japanese whaling fleet security ship, Shonan Maru No.2, pictured recently in the Southern Ocean. SEA SHEPHERD The Japanese whaling fleet security ship, Shonan Maru 2, pictured in the Southern Ocean.

Labour and the Greens are calling on the Government to up the ante on Japanese whalers who breach New Zealand waters.

The call follows news the Japanese vessel Shonan Maru 2 followed Sea Shepherd protest ships deep into the New Zealand's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Government had summoned Japan's top diplomat in New Zealand to answer questions over the breach.

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully slammed the incursion as "deeply disrespectful" saying it had "caused offence".

Labour's foreign affairs spokesman David Shearer said the report of the breach was a worrying development in the confrontation that is going on in the ocean south of New Zealand.

"While I accept we have no legal right to exclude the Shonan Maru 2, Murray McCully must keep up the pressure on Tokyo.

"The fact that the Japanese Government was aware, and appeared to sanction, the ship's entry into New Zealand's EEZ, when it knew of New Zealand's continued opposition to whaling is deeply concerning."

Shearer commended McCully's summoning of Japan's top diplomat to answer questions over the Shonan Maru 2's unwelcome entry as a "good first step".

"But he needs to ensure that the Japanese Government is left in no doubt that New Zealanders see this move as deeply disrespectful. The Government must continue to hold Tokyo to account for this act."

The Green Party said the Government needed to do more than just express disappointment.

"It is offensive that Japanese whalers are in New Zealand waters. The Government should lodge a formal diplomatic protest through the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo," said Green Party oceans spokesman Gareth Hughes.

He said McCully should Australia's suit, by lodging a formal protest with the Japanese Government.

"Earlier this month, the Australian Embassy in Tokyo passed on a diplomatic protest to the Japanese Government over a whaling support vessel entering Australia's EEZ.

"New Zealand can act like Australia has and lodge a protest in Tokyo," Hughes said.

'DEEPLY DISRESPECTFUL'

McCully said he had been advised the Japanese vessel Shonan Maru 2 followed Sea Shepherd protest ships deep into the New Zealand's exclusion zone.

He said that on his instruction, New Zealand embassy officials in Tokyo had made it clear to Japan that any incursion into New Zealand's EEZ would be unwelcome.

Japan's whaling fleet ignored that, chasing the Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin for some distance inside the zone. The ship stayed clear of New Zealand territorial waters.

"While the Japanese whalers' decision to ignore New Zealand's strong wishes in this respect has no legal implications, clearly it was deeply disrespectful," McCully said.

"The seas within the New Zealand EEZ, between 12 and 200 nautical miles, are not New Zealand territorial waters.

"The New Zealand Government has no legal means of excluding any vessel from entering. By contrast we have some legal capacity to exclude vessels from within our territorial waters, 12 nautical miles from the coast."

On Friday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called in the most senior representative present at the Japanese Embassy in Wellington to answer questions and hear New Zealand's view.

"The ministry conveyed the deep disappointment of the New Zealand Government that Japanese whalers had been insensitive to the views of New Zealanders by entering New Zealand's EEZ against our wishes," McCully said.

"This week I shall take further steps to ensure that the Japanese Government understands how deeply the actions of Japanese whalers' have caused offence."

A spokeswoman from McCully's office confirmed the deputy chief of mission was called in, because Japanse Ambassador Yasuaki Nogawa was not present last week.

NZ urged to do more over whaling breach | Stuff.co.nz

Originally Posted by ENT

Japan's whaling fleet ignored that, chasing the Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin for some distance inside the zone. The ship stayed clear of New Zealand territorial waters.

'nuff said.

Sea Shepard provoking and this is not NZ territorial waters.

It's a complex issue, and NZ has done sweet FA to properly define and monitor any of its claims to the seas, neither has Oz for that matter.

Then we have the marine sanctuaries, all of which need to be internationally monitored, so there are plenty of opportunities for illegal whaling and fishing in the southern oceans.