Statement from Humane Society International, the organization that successfully took the Japanese whalers to court and received a court order banning the Japanese whalers from Australian Territorial waters:

Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, it is an offense for a whaling vessel to operate anywhere inside Australia’s 200 nautical mile EEZ, not just within our 12 nautical mile territorial waters. HSI therefore maintains that the Shonan Maru No 2 was always in breach of the Act while it was inside Australia’s EEZ and therefore should have been apprehended at this stage. Similarly, the incursion of the Yushin Maru No 3 into our waters off Macquarie Island is also a breach of the Act, and of great concern given the World Heritage listing of this sub-Antarctic area. HSI is very pleased to hear that the three whale activists detained on board the ship will now be released.

Visit our  Operation Divine Wind site for information about our 2011-12 Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign