The outlaw whalers of Japan have illegally slaughtered 35 piked whales off the Japanese Island of Hokkaido. The Japanese whalers attempted to kill 60 whales but were foiled by bad weather.

The killing over the last month was justified as "scientific whaling" although the meat was sent directly to market upon landing.

The only research that the Japanese are doing is product development and marketing research.

Japanese whaling is out of control and illegal whaling is escalating. The Japanese Antarctic fleet departs this month with the objective of slaughtering 1070 piked (Minke) whales and 170 Bryde's, sei, sperm, and fin whales in the Southern Oceans.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society intends to confront the Japanese fleet in December. The Sea Shepherd mission will be to intervene against the illegal activities of the Japanese fleet.

"The Japanese whalers are pirates and they have no business killing endangered whales in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary in gross violation of the international global moratorium on commercial whaling," said Founder and President of Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson. He will lead the Sea Shepherd expedition to the Southern Oceans in December. 

Learn more about Sea Shepherd's efforts to save the whales of the Antarctic Sanctuary.