Greenpeace confronts whaler
The Greenpeace ship Solo began shadowing the Norwegian whaling vessel Nybraena off the coast of Russia in late July. The vessel is one of six licensed by the Norwegian government to kill around 110 minke whales for "research" purposes.
Earlier in July, the International Whaling Commission condemned plans to resume whaling. Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, despite a good record on other environmental questions, has announced that her government will allow resumption of full-scale commercial whaling next year. Whaling was halted worldwide in the mid-'70s when many species of the marine mammal were threatened with extinction.
Greenpeace reports that the Solo has been tracked by helicopters, reconnaissance planes and jet fighters. "If the Nybraena wants to go whaling, she'll have to get past us first", said Greenpeace activist Keiran Mulvaney. "If she tries to kill whales, we will stop her. We will use all peaceful means at our disposal."