Larry King Chats Whale Wars With Sea Shepherd Crew

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by Michael Parrish DuDell June 8, 2009
Categories: Film/TV
Tags: .

paul-watson2

Sea Shepherd seems to be all the rage these days! 

A couple weeks ago we featured a video of Daryl Hannah visiting the crew as they prepared for Whale Wars Season Two. Then, of course, just a few days later we spotted Christian Bale rocking a Sea Shepherd shirt while passing through the LAX airport. 

Most recently, on June 4th, the crew  took time out of their busy schedule to appear as guests on Larry King Live. Captain Paul Watson spoke passionately about Sea Shepherd’s mission, saying:

“Our objective is to sink the Japanese whaling fleet economically, and for the last three years we’ve cost them their profits. 305 whales saved this year,  500 last year, 500 the year before, and we’re gonna keep this up. As long as we’re persistent — we don’t retreat — I think we can bankrupt them. That’s our objective. 

That’s all sounds pretty sweet to us! What do you think about Sea Shepherd? Chime in and share your thoughts.


Categories: Film/TV
Tags: .
  • Ann

    Capt Paul Watson is great. The planet is in danger, and he is talking about it in real terms. Humans have become so destructive, we are endangering all life, and we will be in danger too.

  • Pingback: Meatless Mouthful: Paul Watson Wants Whale Hunters Bankrupt!

  • http://RawfoodsRetreat.com Erin Raw Foods

    What a great photo of him too. Wow. He’s like a modern day savior. I love it.

  • Georgina

    Absolutely agree with Captain Watson. I watch the show religiously and support them as best as i can. Their goal is simple: to stop the killing of whales for profit, so what’s not to love???

  • Hart

    I only wish Edward Abbey was still alive to see Watson get his own TV show. Absolutely amazing.

  • Whoever…

    “Our objective is to sink the Japanese whaling fleet economically”

    I wouldn’t mind if they literally sank the japanese whaling fleet, but that’s just me… an emotional and bitter activist!

    :)

  • Cherie

    I absoultely love the sea shepherds. I just wish I was in a position where I could volunteer to be a crew member. Paul Watson is a true hero.

  • indian nation

    Long live the Sea Shepherd by any means necessary!

  • Cheyla

    Capt Paul Watson is my hero – he and his crew are actually saving lives and not pimping petitions to politicians. His ship serves vegan meals and promotes the value of all animal life – more power to him!!

  • Jb

    These guys are going to kill a ship full of tree huggers! Do they know how much one whale means to hunger in japan? Why isn’t he stalking the beef slaughter houses in the US???? Think about it.

  • Bubba

    What a bunch of inept sailors. They will get themselves killed. A first mate who does not know how to steer a ship. A captain who is no where around when something happens. Navigates his ship into the middle of an ice field.

  • Art

    JB, I thought about it and cows and endangered whales are a little different. They could get a food source somewhere else that doesn’t involve killing whales. He does try to help other animals in the sea. Three nations hunt whales and they do it through loop holes are illegally. What’s wrong with saving them? Douche Bag!

  • hmm

    jb, cows are not endangered.

  • John Lyon

    More passion than brains. These people go to the Southern Ocean with no skills and no clue.
    This “Captain” is going to get some of these people killed.
    The lack of training and professionalism in the operation of that ship and the risk the “Captain” allows the crew to take is truly astounding.

    I’m not criticizing the cause, just the haphazard way peoples lives are put at risk.
    As far as I’m concerned, any one who funds this misadventure will eventually have blood on their hands.

    Am I the only one that sees it this way?

  • Chris

    John Lyon, I’d bet that most rational people see it precisely that way. Many of us want to see whaling either banned or reduced to levels where it doesn’t hurt the whale populations and are frustrated by the childish actions of Sea Shepherd. Not only will this inevitably lead to people getting hurt when the Japanese fleet is forced to defend themselves with force, but it makes actually solving the whaling issue much harder as it drives the Japanese to take much harsher positions to defend themselves. Unfortunately it seems like this captain is determined to become a martyr for his cause, without any regard to actually solving the real problem of whaling or for the lives of anyone else.

  • Captain Josephson

    Sea Shepherd are a bunch of terrorists!

    Two wrongs don’t make a right. Whaling isn’t right and neither is ramming ships at sea.

    International law states that Japan can take whales. If someone doesn’t like that, they should work toward getting the laws changed through due process.

    International maritime law states that: Except in the event of an emergency, it is unlawful for any person to anchor or operate a vessel in a manner that will unreasonably interfere with the navigation of other vessels.

    Sea Shepherd is the one that is in the wrong!

    • el laffsalot

      Captain Josephson:
      Terrorists? I guess it depends on how you define that term. Although they are willing to put their own lives at risk, Sea Shepherd disclaims any intent to harm other (seafaring) humans–even if they are liars (and the crew of the Japanese ‘research vessels’ are that at best). The Japanese, Norwegians and Icelanders are permitted to take a limited number of whales for research purposes; the sole object of the fleet filmed by Whale Wars has clearly been to put whale meat on the shelves of Japanese retailers. They gut and strip these these mammals into commodified whalemeat in the presence of APL cameras, tossing the guts overboard in minutes with sign-wielding crew holding signs aloft claiming they are “conducting research” and “weighing stomach contents”, which demonstrable BS. What possible scientific goal can be attained by weighing stomach contents without following the trail into the digestive tract, which gets darn hard to do when you’ve tossed the intestines to the gulls with their contents intact, within minutes of slicing and stripping the whale’s flesh.
      The Australian government is now prosecuting the abuses of these “Research” fleets. Calling the Sea Shepherds terrorists is factually incorrect and should be beneath you.

  • Lindus

    To all of you who criticize Mr. Watson; read this: http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/editorial-090616-1.html
    All I can personally say is that as we can all see at some point talk does not work. There’s been “talk” about ending whaling since before many of you were not even born. How many whales has been killed since then? 100′s of thousands is how many. IF you have a more intelligent way to end whaling and are able to get the Nipponese to the table let Mr. Watson continue his disruptive ways. If you absolutely think he is wrong and should be stopped, come up with something to charge him with that will actually stick and thusly incapacitate his organization. Until then, enjoy “Whale Wars” and send kisses to your Nipponese friends…

    With hopes to see Whaling stopped NOW!
    /Lindus

  • EcoEmo

    I agree 100% with SS.
    Norwegian and Japanese whalers do it for profit. There’s no real reason behind their whaling.
    Iceland, on the other hand, do it because they need to. I’ve seen their need for the whaling industry first hand, and I understand that Iceland don’t do it for profit.

  • taylor

    i’m joining the crew as soon as i get out of college

  • adhoc

    I am all for the cause but does anyone else think these guys are totally inept. I watch the show every week and it seems like one failure after the next- they cant launch the small boats, the radar doesnt work, the crew is fighting, they barely have enough fuel, they give their “present/new weapon” over to the whalers by accident, people on the small boats are constantly getting injured, etc. etc. It seems like the only guy who can actually do anything right is the guy who flys the helicopter. Im glad they are fighting but I wish they would actually achieve a minimal level of success.
    I thought the funniest thing was when sea shep folks had to turn back b/c they could no longer effectively attack the whalers due to whaler’s new defenses. And just what were these new defenses?- they hung a net up on the outside of their whaling ship so the sea shep could no longer throw little vials of stinky stuff.

  • GiGi

    If you want to be credible, then stop saying Whales are endangered. Yes, certain species are endangered. But not the ones the Japanese are authorized to harvest.

    The Sea Shepherd crew is completely inept. Their “operations” are all ineffective because they are poorly trained and poorly led.

    They hurt their campaign by engaging in their terrorist tactics. They clearly aren’t having any effect. They should document, plead their case to the IWC, and stop the open-seas piracy.

  • David

    The Sea Shepherd is breaking the law, while the Japanese are not.

    As Captain Josephson quoted:

    International maritime law states that: Except in the event of an emergency, it is unlawful for any person to anchor or operate a vessel in a manner that will unreasonably interfere with the navigation of other vessels.

    Harrassing the Japanese is a crime and they should be punished! Throwing anything at another ship is a form of battery and if it was in American waters, they all would be arrested.

    I personally love whales, but they are taking it to the extreme and it make all animal lovers look like idoits.

  • http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9FD18926170ED901&search_query=earthlings Whoever…

    Let’s get things straight – Japan’s scientific research is a load of crap:

    http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227136.100-why-japans-whaling-activities-are-not-research.html

    Secondly, all those (the evil defenders) who accuse Sea Shepherd and other real AR organizations of being eco-terrorists are nothing but a bunch of cowards. At least these people are fighting for what they believe in and in the case of SS they have never seriously hurt anyone.

    It’s so easy to point fingers when you’re comfortably sitting at home and doing nothing to change this world for the better. At least these people are out there putting their asses on the line fighting for their ideals!

    • el laffsalot

      Hear, hear!!

  • mouse

    I have been watching whale wars this session. I truely believe that in this day and age no animal needs to be killed in order to do research. And I would love to see whaling stopped. At this point in time the Japanese aren’t breaking any laws (other the using the LRAD on an aircraft in flight) My main problem with the Japanese is they are whaling in a whale sanctury. To me that is one place that whales should be left alone.

  • Elmirage

    This guy is a zealot and a nutjob. I hope he goes down with his crew. Whaling is not a very pretty industry and in fact basically a useless waste of the whales but Watson’s way of doing things is so wrong. Shame on him !!!!!!!!!!

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