First dead Antarctic minke whale to be documented since the ICJ ruling against Japanese whale poachers, on the deck of the factory whaling ship, Nisshin Maru (Image: Sea Shepherd) >>
SYDNEY, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese whaling ship has allegedly been caught operating illegally in Australian waters.
The Nisshin Maru, a Japanese vessel, was caught in Australian waters between Tasmania and Antarctica with a dead whale on board by a Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) helicopter.
The group released images taken by the helicopter of the vessel with a dead protected minke whale on board and two harpoon ships nearby.
Josh Frydenberg, Australia's Environment Minister, said the Australian government was "deeply disappointed" that Japan had resumed whaling.
In a statement issued on Monday Frydenberg said that Australia was "opposed to all forms of commercial and so-called 'scientific' whaling."
"It is not necessary to kill whales in order to study them," he said.
Read the full story at Xinhua