TOKYO: The mother ship of Japan's whaling fleet returned to port on Tuesday with a catch of little more than half its intended haul of almost 1,000 whales in the Antarctic due to harassment by activists.

The 8,044-tonne Nisshin Maru mother ship docked in Tokyo early in the morning amid protests by environmentalists, witnesses said.

The five other fleet vessels will dock at various ports in the capital and western Japan.

Japan, which says whaling is part of its culture, had aimed to kill 850 minke whales and 50 fin whales on its annual hunt. It dropped an original plan to kill up to 50 humpbacks after coming under international pressure.

The total catch for the year came to 551 minke whales with no fin whales "as a series of offshore protests prevented the fleet from achieving its initial goal," according to Shigeki Takaya, a fishery agency official.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society – whose militant protest ship was involved in a series of high-seas clashes with the Japanese fleet – has said that its campaign saved 500 whales.

Sea Shepherd tried to physically stop Japan's whaling in the Antarctic, throwing what it described as stink bombs filled with rancid butter onto the decks of whalers. Japan says the bombs contained acid that stings the eyes.

In January, the group also sent two protesters to board a whaling factory ship, sparking a two-day standoff.

Japanese authorities plan to inspect the ships and question the crew following the incidents.


- AFP/so