Pirates in the Southern Ocean?

PiratesPirates inin thethe SouthernSouthern Ocean?Ocean? TheThe SouthernSouthern OceanOcean clashesclashes betweenbetween thethe SeaSea ShepherdShepherd ConservationConservation SocietySociety andand thethe JapaneseJapanese whalingwhaling fleetfleet Donald R. Rothwell, ANU College of Law, ANU OutlineOutline •• ContextContext ––TheThe AntarcticAntarctic TreatyTreaty SystemSystem ––WhalingWhaling ConventionConvention •• HistoryHistory ofof protestprotest clashesclashes •• EventsEvents ofof 20102010 •• ResponseResponse andand LegalLegal FrameworkFramework TheThe AntarcticAntarctic TreatyTreaty SystemSystem Commences with 1959 Antarctic Treaty •• Key features – Freedom of scientific research – Setting aside of sovereignty disputes – Demilitarisation of the continent – Extends north to 60o South •• Included all of the seven claimant States plus other interested States – USA; USSR; Japan; Belgium; South Africa •• Extended to encompass other States – India, China, Germany, Italy – 46 in total CountriesCountries withwith AntarcticAntarctic claimsclaims •• AustraliaAustralia (Australian(Australian AntarcticAntarctic Territory)Territory) •• NewNew ZealandZealand (Ross(Ross Dependency)Dependency) •• UnitedUnited KingdomKingdom •• FranceFrance •• ChileChile •• ArgentinaArgentina •• NorwayNorway TheThe AntarcticAntarctic TreatyTreaty SystemSystem ExpandedExpanded toto addressaddress environmentalenvironmental andand resourceresource issuesissues •• 19641964 AgreedAgreed MeasuresMeasures •• 19721972 SealsSeals ConventionConvention (CCAS)(CCAS) •• 19801980 MarineMarine LivingLiving ResourcesResources (CCAMLR)(CCAMLR) •• 19911991 MadridMadrid ProtocolProtocol –– CommitteeCommittee forfor EnvironmentalEnvironmental ProtectionProtection –– RegulatesRegulates somesome shippingshipping operationsoperations WhalingWhaling inin thethe SouthernSouthern OceanOcean •• LongLong historyhistory ofof SouthernSouthern OceanOcean whalingwhaling –– anan AntarcticAntarctic industryindustry •• WhalingWhaling waswas takingtaking placeplace priorprior toto 19591959 •• CommercialCommercial whalingwhaling endsends withwith 19821982 moratoriummoratorium inin forceforce fromfrom 19861986 •• JapanJapan hashas continuedcontinued whalingwhaling inin thethe SouthernSouthern OceanOcean underunder ‘‘specialspecial permitpermit’’ •• SinceSince 1987/881987/88 JapanJapan hashas takentaken 80008000 whaleswhales asas partpart ofof aa ‘‘scientificscientific researchresearch’’ programprogram •• WhalingWhaling isis notnot discusseddiscussed inin thethe ATSATS InternationalInternational WhalingWhaling RegimeRegime 19461946 InternationalInternational ConventionConvention forfor thethe RegulationRegulation ofof WhalingWhaling •• IndustryIndustry--centredcentred regimeregime toto promotepromote whalingwhaling •• LittleLittle emphasisemphasis onon conservationconservation •• EvolutionEvolution overover timetime •• ImportanceImportance ofof thethe ScheduleSchedule – Amendment by a ¾ (75%) vote InternationalInternational ConservationConservation ofof WhalesWhales •• 19821982 MoratoriumMoratorium adoptedadopted prohibitingprohibiting AllAll commercialcommercial whalingwhaling •• 1985/861985/86 MoratoriumMoratorium operationaloperational •• SupplementedSupplemented byby regionalregional WhaleWhale SanctuariesSanctuaries –– SouthernSouthern OceanOcean WhaleWhale SanctuarySanctuary (1994)(1994) –– IndianIndian OceanOcean WhaleWhale SanctuarySanctuary (1979)(1979) –– WithinWithin whichwhich ‘‘commercialcommercial whalingwhaling’’ isis prohibitedprohibited SpecialSpecial PermitPermit whalingwhaling •• Japan,Japan, Norway,Norway, Iceland,Iceland, Russia,Russia, USAUSA •• RecentRecent scientificscientific programsprograms –– Japan,Japan, IcelandIceland •• JapaneseJapanese SpecialSpecial PermitPermit ‘‘ScientificScientific’’ whalingwhaling – JARPA – commenced 1987/88 – ‘Special permit’ whaling under Art 8 – 300-400 minkes per season in Southern Ocean – Estimated 6,800 minke whales taken until 2005 – Equivalent scientific programs in North Pacific under JARPN TheThe ScientificScientific ‘‘loopholeloophole’’ ICRW,ICRW, ArticleArticle 88 (1)(1) ““anyany ContractingContracting GovernmentGovernment maymay grantgrant toto anyany ofof itsits nationalsnationals aa specialspecial permitpermit authorizingauthorizing thatthat nationalnational toto kill,kill, taketake andand treattreat whaleswhales forfor purposespurposes ofof scientificscientific researchresearch”” WhalingWhaling andand AustraliaAustralia’’ss LegalLegal ResponsesResponses •• WhalingWhaling ActAct 19601960 •• WhaleWhale ProtectionProtection ActAct 19801980 •• EnvironmentEnvironment ProtectionProtection andand BiodiversityBiodiversity ConservationConservation ActAct 19991999 – Implementation of ‘spirit’ of the Whaling Convention – Variety of offences relating to the killing, injuring or taking a cetacean – Offences for foreign whaling vessels – Australian Whale Sanctuary AustralianAustralian WhaleWhale SanctuarySanctuary HumaneHumane SocietySociety InternationalInternational vv KyodoKyodo [2008][2008] FCAFCA 33 AllsopAllsop JJ – Reviews evidence presented by HSI – Finds evidence of whaling taking place – Finds breach of the EPBC Act – Issues orders against Kyodo to cease •• HSIHSI seekseek toto deliverdeliver ordersorders againstagainst KyodoKyodo •• ServiceService ofof ordersorders effectuatedeffectuated inin JanJan 0808 •• JapaneseJapanese continuecontinue theirtheir JARPAJARPA IIII programprogram forfor remainderremainder ofof thethe 2007/82007/8 seasonseason AustralianAustralian CustomsCustoms Surveillance:Surveillance: FebruaryFebruary 20082008 NGONGO ProtestorsProtestors inin thethe SouthernSouthern OceanOcean •• GreenpeaceGreenpeace •• SeaSea ShepherdShepherd ConservationConservation SocietySociety – Particularly active 2007-2010 – 2008 two Sea Shepherd members, Benjamin Potts and Giles Lanes board Yushin Maru No 2 – Temporarily detained aboard – Released into Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking – Ongoing Japanese claims re actions of SSCS – IWC 59 (2007) Japan/NZ resolution TheThe 2009/20102009/2010 ‘‘whalingwhaling’’ seasonseason •• Japanese commence operations in December •• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society have two boats in the Southern Ocean: Steve Irwin + Ady Gil •• Protest clashes throughout December •• 6 January 2010 collision between Ady Gil and Shonan Mauru 2; Ady Gil sinks •• 15 February 2010 boarding of Shonan Mauu 2 •• March AFP investigations of Steve Irwin upon return to Hobart •• March Japanese arrest of Pete Bethune AustralianAustralian SearchSearch andand RescueRescue ZoneZone JanuaryJanuary 66 AdyAdy Gil/Gil/ShonanShonan MaruMaru collisioncollision JanuaryJanuary 66 AdyAdy Gil/Gil/ShonanShonan MaruMaru collisioncollision JanuaryJanuary 66 AdyAdy Gil/Gil/ShonanShonan MaruMaru collisioncollision JanuaryJanuary 66 AdyAdy Gil/Gil/ShonanShonan MaruMaru collisioncollision •• DayDay ofof fiercefierce protestprotest activityactivity •• CollisionCollision occursoccurs inin thethe SouthernSouthern OceanOcean •• PrecisePrecise locationlocation notnot yetyet determineddetermined •• AdyAdy GilGil severelyseverely damageddamaged && crewcrew injuredinjured •• AdyAdy GilGil notnot capablecapable ofof salvage;salvage; sinkssinks withinwithin 36hrs36hrs •• MaritimeMaritime NewNew ZealandZealand launchlaunch investigationinvestigation •• AMSAAMSA requestedrequested toto conductconduct inquiryinquiry AustralianAustralian MediaMedia ReactionReaction JanuaryJanuary 66 AdyAdy Gil/Gil/ShonanShonan MaruMaru collisioncollision •• WhatWhat lawlaw appliesapplies toto thethe collision?collision? •• AustralianAustralian Law?Law? – Limitations on applying offshore the AAT •• NZNZ Law?Law? – NZ flagged vessel sank following the collision •• JapaneseJapanese Law?Law? – Japanese flagged vessel involved in collision •• AMSAAMSA factfact findingfinding reportreport (May(May 2010)2010) •• MaritimeMaritime NewNew ZealandZealand •• JapaneseJapanese CoastCoast GuardGuard 1515 FebruaryFebruary 20102010 boardingboarding ofof ShonanShonan MauruMauru 22 •• PetePete BethuneBethune (NZ)(NZ) boardsboards ShonanShonan MaruMaru 22 •• PresentsPresents demanddemand toto MasterMaster seekingseeking compensationcompensation forfor lossloss ofof AdyAdy GilGil •• BethuneBethune detaineddetained onon boardboard && takentaken toto JapanJapan •• JapaneseJapanese CoastCoast GuardGuard recommendrecommend chargescharges •• 22 AprilApril indictmentindictment on:on: – Criminal trespass, possession of a knife, criminal damage to property, assault, Trespassing, causing injuries, obstructing business 1515 FebruaryFebruary 20102010 boardingboarding ofof ShonanShonan MaruMaru 22 •• CriminalCriminal chargescharges – All with a strong basis in Japanese law – No piracy/maritime terrorism charges •• ConvictionConviction ratesrates inin JapaneseJapanese criminalcriminal trialstrials – Very high - 99% conviction – Possible jail term of 15 years if found guilty •• DefenceDefence couldcould argueargue environmentalenvironmental elementselements – Precedent of the Greenpeace ‘Tokyo Two’ case •• NZNZ responseresponse toto datedate hashas beenbeen cautiouscautious – Consular Visit – 13 March MarchMarch 66 AFPAFP searchsearch ofof thethe SteveSteve IrwinIrwin MarchMarch 66 AFPAFP searchsearch ofof thethe SteveSteve IrwinIrwin •• AFPAFP boardedboarded andand searchsearch SteveSteve IrwinIrwin uponupon returnreturn toto HobartHobart •• DidDid soso uponupon requestrequest ofof JapanJapan •• ConsistentConsistent withwith actionaction takentaken inin 20092009 followingfollowing similarsimilar

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