Welcome for anti-whalers

By Alison Kinkade

The Sea Shepherd’s anti-whaling vessel, Bob Barker, and its crew spent some time in Docklands during November as the anti-whaling activists prepared for their next battle in the Southern Ocean.

The 52-metre vessel, named after American television personality Bob Barker, who made a $5 million contribution to the organisation, was on display to the public in Docklands for a few weeks to raise awareness.

Ship manager Andrea Gordon said the vessel held two open days over a weekend and some tours during the weekdays.

“It’s really important to get the message out there about what we do because whaling is everyone’s problem,” Ms Gordon said.

State Parliamentarian Nathan Murphy was instrumental in bringing the Bob Barker to Docklands and Melbourne City Council provided berthing free of charge.

Ms Gordon said the crew loved coming to Melbourne, which it found very supportive.

With the vessel’s crew ranging in age from 19-60, their stint in Melbourne also allowed for local crew members to catch-up with family and friends.

Ms Gordon said that some crew, including the captain, had young families and she believed it was a strong motivation for crew members to join the fight

“I think they’re doing it for their kids because they realise that if they don’t do something, then there won’t be any (whales) left.”

Ms Gordon said the current population of whales was the bare minimum number required to replenish the whale population worldwide and that was why they couldn’t let the population deplete any further.

A former public defender from New York City, Ms Gordon said there was a striking similarity between her job as a lawyer and her current fight against whaling ships.

“In both situations you’re dealing with the law. In this situation we are enforcing the moratorium on commercial whaling that was enacted by the International Whaling Commission in 1986.”

The Bob Barker has now joined two other Sea Shepherd vessels in the Southern Ocean for the three-month whaling season.

“We will stay out there on our anti-whaling campaign for hopefully three months, but it all depends on fuel and supplies and things like that,” Ms Gordon said.

Established in 1977 the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, guided by the United Nation Word Charter for Nature, enforces international conservation regulations on the high seas and is a not-for-profit organisation.