Anti whaling meeting

Japanese whaling is expected to resume in the Antarctic Ocean for the first time in six years and the fight has already begun on Phillip Island to save the whales.

Veteran anti-whaling campaigner Vincent Hayes currently resides in Ventnor and has lived on the island, on and off, for 40 years.

He's calling for any residents interested in helping to stop what he says is illegal whaling to come to a meeting on June 25 in Ventnor.

In 2018 Japan ended its Antarctic whaling program after a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found the program, JARPA II, was in breach of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. 

Illegal whaling efforts had also been effectively curtailed for some time by a string of relentless campaigns spearheaded by world-renowned environmental activist Captain Paul Watson.

The Captain Paul Watson Foundation became aware this year that Kyodo Senpaku, a Japanese whaling company, had recently launched a purpose-built $50 million whale processing factory ship called the Kangei Maru.

The foundation says Kangei Maru was specifically designed to travel to and hunt whales in Antarctica.

"You're not going to build a $50 million dollar ship if you're not going to go whaling," said Vincent Hayes.

Vincent is the Victorian co-ordinator of the Captain Paul Watson Foundation and a veteran of several Antarctic anti-whaling campaigns.

He has organised a meeting for stakeholders and interested parties to meet on Tuesday June 25 at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. The meeting will be held at 'Sheltered Glamping' at 493 Berrys Beach Road, Ventnor.