Goblin girl on... a mysterious fin!

Last week I got an e-mail from two sport fishermen who had been fishing on the west coast of Sweden, quite near the Norwegian border. They were fishing for Atlantic mackerel when a fin showed up. They managed to snap a few shots before the dark shadow disappeared. The question now is: what is it? Some say shark other whale... Most people doesn't even dare do hazard a guess! So... what's your opinion? Let me know!

The Tasman Question - Stranding Whales

Rescuers are once again frantically at work trying to save stranded whales in Tasmania. This year over 400 whales have stranded. While not uncommon in the region local rescuers are beginning to say this years standing levels are much higher than normal. These are also cross species stranding events involving sperm whales, pilot whales and even dolphins.

Being a shark blog we rarely cover whales - over 400 animals in five months seems like a lot of animals to us making this noteworthy. For more information about Tasman whale stranding and local efforts to help them go to WILDCARE Inc.

Mystery Shark off Norfolk?

The fine, but concerned, beach-goers of Norfolk have discovered another dead Cetation (whale) off their shores this week.

Prompting calls from the media of a Great White shark off their beaches-locals are in a disagreement of exactly what left this rather sizeable chunk missing from this animals head.

From this image it's hard to tell what actually made this bite. Here's three things it was not:

1. A dog
2. A squid
3. A Great White shark

The crew here at Shark Diver have seen a few attacks over the years and Great Whites tend to either decapitate, or sever the ability of their prey to move with a huge strike to the tail section.

This does look like the work of a Killer Whale, which not surprisingly is found more commonly in the waters off of Norfolk this time of year...of course you're entitled to disagree.

Japan:Greenpeace Out-Sea Shepherd Remains

As you know we have been following the 2008 Southern Sea whale hunt this year with keen interest.


First there was the Sea Shepherd vs Greenpeace war of words. The "who was more green" eco-ocean smackdown.

Then, three weeks ago, we covered the ongoing Sea Shepherd stink bomb throwing hippie hostage standoff with the Nisshin Maru.

We also covered Yokozuna Asashoryu, Tokyo's top Sumo wrestler's open wrestling challenge to Sea Shepherds captain-Paul Watson. Man, what a season!

And now, after two full months of chasing the bad guys and world attention, sadly, Greenpeace is withdrawing their vessel from the hunt due to lack of fuel.

This leaves the anti-whaling eco ball squarely in the "Jesters Court" with Sea Shepherd and their somewhat crazed crew of die hards. If we were betting folks (and we are) this is how we think the 2008 Southern Seas whale hunt is going to end:

1. Japan will start killing whales again
2. Watson's Vessel "Steve Irwin" will ram and sink the Nisshin Maru
3. Huge media frenzy

Japan: Whale Update "It Ain't Over"

As the old saying goes, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings"...the same is true apparently for this seasons Southern Ocean whale hunt.

As reported this week by Shu-Ching Jean Chen the Hong Kong-based staff writer at Forbes.com it looked like all was over with the factory ship Nisshin Maru leaving the operations area. In fact Japan officially announced to the entire world last week that they had stopped whaling.

Turns out that's just a ploy, you know, for the major media folks, bloggers, and others. Sneaky whalers indeed!

So, what's the real deal in the Southern Ocean these days?

If you can push past the non profit war mongering between Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace- here's their blogs from the front lines. When you cannot rely on the major media to give you the scoop go to the source, just be prepared to donate to the cause.

Greenpeace and here's Sea Shepherd's take.

Japan: Whale Hunt Causes Fashion Crisis

Tokyo (CMN)- Fashion editors from "The Tokyo Look Book" have declared a nationwide fashion emergency on the heels of Japans announcement and early recall of the entire southern whale hunting fleet.

"In an effort to increase sales of canned whale meat the government issued 4.2 million See No Evil-Double Happiness whale eating masks this winter" said Editor in Chief-Tomohiko Taniguchi, during a rushed press conference held at the Four Seasons Chinzanso Hotel.

"With the unexpected end to this seasons whale hunt, these whale eating masks will now sit idle in peoples kitchens. Already we are seeing inappropriate use of these masks with small children in playgrounds and in gyms nationwide".

Japans Prime Minister Fukuda issued the following statement, "The government is asking people to stay calm at this time. While our whaling fleet was unable to harvest enough whale meat this season-remain assured that our whaling fleet will continue it's hunt next year and you'll all get to use your whale eating masks".

The following underwater Onion was brought to you by Shark Diver. Whale Meat-the other, other, other red meat.

Japan: Whale Game Played Out

Japan conceded a rare defeat today and pulled it's processing ship Nisshin Maru out of the Southern Ocean whale hunt operations area.

Without a high tech factory ship to process whales from majestic sea born animals into fancy little cans- the ships that hunt them are next to useless.

"The Japanese government said Monday that its state-sponsored whaling fleet had stopped hunting after 10 days of harassment by the environmental activist groups Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary near Australia."

That's the good news.

The bad news is the Japan does not look like it will be giving up it's "Love of the Whale" anytime soon. So, we'll all be forced to watch the southern spring drama unfold again next year as whalers and the anti-whaling activists clash again over government-sponsored "scientific" whaling expeditions.

The final score for this year is:

Japan-300 whales
Sea Shepherd- 1 whale boat
Greenpeace- 2 whale boats

Japan: Sumo Champion Challenges Paul Watson

Japan (CMN) Yokozuna Asashoryu, Tokyo's top Sumo wrestler, issued a wrestling challenge to Captain Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd today.

Known in Japan as the "Can Crusher" Mr. Asashoryu is currently defending himself on two charges of child endangerment after issuing a similar challenge to Tokyo's Boy Scouts Troop No.14 for the right to sell cookies door to door. He went undefeated in 16 matches against the troop leaving some with broken bones.

Paul Watson is currently chasing elements of Japans whaling fleet in the waters of Antarctica, where two of his crew members are being held as "hostages" on board Japanese vessel Yushin Maru No. 2.

"We will decide the fate of these two crew members and the future of Japans whale hunt in the ring of honor" Yokozuna shouted to a sold out crowd of fans at Tokyo's Staples Arena.

Japans Foreign Minister, Masahiko Kōmura, has agreed with the challenge saying "Mr.Watson should join us here in Tokyo rather than attempt to interrupt our Glorious Imperial...ahem...peaceful whaling fleet in Antarctica".

Sea Shepherd has been unavailable for comment.

This current underwater Onion was brought to you by Shark Diver. The news just keeps getting stranger.

Whale War Update:Australia Sends in Vikings

Who even knew Australia had a navy?

Turns out they do and today they sent the good ship Oceanic Viking to the rescue of two protesters from Sea Shepherd who are being "held hostage" on board a Japanese whale ship.

CNN--Australia has sent a customs ship to retrieve two activists who were seized by a Japanese whaling vessel, the country's foreign minister said. The transfer, if successful, would end a tense two-day standoff in Antarctic waters.The Australian ship, the Oceanic Viking, was within sighting distance of the Japanese whaler Thursday.

So that just leaves us with one question: What Now?

Japans whaling fleet is on target to harvest 1000 whales this year, thus far they have only taken an estimated 300. Regardless of this "hostage drama" side event which has all the earmarks of a classic "don't taze me bro" moment, the question remains, how to stop another 700 whales from being slaughtered this year?

As always we'll keep you updated.

The Great Whale War-Greenpeace vs Sea Shepherd

Can't we all just get along?

It would seem that's not the case-at least in the aptly named "Cooperation Sea" located some 4500 hundred kilometres southwest of Fremantle. Currently two ships are vying for the right to harass Japans illegal whaling fleet...and both sides are hurling verbal harpoons at each other harder than Queequeg on the bow of the good ship Pequod.

In one corner Sea Shepherd know for their "take no prisoners" brand of eco-enforcement, and by that we mean they actually sink ships. In the other corner Greenpeace the long time anti-whalers from the 1970's. Both groups have a long shared history and both groups for all intents have come to hate each other with a passion you would think they reserve only for the whalers they are chasing.

One look at their competing whale blogs and it would seem that Japans whaling fleet has nothing to worry about. If these two ships, the Esperanza and Steve Irwin, come in close range with each other it's going to be an eco smackdown on the high seas.

For our money, we're going with the Steve Irwin-Sea Shepherds boat. They have this nifty little item called a "Can Opener" which is designed to open up the side of a whaling vessel faster than zippers on prom night. We'll keep you updated.