A render of the Yūshin Maru type whale catcher.
History
Japanese FlagJapan
NameYūshin Maru No. 2
OwnerKyodo Senpaku Kaisha, Ltd.
OperatorInstitute of Cetacean Research
Port of registryTokyo, Japan
BuilderNaikai Shipbuilding & Engineering, Setoda
Laid downMarch 6, 2002
LaunchedJune 11, 2002
Identification
Statusin active service
General characteristics
TypeWhaler
Tonnage747 gross tonnage (GT)
Length69.61 m (228.4 ft) o/a
Beam10.8 m (35 ft) (moulded)
Height19.5 m (64 ft)[2]
Draft4.718 m (15.48 ft)
Installed power5280 PS / 3900 kW[2]
Speed22 kts
Crew8

The Yūshin Maru No. 2 (第二勇新丸, Daini Yūshin Maru) is a Japanese-registered whale catcher that undertakes whaling operations in the North Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean. Along with other vessels of the Japanese whaling fleet, she has been featured on American television since 2008, in the documentary-style reality series Whale Wars.[3]

Sea Shepherd confrontations

On January 15, 2008, two members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, traveling on the MV Steve Irwin, boarded the Yūshin Maru No. 2 without permission. They were detained on board the ship for two days before being transferred to the Australian customs vessel MV Oceanic Viking.

On February 6, 2009, the MV Steve Irwin collided with the Yūshin Maru No. 2 as the activist vessel attempted to obstruct the transfer of a whale up the slipway of the factory ship Nisshin Maru. Both sides claimed the other responsible.[4] Pete Thomas of the LA Times speculated as to "whether [Mr. Watson's] actions are truly on behalf of the whales, or merely to obtain dramatic footage for the Animal Planet series, Whale Wars".[5]

On January 15, 2017, the Yushin Maru No. 2 was again found fishing for whales within the Australian Whale Sanctuary by the Sea Shepherd. As the Sea Shepherds scouting helicopter flew overhead, Japanese whalers scrambled to cover a dead Antarctic Minke Whale.[6]

See also

References

  1. Single Ship Report for "9278040", Miramar Ship Index, Accessed 8 February 2011
  2. 1 2 3 Matsuoka, K.; Tamura, T.; Mori, M; Isoda, T.; Yoshida, T.; Moriyama, R.; Yamaguchi, F.; Yoshimura, I.; Wada, Atsushi; Nakai, Kazuyoshi; Tsunekawa, Masaomi; Ogawa, Tomoyuki (June 2012). "Cruise Report of the Second Phase of the Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Antarctic (JARPAII) in 2011/2012" (PDF). Institute of Cetacean Research. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  3. "Whale Wars: About the Series". Animal Planet. Retrieved November 4, 2008.
  4. Perry, Michael (5 February 2009). "Anti-whaling protest ship collides with Japanese whaler". Reuters.
  5. Thomas, Pete (6 February 2009). "Whale war between Japan and Sea Shepherd becomes increasingly confrontational". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  6. Reilly, S.B.; Bannister, J.L.; Best, P.B.; Brown, M.; Brownell Jr., R.L.; Butterworth, D.S.; Clapham, P.J.; Cooke, J.; Donovan, G.P.; Urbán, J.; et al. (2008). "Balaenoptera bonaerensis". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2008: e.T2480A9449324. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T2480A9449324.en.


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