NEWS RELEASE

TAIJI- Crewmembers Under Attack

Sea Shepherd crewmembers Nik Hensey and Billy McNamara are currently under attack by Japanese fishermen Taiji, Japan, as they continue their campaign to protect dolphins and whales from being slaughter in the annual "dolphin roundup".

Hensey called into Sea Shepherd HQ in Friday Harbor while the confrontation was taking place to report the danger they were in.

Capt Paul Watson, Founder and President of Sea Shepherd was unable to contact them soon after to get a report on their situation and safety.

Sea Shepherd is contacting the police in Osaka and Shingu a neighboring village, as Taiji police refused to come to the aid of Sea Shepherd crew in a similar confrontation that took place on October 6th.

Japanese fishermen rounded up and captured 30 pilot whales in the small fishing village of Taiji, Japan as sun was breaking in the early morning of Thursday November 6th.Included in the capture were several sub-adults, 5 babies and two male adults trying to protect the pod.

Sea Shepherd crewmembers Nik Hensey and Billy McNamara spent the night watching over the pod from the cliffs overlooking the harbor cove.

Approximately 20 Japanese fishermen sighted the Sea Shepherd crew and immediately climbed up the cliff cornering Hensey and McNamara threatening to kill them, and push them into the bay.

The fishermen shown flashlights into their faces and made killing gestures with their hands & knives. The fishermen shown the flashlights in an attempt to stop Hensey and McNamara from taking pictures of the penned in whales.

Billy McNamara a well know actor of film and TV (www.williammcnamara.com) flew in from New York to join the Sea Shepherd crew last night to lend his support to the campaign.

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For more information on the "Dolphin/ Whale Round-up" in Taiji Japan go to our website at www.seashepherd.org/taiji/

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