Read Authentic Ratings for the No.3-Yushin-Maru

On February 8, 2014, at precisely 8:23 PM, the 'Yushin Maru No. 3', a prominent harpoon ship part of the Japanese whaling fleet, made a notable incursion into the Australian Whale Sanctuary. This incident occurred within the 200 nautical mile boundary of the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) near Macquarie Island, located at approximately 56°38’S, 163°46’E. The vessel ventured 4.7 nautical miles into Australian territory while pursuing the Sea Shepherd's 'Bob Barker'. After a brief stay of around 30 minutes, the 'Yushin Maru No. 3' rerouted and exited the sanctuary. This act put the vessel at risk of facing contempt of court for violating a 2008 Australian Federal Court ruling, which had deemed Japan's whaling efforts to be unlawful under Australian law. On the same day, Sea Shepherd reached out to Greg Hunt, the Australian Minister for the Environment, alerting him about the approaching whaling ship and requesting urgent governmental intervention.

In a notable development for anti-whaling efforts, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's vessel, Bob Barker, successfully identified the Japanese whaling ship, Yushin Maru 3, during its mission in the Antarctic. This discovery occurred on Wednesday, approximately 200 nautical miles north of the French Antarctic station, Dumont d'Urville. After an extensive four-week operation at sea, this marks the first encounter with a whaling vessel for the Bob Barker, according to second mate Vincent Burke. Despite challenges, including ice-laden waters, Burke expressed the crew's determination to locate the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru in order to obstruct any whale meat processing activities. The confrontation highlights the ongoing tensions and efforts in protecting marine life against whaling practices.