Whale Warriors:
The Battle at the Bottom of the World to Save the World's Largest Mammals
Author: Peter Heller
Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 2007
288 pages
Review by David Feldmann
One of the perks of working at the public library is being privy to what's new in the world of publishing. When a co-worker alerted me to the existence of a new book on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS), I immediately added my name to the request list. Having read it, I will say it is highly worthwhile to anyone interested in animal liberation (particularly direct action philosophy) to visit your local library or bookstore and bring home a copy of this book, open a bottle of good ale, put on a decent record (preferably Midnight Oil's "Diesel and Dust" album, this author's favorite recording of late) and begin reading. While much of the text is devoted to Peter Heller's skepticism towards the group that has been combating illegal whaling for the past few decades, he ultimately comes to consider them as brave, committed and largely worthy of support. In the end, Heller, as well as the reader, is forced to consider the future of life in the great oceans of the world, and to reconsider support one might give to the hunting industry that is destroying it.
Whale Warriors takes place mostly during late 2005, and ends a few days into 2006. The author, Peter Heller, joins the diverse multi-national crew in Melbourne, Australia as they embark on a journey to patrol the Antarctic waters in an attempt to stop illegal whaling by Japan. The Japanese fleets are by far the largest "harvesters" of whale meat in the world, and Captain Paul Watson and crew plan to deter as many of the Japanese ships as they can manage, using tactics that many, including Greenpeace, consider abominable.
The SSCS ship, FARLEY MOWAT, is made up of thirty-seven crew members, with an additional seven media representatives and carries vegan provisions exclusively. As an organization the SSCS is a not-for-profit and relies heavily on donated materials and labor. Only a handful of crew is paid, the rest are dedicated volunteers. According to crew member Chris Aultman, the SSCS has the tacit support of the trade union workers in Melbourne, who donated thousands of dollars in welding rod and rubber for use on the FARLEY MOWAT prior to her departure for the South Seas. One worker, "Electrician Dave," even joined the crew. The ship itself is small compared to the Japanese ships it's tracking, with non-lethal weapons including a water cannon and a garbage catapult.
Despite their reputation as hard-line extremists and eco-terrorists among many, it's not long before those aboard the FARLEY MOWAT show their sense of humor. Before exiting the Melbourne ports, Captain Watson, in an attempt to avoid docking costs and fees, tells port control that the FARLEY MOWAT is a pleasure vessel, "We enforce international conservation law. I take great pleasure in it." When asked by Heller about his right to ram ships and attempts to utilize "prop-foulers" on ships illegally whaling, Captain Watson, more seriously, cites the UN Charter for Nature and insists the SSCS breaks no laws through its actions, that it is the whaling ships who are the real pirates. Sure enough, those countries whose ships are targeted by Captain Watson and crew for illegal activity on the high seas seldom seek court action against Watson or the SSCS for fear of having their "harvesting" discussed in court.
Nonetheless, the SSCS faces the scourge of greedy whale hunting with limited funds and a lack of cooperation with national governments whose navies should be patrolling against poachers themselves. Early on, Heller wrote, "…the entire world was against Watson, if only through inaction. The Japanese were taking endangered whales out of an internationally established sanctuary in Antarctic territory claimed by Australia, and Australia did nothing. Nobody else did anything either. Watson was vastly outnumbered."
Whale Warriors is written in diary form, thus the reader is subjected to the author's personal opinion regarding individual crew members and the validity of the mission they are a part of. In the beginning, Heller annoyingly refers to the crew as "vegan hippies" but seemingly comes to respect them more and more as the mission drags on. At one point, a crew member passes along a story to the author about a humpback whale entangled in traps and lines off the coast of San Francisco. After hours of work by rescuers, the creature was freed and proceeded to "thank" the humans who had cut her loose by slightly nudging them and happily swimming in circles. Later, Heller admits to having a similar feeling while snorkeling in the Pacific Ocean, where he claims to have been so touched by the beauty of a coral reef that he forgot to breath for several seconds before returning to the surface.
The author's commentary, while often dubious, is in the end mostly positive. Heller views firsthand the inability (and unwillingness) of mainstream and self-proclaimed "non-violent" groups like Greenpeace to actively resist Japanese whaling ships. The relations between Greenpeace and the SSCS are at times quite tense. Though it is made clear that rank and file Greenpeace workers are for the most part supportive of the crew and mission of the FARLEY MOWAT, it is equally clear that the Greenpeace "brass" are basically contemptuous of the lengths to which the SSCS, and Captain Watson in particular, are willing to go in order to halt illegal whaling.
Over the years the SSCS has been responsible for sinking eight ships and generally making life miserable for any illegal hunters her ships are able to track down on open waters. Captain Watson, nevertheless, insists SSCS tactics are not essentially violent and that the organization definitely does not fall into the category of "eco-terrorist." The author has his doubts, but comes around in the end of the mission.
After a dangerous encounter with the Japanese ship NISSHAN MARU, Heller reflects on the various un-enforced conservation treaties: "…to much of the world, Watson and many of his crew would be deemed insane…I did not think he was insane. Countries around the world pledged to protect the whales and codified that promise in treaties and laws, and yet the protections meant nothing…In reality the whales of the Southern Ocean, of all the oceans, were as vulnerable as if there had been no treaties at all. Japan's fleet allotted itself whatever number it wished to kill, endangered and non-endangered alike, and came down and took them. It shot them right over Greenpeace's head. The whales could not advocate for themselves. They had no allies on the entire planet who were willing to intervene at all costs, even their own death – except Watson and Sea Shepherd. What was insane about that? Human beings were willing to lay down their lives for territory, resources, national honor, religion. What was more insane about willing to lay down your life for another species?"
Ultimately, I think this book will appeal to any animal liberation supporter, and deserves to be read if for no other reason than to put the efforts of the SSCS in proper context. It is difficult for this author to view the current state of the planet and not be inspired by the efforts of groups like the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. However, even those who are doubtful of the legitimacy of direct action tactics would be wise to read Whale Warriors, if only to understand the motivations of its adherents and the short- sightedness of the world powers which are doing nothing to stop poaching in the oceans.
David Feldmann is a START member living in the Gravois Park neighborhood. He can be found most days serving the patrons of the University City Public Library. This is his first in a regular series of book reviews. Join us in welcoming David and his compelling insights on some of today’s most thought-provoking books.