The
fleet will consist
of 4 whaling
ships, including lead vessel, 8,000 - ton Nisshin Maru (which was highlighted in a recent article in the New Yorker); a
Greenpeace ship will be tailing it for the entire duration
of its expedition.Japan's fisheries officials have tried to defend their decision in the face
of withering criticism by citing the supposed progress humpback whales have made and by making the (patently absurd) claim that killing 50
of them will have no effect.