澳洲海關2月11日公佈二隻死亡的鯨魚被拖上日本捕鯨船的照片，澳洲政府表示這些影像將可支持反對日本捕鯨的法律行動。
澳洲海關「海洋維京號」正在監測日本捕鯨船隊在其附近海域的行為，澳洲政府表示他們將延長監看日本的捕鯨行為。面對此事件，檢察長還在思考應該採取何種法律行為，以及以誰為對象。
聯邦環境部長賈瑞特（Peter Garrett）表示，這些照片呼應澳洲的反捕鯨立場。他說：「這些照片已經非常清楚的顯示，日本的捕鯨行為是毫無篩選的，你可以看到母鯨和幼鯨以這樣的方式被屠殺。日本宣稱這是科學研究的說法，不過是延續從一開始就圍繞這項議題的猜謎遊戲罷了！」負責海關事務的部長迪博斯（Bob Debus）表示：「這些令人震驚的照片可以支持澳洲政府，提出禁止每年捕鯨活動的法律行動。」
日本鯨類研究機構 (Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research，ICR)則譴責澳洲媒體「製造煽情的宣傳效果來誤導大眾。」這張海洋維京號所發表的照片，標題宣稱日本捕鯨船獵捕一頭母的鬚鯨及其幼鯨。
ICR的執行長森本實（Minoru Morimoto）說：「海洋維京號所拍的照片是二隻鬚鯨，而非其所宣稱的一隻母鬚鯨及幼鯨。我們的研究計劃必須隨機捕抓南極海域的族群，因此才會有各種體形的鯨魚。隨機抽樣南極族群對於取得正確的統計數據極是必要的。」
今年1月間，國際人道協會（Humane Society International） 於澳洲聯邦法院贏得歷史性的裁決，該裁決認定根據「澳洲禁捕鯨魚」規定，日本捕鯨公司在澳洲附近的南極海域獵殺鯨魚就是違反澳洲法律。法院要求停止捕殺，但完全無效。
日本政府表示，他們是根據1986年的國際捕鯨備忘錄，獲得許可從事研究性捕鯨行為。但批評者表示，要收集鯨魚的科學資訊，並不需要獵殺他們。
一月間於南極海域追逐日本捕鯨船隊的兩搜鯨魚保育團體所屬船隻，因為油料短缺，已經返回港口。綠色和平組織沒有計劃要再回去，但海洋看守組織（Sea Shepherd）則計劃要於13日再度出航，對抗捕鯨船。
森本實表示：「在討論商業捕鯨時，我們必須用一般常理。現在世界上的鯨魚的數量很充裕，而只要好好管理商業捕鯨，就可以達成永續，同時，還可以真正保育瀕危的品種，例如，根據科學研究所獲得的證據顥示，藍鯨就是其一。」
Graphic images of two dead whales being hauled aboard a Japanese whaler that were released by the Australian Customs Office on Thursday will strengthen its legal case against Japanese whaling, the Australian government says.
The Australian Customs ship Oceanic Viking is monitoring the activities of the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean, and the government says it is extending the duration of its whaling surveillance program.
The attorney-general is still considering what kind of legal action should be taken and who it should target.
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett says the pictures support Australia's anti-whaling position. "I think it's explicitly clear from these images that this is indiscriminate killing of whales, where you have a whale and its calf killed in this way," he said. "To claim that this is in any way scientific is to continue the charade that surrounded this issue from day one." Customs Minister Bob Debus said the "shocking images" would support Australian legal action to stop the annual whale hunt.
The Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research, ICR, has condemned the Australian media for "creating emotional propaganda to mislead the public." The photo released by the Oceanic Viking carried a headline alleging a mother minke whale and her calf were taken by Japanese whalers.
ICR Director General Minoru Morimoto said the photograph taken by the Oceanic Viking shows "two minke whales, but they are not a mother and her calf as claimed by the media." "Our research program requires random sampling of the Antarctic population, and therefore there will be a range of sizes," Morimoto said. "It is necessary to conduct random sampling of the Antarctic minke population to obtain accurate statistical data."
In January, the Humane Society International won a historic ruling from the Australian Federal Court that the Japanese whaling company is in breach of Australian law when it kills whales in the Australian Whale Sanctuary in the Southern Ocean. The court ordered that the hunt be stopped, to no avail.
The Japanese government says it is conducting scientific research whaling, which is allowed under an international whaling moratorium in place since 1986, but critics say whales do not have be killed to gather scientific information about them.
Both of the whale conservation groups that chased the Japanese whaling fleet across the Southern Ocean in January have returned to port due to lack of fuel. Greenpeace will not be going back, but the Sea Shepherd plans to sail again Thursday to confront the whalers.
Morimoto said that common sense needs to be brought into the discussions over commercial whaling. "Many whale stocks in the world today are abundant and commercial whaling can be managed on a sustainable basis, while conserving real threatened species - such as the blue whale - based on evidence derived from scientific research."
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