They are violating the Southern Ocean Sanctuary where whales are supposed to be safe from harm.

• They are violating the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling.

• They are targeting endangered fin and humpback whales that are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

• The Japanese are also in violation of the Australian laws protecting the Australian Antarctic Territorial waters.

• The whaling vessels illegally refueled from an oil tanker within the Antarctic Treaty zone.

• They are violating the IWC moratorium on the use of factory ships to process any protected stock which includes the whales they are hunting – fin whales (now) and humpback whales (in 2007-8).