Whale Hunter Turned Protector in Japan

Paddy Hart (far right) in Tokyo demonstrating against whaling. Standing next to him is Steve Shallhorn, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific. Steve and Paddy met at the launch of The Last Whale at Albany, Western Australia. GREENPEACE PHOTO

GREENPEACE PHOTO

Paddy Hart talking to the media in Tokyo. GREENPEACE PHOTO

Paddy Hart, the master and harpoon gunner of the Cheynes II whale chaser ship when Australia's last whaling station closed thirty years ago, was in Tokyo last week to protest whaling by Japan.

During the lead up to the closure, Paddy was a whale chaser skipper out of Albany, Western Australia, during Greenpeace's first direct action in Australia. Activisits took to Zodiac inflatable boats to place themselves between harpoons and whales.

As recorded in The Last Whale, Paddy played a leading role on the side of Australia's last whalers during the first Save the Whale Campaign in the 1970s. Now he's on the side of the whales.

"Greenpeace asked me to come along and tell Japanese people that there's life after whaling, and I am honoured to be there," Paddy said in Tokyo. Paddy met Steve Shallhorn, the CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, at the launch of The Last Whale, the book by Chris Pash about the final days of whaling in Australia.

He called on the Japanese people to ask their government to find alternative ventures for whalers.

"They're spending money and losing money on food people don't even like anymore. Also, there's no humane way to kill a whale, speaking from experience as a whale gunner."

Paddy is living proof that there is a life after whaling. "I have sympathy for the whalers in one sense because I've been in that situation. But, if whaling stops, like us, they can get on with it and find something else to do."

"If they want to start killing humpback whales, they should know that they're the backbone of a $300 million industry in Australia," Paddy said.

"It's taken 40 years for the whales to come to trust us and let the boats come close to see them. As soon as these fellows start shooting them, we've lost that trust and that industry, and our grandchildren will never see a whale."

Australian Whaling Ship Captain in Japan

Paddy Hart today

Paddy Hart in 1978

Australian Paddy Hart, the former master and gunner of the Cheynes II, part of the last whaling fleet in the English-speaking world, is in Japan to speak against whaling.

'I'm here in Japan to tell people that there's life after whaling. If whaling stops in Japan, the whalers will find other work - just like we had to," he said.

Paddy started work in 1960 at the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company off Albany, Western Australia, and hunted sperm whales until the whaling station closed thirty years ago on November 21, 1978.

'I am asking for an end to whaling and that the Japanese government fund alternative ventures for the whalers, instead of spending and losing money to produce food that people don't even like any more. There's more money to be made from whale watching than killing whales. Also, speaking from experience as a whale gunner there's no humane way to kill a whale.'

After whaling stopped Paddy worked at the Albany Woollen Mills as a boiler attendant until he retired in 2002.

Paddy and Australia's last whalers resented activists protesting in Albany against whaling activities because they felt their livelihood was threatened.

'Back in the day there was a different attitude to whaling,' he said. 'There was an industry use for sperm whales for things like cosmetics, oil lamps and lubricants. I also had five young children to support. Gradually, after the whaling station closed and I got over the initial fear of how I was going to make a living, I reviewed my perspective on whaling from a more objective view. It dawned on me that it could no longer go on. We shouldn’t be whaling now.'

Two Greenpeace activists, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki ,are on bail and awaiting trial in Japan for their role in discovering that prime cuts of whale meat were being smuggled from the whaling ship Nisshin Maru to crew members for their personal gain, one box alone being valued at USD $3,000.

On December 10, 2008 , executive directors from seven Greenpeace national offices and Paddy Hart will deliver a request to Prime Minister Aso that Japan re-open the investigation into the whale meat scandal and of whaling itself.

Greenpeace says: 'We believe whaling should be on trial, not these two peaceful protesters, who were doing legitimate, investigative work to protect endangered and vulnerable species.'

Paddy Hart is a major character in The Last Whale, the recently released book by Chris Pash about the final days of whaling in Australia. P:addy was the master of the Cheynes II in 1977 when Save the Whale activisits took direct action against the whaling fleet. This was Greenpeace's first direct action campaign in Australia.

See the video
Read Paddy's Testimonial
The whaling station in Albany