Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd ships are shadowing the whaling fleet and say that while they are nearby, the Japanese ships are unable to hunt.

The first mate on the Sea Shepherd ship, Peter Brown, says a Japanese whaling ship is also following his boat to warn other whalers that protesters are nearby.

"When we actually get closer they run, they don't stick around," he said.

"The Japanese vessel... has been following us, they just obviously radio ahead so whenever we get close they just have to run, and if they're running they're not whaling."- Source: By Australian Broadcasting Corporation