Australian anti-whaling activists say they're following a Japanese fleet of ships they say has killed four whales in the Southern Ocean. The activists say the whales were killed within a protected whale sanctuary. It's the first such incident this whaling season.

　　Report

A southern right whale swimming in the ocean

　　The anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd says its boats are following five Japanese ships. The group released video footage apparently showing three dead whales on board, as well as a heavily bloodieddeck where another whale appears to have been butchered.

　　Sea Shepherd says the whales were killed within the internationallydesignated Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. There is a worldwide ban on the commercial fishing of whales but the Japanese maintain their whaling is for scientific research, which falls outside the ban.

　　Last year Australia took Japan to the International Court of Justice in an attempt to force it to cease whaling. A decision on the case is expected later this year. But environmentalists here have criticised the Australian government for not doing enough to stop the Japanese.