南極海で調査捕鯨をしている日本鯨類研究所と共同船舶は8月23日、反捕鯨団体「シー・シェパード」と同団体の創始者のポール・ワトソン容疑者（国際手配）に対して、調査捕鯨船に対して繰り返していた妨害行為をやめるよう求めてアメリカ連邦地裁に提訴していた裁判で、和解に至ったと発表した。
2013年2月25日、日本の調査捕鯨船団の補給タンカー（奥）と衝突する反捕鯨団体シー・シェパードの抗議船（手前）
合意は、日本側が和解金を支払う代わりに、シーシェパードが永久に妨害行為を行わないという内容だ。これによって2011年に始まった両者間の訴訟は収束することになった。
時事ドットコムによると、シーシェパードは公海上で船を衝突させるなど危険な妨害行為を繰り返し、鯨類研と共同船舶は2011年12月、暴力的行為からの救済を求めて、連邦地裁に提訴していた。和解したのは8月初旬で、日本側は過去の法廷闘争でシーシェパード側から法廷侮辱罪の賠償金として支払われた約3億円の一部を、和解金に充てる。
今回の合意によって、シーシェパードとワトソン容疑者は、調査船への攻撃や安全を脅かす航行のほか、公海上で調査船の500ヤード（約460メートル）以内に接近することなどが永久に禁止されることになった。
■しかし、この和解には大きな欠点が…
■関連画像集「シーシェパードの妨害行為」
シーシェパードの妨害行為
ANTARCTICA/(01 of07)
Japanese research vessel Nisshin Maru fires water cannons at the Sea Shepherd Delta boat in Mackenzie Bay, Antarctica in this handout picture taken on February 19, 2013 by Sea Shepherd Australia. According to Sea Shepherd Conservation Group, anti-whaling activists tried to prevent the Japanese tanker Sun Laurel from refuelling the Japanese whaling fleet. Picture taken on February 19, 2013. REUTERS/Eliza Muirhead - Sea Shepherd Australia/Handout (ANTARCTICA - Tags: ANIMALS ENVIRONMENT MARITIME POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. NO SALES. NO ARCHIVES. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. NO COMMERCIAL USE (credit:Handout . / Reuters)
AUSTRALIA-WHALING/(02 of07)
Japanese research vessel Nisshin Maru (L) collides with the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker (R blue) in Mackenzie Bay, Antarctica in this handout picture taken on February 20, 2013. Anti-whaling activists called on Wednesday for Australia to send a naval vessel to the Southern Ocean after a confrontation in which they said the Japanese whaling ship collided with two of their protest vessels, damaging their flagship. Australia said it was confirming the report of the incident. Neither the Japanese government nor its whaling authority immediately responded to the Sea Shepherd\'s account of the clash. REUTERS/Tim Watters/Sea Shepherd Australia/Handout (ANTARCTICA - Tags: ANIMALS ENVIRONMENT MARITIME POLITICS CIVIL UNREST TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (credit:Handout . / Reuters)
ANTARCTICA/(03 of07)
A whale is loaded to the Japanese whaling vessel Nisshin Maru in Mackenzie Bay, Antarctica, in this picture provided by Sea Shepherd and taken February 15, 2013. Anti-whaling activists of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Group unsuccessfully tried to intervene in the transfer of the whale from a Japanese whaling vessel to another for more than nine hours, according to Sea Shepherd Conservation Group. Picture taken February 15. REUTERS/Glenn Lockitch/Sea Shepherd Australia/Handout (ANTARCTICA - Tags: ANIMALS ENVIRONMENT MARITIME POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (credit:Handout . / Reuters)
SEA-SHEPHERD/(04 of07)
Sea Shepherd vessel \"The Bob Barker\" is pictured in contact with the port side stern of Japanese whaling ship Yushin Maru in the Southern Ocean in this February 2, 2014 handout photo by the Institute of Cetacean Research. REUTERS/Institute of Cetacean Research/Handout via Reuters (ANTARCTICA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT CIVIL UNREST) \n\nATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (credit:Handout . / Reuters)
AUSTRALIA-WHALING/(05 of07)
The Sea Shepherd vessel, Bob Barker (front), comes to collision distance from Japanese tanker Sun Laurel in the Antarctica in this handout photo taken and released by the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) February 20, 2013. Anti-whaling activists called on Wednesday for Australia to send a naval vessel to the Southern Ocean after a confrontation in which they said a Japanese whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru, collided with two of their protest vessels, damaging their flagship. Australia said it was confirming the report of the incident. Neither the Japanese government nor its whaling authority immediately responded to the Sea Shepherd\'s account of the clash. Mandatory Credit REUTERS/The Institute of Cetacean Research/Handout (ANTARCTICA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) MANDATORY CREDIT. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (credit:Handout . / Reuters)
AUSTRALIA-WHALING/(06 of07)
The Sea Shepherd vessel, Bob Barker (L), comes to collision distance from Japanese fuel tanker Sun Laurel in the Antarctica in this handout photo taken and released by the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) February 20, 2013. Anti-whaling activists called on Wednesday for Australia to send a naval vessel to the Southern Ocean after a confrontation in which they said a Japanese whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru, collided with two of their protest vessels, damaging their flagship. Australia said it was confirming the report of the incident. Neither the Japanese government nor its whaling authority immediately responded to the Sea Shepherd\'s account of the clash. Mandatory Credit REUTERS/The Institute of Cetacean Research/Handout (ANTARCTICA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) MANDATORY CREDIT. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (credit:Handout . / Reuters)
AUSTRALIA-WHALING/(07 of07)
The Sea Shepherd vessel, Bob Barker (L), comes to collision distance from Japanese fuel tanker Sun Laurel in the Antarctica in this handout photo taken and released by the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) February 20, 2013. Anti-whaling activists called on Wednesday for Australia to send a naval vessel to the Southern Ocean after a confrontation in which they said a Japanese whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru, collided with two of their protest vessels, damaging their flagship. Australia said it was confirming the report of the incident. Neither the Japanese government nor its whaling authority immediately responded to the Sea Shepherd\'s account of the clash. Mandatory Credit REUTERS/The Institute of Cetacean Research/Handout (ANTARCTICA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) MANDATORY CREDIT. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (credit:Handout . / Reuters)
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