Jan. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Anti-whaling activists chasing Japan’s fleet across the Southern Ocean denied disrupting the search for a Japanese crew member missing in Antarctic waters.

“The allegation is not only untrue, it is impolite,” said Paul Watson, captain of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel that is shadowing the fleet. “We offered our assistance to help them find the body of the missing crew member.”

Hajime Shirasaki, 30, who worked in the engine room of the Kyoshin Maru No. 2 whale spotting ship, was reported missing early Jan. 5. Japanese authorities said in a statement today the Sea Shepherd campaigners latched onto a distress signal to find the fleet and had hampered search efforts.

Japan conducts an annual hunt using a loophole in a 1986 global whaling moratorium that allows “lethal research” on whales. Japan says the hunt, which may kill about 850 minke and 50 fin whales this season, is necessary to prove whale populations have recovered enough to justify a return to commercial whaling. Meat from whales killed on the expeditions is sold in Japan as “research byproduct.”

Sea Shepherd attempts to disrupt the expeditions and its skirmishes with the Japanese fleet have intensified.

Flash Grenades

Last year’s hunt was disrupted due to clashes with Sea Shepherd activists, including a standoff when environmentalists boarded one of the ships in the fleet. Japanese authorities regularly accuse the group of hurling bottles of acid at the ships. Sea Shepherd says the bottles contain rancid butter.

“There is a distinctly uncaring nature about Sea Shepherd people in that they are prepared to disrupt the search for a missing seaman for their own ends,” said Kazuo Yamamura, the president of Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha Ltd., which operates the ships used by Japan’s Institute of Cetacean Research.

The Sea Shepherd vessel approached the fleet with most of its lights turned off and “began to harass and disrupt navigation of the Japanese vessels,” according to the statement.

Watson said his vessel, the Steve Irwin, is returning to the Australian port of Hobart in order to refuel. He said he was unconcerned by reports that Japan plans to ask the Australian government to bar the ship from its ports. “We have not committed any crime, we haven’t hurt anyone,” Watson said by satellite phone from the vessel.

The government in Canberra, which opposes the annual hunt, said today it hadn’t received such a request from Japan.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ed Johnson in Sydney at ejohnson28@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: January 7, 2009 00:27 EST