No plans to send patrol ship to monitor whalers: minister

The federal government says it has has no plans to send its Southern Ocean patrol vessel, Ocean Protector, to watch over this summer's Japanese whaling season.

With the whaling fleet likely to depart Japan next month, the red Customs and Border Protection ship is docked in Hobart today for what a Customs spokeswoman said was a minor repair.

The Coalition and Greens have in the past called for the secretive ship to be used to monitor the whalers, who this year are likely to be operating inside Australia's Antarctic whale sanctuary.   More Read