Watson doesn't but the whalers' scientific-research excuse. "They've killed more whales in the last 20 years (since commercial whaling was banned) than they have killed in the last 50 years prior to that for that purpose. So it's illegal, and it is deemed so by international law."

"Whale Wars" does make the point that some legal experts disagree. But it's hard to argue that what the whalers are doing isn't cruel and unnecessary,

"There are other organizations that are doing litigation, legislation, lobbying, that sort of thing," Watson said. "But we are really an interventionist organization. That's what we do."

In the course of the filming, he was shot by someone on one of the Japanese vessels (although his bulletproof vest saved his life). And there's no one to prosecute his would-be killer.

"It's a free-for-all out there," he said. "We are going back there again, and the Japanese have promised to be even more aggressive with us."

Watson said his organization is making a difference because he's hitting the Japanese whalers where it hurts them the most.

"They only got half their quota this year, half their quota last year. I cost them $70 million," he said. "They're in debt in subsidies to the Japanese government to $50 million. If we keep this pressure up, they're going to be forced economically to shut down.

"They don't listen to the voices of reason. They don't listen to the scientists. They don't listen to the politicians, but they do listen to the bottom line."

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com