"It is truly regrettable that we could not carry out the project as planned," said Agriculture Deputy Minister Toshiro Shirasu. "Sabotage by activists is a major factor behind our failure to achieve our target," a fisheries agency official said.

“The number of whales taken was low of course because of the sabotage," said Shigeki Takaya, a Fisheries Agency spokesman for whaling. "We're angry that they can carry out such dangerous activities, and it doesn't bother them."

Peter Hammarstedt, the second officer on the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin was amused at that comment.
“Of course it did not bother us that the number of whales killed was low and we are proud that we stopped them from slaughtering the rest, and we intend to return again next season to save more whales. Our crew did a wonderful job this year and we are pleased that we have cost the Japanese whalers so much money and trouble. We hope to hurt them even harder next year,” he said.