Speaking from the Southern Ocean yesterday, Sea Shepherd activist Paul Watson says this means they'll have to go one week out of their way to New Zealand before coming back to Australia, or be charged $200,000.
A Customs spokeswoman says leaving from Australia, sailing in the Southern Ocean and then returning to Australia, doesn't involve travel to a place outside Australia and is therefore not an international journey.
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Each year the Sea Shepherd Each travels to the Southern Ocean to confront Japanese whalers.

