Anti-whaling ship, The Steve Irwin - with Bermudian Laura Dakin on board - has successfully caught up with a Japanese factory ship after a 26-day pursuit in the Southern Ocean.“We finally have this serial killing death ship where we want them, and from here on in, we intend to ride their ass until the end of the whaling season,” said Captain Paul Watson from onboard the Steve Irwin. “This whaling fleet belongs to us now – lock, stock, and smoking harpoon gun.”The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ships the Steve Irwin, Bob Barker, and Gojira originally found the Japanese whaling fleet on December 31 last year before the whalers had an opportunity to kill any whales.According to the Society, two harpoon vessels blocked the approach to the Nisshin Maru and the factory ship was able to flee with the faster harpoon vessels tailing the two larger Sea Shepherd ships to relay Sea Shepherd movements to the fleeing Nisshin Maru. The Gojira was prevented from immediately pursuing the Nisshin Maru due to risky ice conditions.After a 26-day pursuit, the Nisshin Maru was caught by the Steve Irwin now on its tail.“There is no doubt that this season will be a financial disaster for the Japanese whaling fleet. We are well on our way to economically sinking this whaling fleet,” said Cpt Watson. “We will now chase them through the frozen gates of hell if need be, but we will stop their illegal whaling operations…I am confident of that!”