The conservation group Sea Shephard says the Japanese whaling fleet heading for a new hunting season in Southern Ocean waters has extensive and beefed up security.
Crew on the Sea Shephard's ship that is tracking the main Japanese factory ship have been studying photographs taken from a drone aircraft which located the Japanese fleet.
It shows support vessels around the factory ship that are acting as security.
Anti-boarding nets and spikes can be seen on board the support vessels, and men in military style uniforms were seen crouching behind screens.
The Japanese fleet is about 900 nautical miles from the whale-hunting waters.
RadioLIVE