From what I heard at the time, the coast guard guys in Neah Bay were waiting with itchy trigger fingers. They had told some tribal members that if any hostile action was taken at them by the shepard they would take it out. I watched part of one episode and way truely impressed by their incompetence. Using they tatics they were I wouldn't be surpised to see them sunk in a defensive action. They have absolutely no legal authority and are pushing the patience of their targets.
I remember a story awhile back about how some of the protesters got lost in the fog and were in danger. The whalers stopped their activity to help look. After the crew was found they regrouped and then came back and tossed acid onto the ship slightly injuring two crew members. ( http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Whaling...0524300133.html)
These guys are such idiots, that as a protest they blocked the road to Neah Bay on Makah days. But, being the idiots they were, they went a couple hundred feet onto the reservation rather than sit outside the jurisdiction of the tribe/ They also did it on sunday evening, keeping everyone from leaving rather than entering. They were real lucky in my opinion as they used a $100K Motor home and rather than seize it the tribal cops just towed it into Sekiu and dumped it.
Regardless about how you feel about whaling, the Japenese are acting legally. The episode I watched the shepard was trying to find out if the whaling boat had military personel on board to protect them, as this would be illegal. They were all about legality of the whalers and would do anything illegal to prove it.