Anti-whaling activists joined by Daryl Hannah

By Rob Taylor

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Hardline anti-whaling activists prepared on Tuesday to pursue Japan's Antarctic whaling fleet with support from Daryl Hannah, who criticized Greenpeace for opting out of the annual chase.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which clashed last year with the eight-ship fleet, bombarding it with stink bombs and briefly boarding a harpoon vessel, departs Australia on Wednesday for the Southern Ocean.

Hannah, who starred in the 1980s films Blade Runner and Splash, will travel part-way on Sea Shepherd flagship Steve Irwin.

Sea Shepherd will be alone during this year's five-month hunt, in which the Japanese aim to cull close to 1,000 endangered fin and minke whales under an international loophole allowing scientific whaling for research.

Environmental watchdog Greenpeace has previously sent a ship in pursuit of the fleet, but has been a vocal critic of the tactics favored by Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson.

In past years Watson's ship has collided with the whalers in self-styled "pirate" protest actions.

"If Greenpeace would join forces with Sea Shepherd they would shutdown the whaling industry right away. If they were really serious and held their convictions they could accomplish this," Hannah told Australian Associated Press.

Greenpeace said it welcomed Hannah's support for an end to whaling, but would concentrate efforts on swaying public opinion in Japan, where whaling is regarded as a cherished tradition.