The New Zealand and Australian governments were joining forces to try to undermine Japan's whaling program in Antarctica.

For the first time, the governments will jointly fund a scientific voyage from Feb. 1 to conduct non-lethal research on whales.

The six weeks of research will study the impact of climate change on whales and confront Japan's claims that the mammals have to be killed to be studied.

Japan's whalers are in the Southern Ocean at present, where each year they kill up to 1,000 whales under a so-called scientific whaling program.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research's ship Tangaroa will carry 18 scientists from New Zealand and Australia to study humpback and minke whales.

It is the first time the New Zealand vessel has been used for whale research in international waters.

The crew will use DNA darts, satellite tags, acoustics and photographs of tail markings to study the whales, Radio New Zealand reported on Tuesday.

The scientists have several non-lethal tools to use to study the whales, including collecting skin samples and listening to the animals calls.