Posted on 07/21/2011 5:12:08 PM PDT by Pan_Yan
After last year's successful actions against illegal bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean, Sea Shepherd is facing a legal setback. The activist organization, subject on Animal Planet's Whale Wars series, has been hit by a lawsuit brought by Maltese fishermen who claim Sea Shepherd caused them commercial damage. As a result the Shepherd's ship the Steve Irwin is being detained in the Shetland Islands by a British court.
Should the bond of over $1.4 million not be posted the ship will be held until the trial and possibly sold. Sea Shepherd is soliciting donations to help raise the money to get their ship back.
At the heart of the issue is whether or not the bluefin caught by Fish and Fish Limited were legally caught. The fishermen of course insist they were followign the law. Sea Shepherd maintains that the fish "were illegally caught after the season [had] closed, without an inspector onboard, or any paperwork documenting the legality of their catch."
Though there are quotas for Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna, many marine scientists believe these are set too high to allow the iconic fish to not be fished into extinction in the coming years. Furthermore, widespread and blatant illegal fishing for the hyper-profitable fish means that the actual numbers of bluefin caught are far in excess of the official quota levels.
Collect call to Bob Barker....
Sink these terrorists!
Kill the whales. Save the Plankton!
LOL!!! OMG I'm calling my dad to tell him that one.
I told my friend about the ship being seized and he asked, "How come they didn't tie cement to their shoes and throw them overboard?"
But expecting to get trashed tomorrow during the Whale Wars Drinking Game. I'll look at past threads and try and come up with some more (DETAILED) rules so that I'm not obliterated by the first commercial.
Dear [Stinking FReeper Troll],
I need your help to free the Steve! You may have heard about the dire situation with our flagship vessel, the Steve Irwin. This issue is so urgent that I have recorded a special call to action to share with you. Watch the video!
Never has the need for your help and support been greater! Our ocean-defending vessel the Steve Irwin has been detained by the UK courts because of a civil lawsuit brought against Sea Shepherd by a Maltese company Fish and Fish Limited. This is due to our actions that saved 800+ illegally caught bluefin tuna during Operation Blue Rage 2010.
Now, unless we post a bond for USD$1,411,692.87, the Steve Irwin will be held indefinitely and possibly sold. This detainment is delaying our ship and crew from being able to get to the Faeroe Islands to protect endangered pilot whales who are mercilessly being slaughtered as I write to you. Further, this will inhibit our effectiveness to defend whales from the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary this December. Sentient lives are at stake!
We have received quite a few donations in support of this effort, and while we are extremely grateful, the reality is that we barely have attained 10% of our goal. By next week, unless we post a bond for USD$1,411,692.87, the Steve Irwin will be held or possibly sold. I urge you to watch the video and please give the largest gift you can today. Your donation is incredibly important and will make a difference.
Thank-you!
For Our Oceans and for the Steve Irwin,
Captain Paul Watson
Founder and President
WOW I didn't even think of that! I know there are some whack job leftists on the "chair" committee including Martin Sheen. The only celebrity supporter I have any respect for is Richard Dean Anderson because I am a Stargate SG-1 fan, that's pretty much it.
This whole thing is getting ridiculous now. I bet you that fat slob has millions of his own money. Whale Wars obviously makes money otherwise it wouldn't be on the air.
It was hilarious watching that piece of crap fiberglass boat get creamed by the whaler. Priceless. Do it again.
These greenies want everyone to be forced into their “sustainable” and “smart” marxist utopia.
And we ALL need to thank Pan_Yan for these threads and his amazing HTML skills. I am going to go the the Admin_Moderator thread to make an HTML post for the Whale Wars drinking game.
I will try and get a different image off google than what Pan uses.
Pre-Game Tailgate starts at 7PM CST tomorrow (or as soon as Pan posts his thread :)
hmm instead of donating to Captain Coco Puffs I think I’ll contribute to the FReeper in honor of Captain Coco Puffs and his band of marauding hippies!!!
Not enough apparently to get Animal Planet to cough it up :)
If the Brits can’t find a buyer, maybe they can sink her to make an artificial reef. That’d help the fishies!
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