The Sea Shepherd Sopciety & it's leadership should never be allowed within 70 nautical miles of any fishing or sealing enterprize. Paul Watson should be incarcerated for the rest of his life.


Times of Malta
Clash over tuna catches
Two Maltese divers airlifted to hospital
Conflicting versions of events at sea
Kurt Sansone
18th June 2010
http://www.timesofmalta.com.mt/articles/view/20100618/local/two-maltese-divers-airlifted-to-hospital

A Maltese diver had his arm ripped by a fishing hook during a clash
with conservationists who were trying to free caged tuna being towed
by two fishing vessels.

The clash happened yesterday afternoon 35 nautical miles north of
Tripoli when members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society accosted
the two vessels - a tug boat and a supply vessel - towing the cage
with hundreds of tuna belonging to Maltese company Fish and Fish.

The injured diver, Reuben Silvio, who was on board the
Maltese-registered tug Rosaria Tuna, was airlifted to Malta late last
night. A second diver who suffered bruising during the attack was also
airlifted.

Both divers, one of whom had a bandaged hand, walked off the helipad
at Mater Dei to a waiting ambulance at around midnight where members
of their family, company officials and Fisheries Minister George
Pullicino were waiting.

They were airlifted from the Italian-registered supply vessel Cesare
Rustico at around 10.30 p.m. some 90 nautical miles away from Malta.

Sources said the Libyan coastguard, which was supposed to have
attended to the emergency call, never turned up and this forced the
vessel to leave the tuna pen and head towards Malta.

The fishing company and conservationists gave contrasting versions of
what happened during the incident on the high seas.

Fish and Fish director Joe Caruana said the crew were shocked by the
attack on their boats. He insisted the tuna was caught legally and Sea
Shepherd had no right to inspect their vessels.

"They first used dinghies to attack our boats with ammonia and rubber
bullets and then their ship rammed into the cage. They threw hooks
into the sea in an attempt to rip the nets and it was at this point
that Mr Silvio was injured when he tried to remove one of the hooks,"
a visibly shaken Mr Caruana said.

A couple of weeks ago, he added, company officials had a meeting with
the Police Commissioner and warned that things might come to a head
given that Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd had announced beforehand what
their intentions were.

Mr Caruana confirmed that some of the tuna escaped after the cage was damaged.
Company lawyer John Refalo said the crew defended their property.

"What the Sea Shepherds did was disgusting. It is terrorism at sea, an
act of piracy," Dr Refalo said, insisting the fish was caught legally
according to the allocated quota.
He also accused the conservationists of using tear gas and rubber
bullets on the unarmed fishermen.

"They had no right to inspect the cage and it is ridiculous for them
to claim self defence because they were the ones to invade private
property," Dr Refalo said, insisting the company would be taking legal
action against the conservation organisation.

The captain of the conservation group's flagship Steve Irwin, which
was involved in the incident, denied the accusations, insisting it was
the ship's crew that repelled a "violent assault" by fishermen.

Speaking to The Times from on board the Steve Irwin, Captain Paul
Watson said they had no evidence of anybody being injured.

"We had a helicopter in the air, we had inflatable dinghies in the
water and we were filming the whole operation. From media reports we
understood (the diver) was injured by a grapnel but we do not have
evidence of that at all," he said.

He also denied using rubber bullets or tear gas, insisting that the
ship's crew threw rotten butter on the deck of a fishing boat that
tried to ram them. "We have it on video that the fishermen were
attacking us with hooks after ramming us. We threw bottles of rotten
butter on their deck and that sent them away," Capt. Watson said.

He said the conservation group was not a protest organisation like
Greenpeace but one that took direct action to stop illegal activities.

"We had every reason to suspect that the tuna was caught illegally in
the last couple of days when the fishing season is closed. We asked to
inspect the cage but the fishermen were defensive and did not
cooperate when we asked for information," he said, insisting the two
fishing boats were purseiners - a claim flatly denied by Mr Caruana
last night.

Capt. Watson claimed the organisation had investigated dozens of cages
in the Mediterranean without incident and had also cooperated with the
"Maltese coastguard" on a number of occasions.

"We did not bother legal operations but this was the first one we came
across, which we felt quite confident had caught the fish in the
closed season," he said.

"I sailed the Steve Irwin next to the cage to take a closer look and
that is when the Rosaria Tuna rammed us in the stern and fishermen
were attacking our members with fish hooks."

Capt. Watson said divers from the Steve Irwin managed to rip up the
net and release several hundred tuna, which were also caught on film.

Sea Shepherd is an international non-profit, marine wildlife
conservation organisation and is conducting a campaign against tuna
fishing in the Mediterranean.

Minister Pullicino condemned the attack describing it as "unacceptable
aggression". He said the Maltese tuna operation was legal and within
EU parameters, adding that people had every right to express their
views and make their point but within a legal framework.

It is unfortunate, he said, that this incident led to the injury of
two Maltese workers.

The government also expressed solidarity with the injured fisherman
and condemned the Sea Shepherds' attack.

Meanwhile, in a strongly-worded statement, the Nationalist Party
condemned the "violent aggression being waged against Maltese
fishermen" and expressed its deep concern at the harmful consequences
to fishermen, the economy and the rule of law.

i think a group such as ourselves should make known what these people are doing by going to their T.V. channel "Animal Planet" and our cable companies. i have wrote both and told them how stupid they are making americans look,and they are just promoting terrorism. Mira it sounds like this makes you as mad as me and believe me it really makes me mad..

One day they are going to mess with the wrong boat and they are going to end up on the bottom of the ocean where they belong!

I have to agree. Some day he my run across the wrong group of fishermen. Why dont he try that #$%# off of Somalia?

Dont anyone fish with dynamite anymore?

no just use the m-80's to get the chubs out of the deep holes on the small creeks.

Isn't it great to be lumped in with these idiots!?!? If these guys are "conservationists" what does that make those of us who try to preserve and enjoy the outdoors without attacking people who are making an honest living?

They've got video of that terrorist butt wipe Watson at the wheel deliberately ramming the Japanese whaler. They showed it on Animal Planet. He's cranking that wheel to starboard just as hard as he can to ram the Japanese ship. He lied his sashaying butt off in that case, too. It is absolute insanity that he is not in a prison. Hopefully one of those tuna fishermen will just shoot him.

These people are nothing but terroist and should be treated as such. They need to be imprisoned. I don't understand how they keep getting away with their poor acts of sea pirates..

I heard that japan has a warrent for him, i hope they catch him and throw him overboard to be with the whales forever

They are not Conservationists. They are PRESERVATIONISTS who would not be protesting seal hunts , Whale Hunts & Tuna capture if men were not getting economic value for their catch. They despise men who are making a living harvesting animals. Meanwhile they beg millions from people by building up a story of outright lies & half-truths. Those propaganda coups then milk money from folks stupid enough to think that because they saw it on TV/shows such as animal planet,whatever lie Watson and the Sea Shepherd Society created, must be true. The main problem lies with policing policy of the people who are supposed to be making sure only legal activities are taking place. Seems the seal,whale & Tuna hunters are doing their hunting legally & the Sea Shepherd Society is being filmed performing illegal acts by their own crews and still nothing is being done by Fisheries officers or the courts. These PRESERVATIONISTS should be arrested , tried , made to pay restitution and then put in jail for TERRORIST activities which carry 25 to 30 year jail sentences.

I wish I had the money to get me a big enough ship to go do to them what they do to folks trying to make an honest living. I don't know why the Japanese navy or someone hasn't sunk or machine gunned every boat these goofballs are on.

X2....how ARE they getting away with it is my question?

The acts are carried out on the high seas which are out of the juristiction of indivdual countries so they would have to be prosicuted in world court. Because some countries allow whaling and some countries condem whaling it would make very difficult to get a conviction. Notice the names of the vessels listed on the frount of the "Steave Erwin" those are vessels that these people admittingly sank. Why have they not been held responsible for that?

Obviously the "journalist" who wrote this is a liberal puke sympothiser...how can a credible person call terrorists "conservationists"

I have watched this a few times, i agree the fellow is nuts but the world is full of nuts that are famous lol. It looks to me like an average everyday reality show badly filmed and acted more than anything.

Captain Cooter1, I would like to volunteer to join your crew when you get this ready to roll.

Gun Nut

These people are terrorists,plain and simple.They have no right to inspect anything.Every single one should be thrown in prison and left to rot.I do not understand why the countries that get threatened prior to seasons opening do not put a few military personal on these boats to protect their citizens.They have multiple incidents every year,so there is a pattern to this terrorism.The US needs to lump them in with other terrorist organizations and make it illegal to give money to them just like it is illegal to send money to any other known terrorist group.I refuse to watch Animal Planet,until they get a few good hunting shows it will stay that way...

The problem lies with the courts & the courage of world leaders to put these loons & terrorists behind bars. They are so afraid of political fallout and their political careers . The courts & the law makers are afraid of animal planet type supporters getting angry and will not enforce the laws against Sea Shepherd & Green Peace loons & Terrorists. Please note that a lot of these actions are not in international waters but within the juristiction of such countries as Coastal countries like Canada. Those nations much gain the political & legal will to put the loons behind bars and it is up[ to harvestors & Consummers of meat & fish to start pressing home that point.

Amen clear lake; i call my cable company every monday and ask them to remove Animal Planet,the one lady knows me by name now.

Mira,agree 100% with you statement.

LOL

I have worked with commercial fisherman and they "ram" each other all the time out of anger fighting over the fish!

The problem with the ocean is there is NO real law or conservation taking place!Its a free for all!So i could realy care less whos getting rammed for what reason thats life at see in the lawlessness that it is!

Just because someone is at Sea doesn't mean that charges can not be brought against someone who rammed a boat intentionally or released another person's catch. Here in Canada people caught doing such things are subject to serious finds and jail time if convicted as charged. In fact Sea Shepherd Society already proved my point for me as they no longer have a ship called the Farley Mowat as it was confiscated by Canadian Law and her officers were fined for actions in Canadian waters. The ship has since been sold and Sea Shepherd never showed up for seal hunt this year. Top claim no conservation is taking place at sea is false as quota's are established to prevent over fishing. If anything some species such as seals are gone beyond conservation and have entered into the realm of PRESERVATIONISM. .

So in International waters some foreign country starts fishing for a species that has limits put on it buy the Canadian Goverment,whats Canada going to do?Prosecute so named country?I hardly doudt it!

If you dont think the Bluefin tuna and other fish species in the ocaen arnt in serious trouble you have no idea of whats going on.

NO LINKS TO ANTI SITES

Captain Cooter1, now there is a name to strike fear in their hearts! We may have to keep that one to ourselves!

Muddy



They have arrested folks over fishing or interfering with Canadian fishers and sealers in the past. It is their LEGAL right to do so and it is why the Farley Mowatt does not belong to Sea Shepherd Society any more. One thing for sure!!!!!! Canada has more legal right to check Tuna cages on our Coast then the Sea Shepherd Society. Ditto any country in the world but Paul Watson has no such right despite his megalomania which has sold so many lies to such a wide variety gullible people.

Give me a fast boat and two dozen RPG 9s

I think the Navy Seals have a great pirate prevention program. I think they're called snipers!

I hate to say this (because the French for the most part are idiots} but back in the 80's I think the French wanted to do some nuke testing in the southern pacific... Green Peace bozo's brought in the ship, Rainbow Warrior. The French sent in 4 combat divers to scuttle her... It worked... Might be a good idea...

Or they can do what Canada did. Confiscate the boat for illegal activity and sell it off to with the stipulation that the vessel not be used by Paul Watson types anymore or it will be destroyed on next capture for illegal activity. Use the same laws as are used against deer poachers. They confiscate every item involved in killing of a jacked deer including gun, ammunition,hunting knife, your LEGAL hunting privileges, your car,ATV or truck if involved in transporting carcass, & even the freezer. When the DNR comes a knocking you better hope you aren't frying your venison or you will be frying eggs on a cookie sheet the next day. Political will & Court dockets must start worrying more about these loony terrorists and do the right thing in support of the Quota systems they instituted.

The Navy should use the trained dolphins and sea lions they have to plant the C4 and detonators on the hull of the boat!

I see a ship full of crab bait.Send the shepard and the bob barker to davy Jones locker,Oh and the gay looking bat boat

There are those individuals that conduct themselves in a manner that would invoke more relief than tears from even their mother at their passing.

I dont see com fishing as being lawless at all...Do was relize the fines that are aposed on fishermen for having as little as one short fish? No matter if you are one mile offshore of 199.9 miles offshore.I know guys that have had trips of scallops(25,000lbs and more) for exceding their catch by 115 lbs. Far from lawless

Thats all very true. With the seals ,here we have the "Marine Mammal Protection Act" that protects all seals and whales. The seals are one of the biggest predtors of the Atlantic salmon and the US has spent millions to rebuild that stock. I am not saying we need to kill all seals but all preditor/pray need to be ballenced out. In Maine we now have more seals then ever before in history.

I belive the Canadian Gov seized a spanish trawler for fishing on the Grandbank and that was in internainal waters.

We have had mistakes in our fishery here in the past with over fishing but the times have greatly changed because even the greediest fishermen know that tomorrows catch depends on not over fishing today. Some share holders in the urban centers of North America who invest in the larger commercial vessels & fisheries have registered complaints but the fishery Quota's over-rule those complaints. To insinuate that the Atlantic fishery is without laws & quota systems meant to CONSERVE the fishery is wrong. We have the same type of quota & conservation targets here in Nova Scotia ,Scalloper.

That will never happen... The Sea Shepard is more likley to get Obama to have the Navy Seals protect the Sea Shepard agenst unruly fishermen

I agree what we have is far from perfect I was just stating how stiff the fines are. I have been on a few advisory councils and I am still on two. Managing any fishery is a undaunting task with no clear answers most times. And then throw in politics and the fact that some will kill the last fish in the ocean and you have a undaunting task at hand.

Keep counseling on such boards, scalloper. You have the right goals in mind and that is what means the most if you can get others to realize the same goals.


You might want to edit the UN off your daunting tasks scalloper as the UN has been known to screw up everything. Wink

Wow you thought I was serious?