Maltese tuna company impounds Sea Shepherd's campaign ship in Shetland

A Maltese company has filed a lawsuit against Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to seek legal redress in the British courts, impounding the ‘Steve Irwin’ which was scheduled to launch a new operation off the Faroe Islands.

19 July 2011, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

1 min read

Just as they were about to depart Lerwick in the Shetland Islands to launch the Operation Ferocious Isles campaign against the illegal slaughter of pilot whales, two court officials from Aberdeen arrived at the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin.

The officials served Sea Shepherd with a detainment notice because Fish & Fish, a Maltese fishing company, filed a civil suit in the British Court alleging that Sea Shepherd damaged property they claim to own.

Fish & Fish are specifically referring to an estimated €1 million in damages they allege was done to bluefin tuna fishing gear by Sea Shepherd in the Mediterranean last year when the 'Steve Irwin' rammed their tuna pen on the high seas.

Sea Shepherd said that they are not particularly worried about the suit because their actions against illegal fishing operations are taken only after obtaining sufficient evidence to prove that the target is operating illegally, and they believe they have such evidence against Fish & Fish and will be defending the suit on that basis.

Sea Shepherd is confident that their defense against this suit is strong.

In the meantime, a warrant to detain the ship was served yesterday afternoon on the eve of their departure to the Faeroe Islands to protect pilot whales from slaughter.

Sea Shepherd is able to send the Brigitte Bardot vessel as planned, but the Steve Irwin will be delayed until they can post a bond, which their legal department is currently working towards.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

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I don't believe that Fish and Fish is being entirely truthful in this matter, and I believe the video evidence that SS has from its many cameras on board and in the air will prove Fish and Fish is to blame for the actions. I don't know if they ship any of their tuna product to the States, but if they do I would be on board for a world-wide boycott of their product. I also don't think that the ship needed to be impounded or held, it is a vessel, simple paperwork from the court could secure it any time in the future as collateral. I hope that SS counter sues Fish and Fish for this travesty of justice and that Fish and Fish is exposed for its lies and is SHUT DOWN. SS should counter sue for the 1.4 million against Fish and Fish for filing such a frivilous action with the courts.

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It's not an injunction on the ship. SS has a habit of not appearing for trial or paying their fines. They are presently required to post a bond that will be forfeit if they fail to appear at a later date. The ship is held as collateral until the bond is posted. SS will have their day in court if they choose to attend; so far, they are not guilty of anything. Though not exactly the same, you could liken their situation as being out on bail until the trial (assuming they post the bond and don't walk from the SI).

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Why did the ship did not leave the port in any event? If it is a civil lawsuit then so what…wait till the day in court arrives…what will happen, the Royal Navy peruse and impound your ship…that will make even bigger news splash/flash and be to your advantage! How is an injunction on the ship valid if the defendants have not had opportunity to represent themselves in court with a counter claim thus challenging the Maltese and the decisions of the court from their current action…where is the justice? As to the slaughter of the whales by those islanders, regardless of their customs grounded by repetitious activities of the past, and not linked to animal husbandry found on shore, these activities are not be acceptable in an educated world of today or the fragile world of tomorrow…those island cultures need to modify their activities to acceptable international levels which respect the seas and addresses the serious concerns of the international community and its laws…just as much as those Maltese fishing companies should! If the islanders were starving and had no other means of sustenance then it might be acceptable for this mindless slaughter to happen, although I would have thought that the WFP might have stepped in before then. And just a thought…who owns that shore line where these butchering ‘trespassers’ congregate, surly the land owner has responsibilities…and if they d not what dose their government do to stop this from happening?

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So, Sea Shepherd is confident that they have a strong defense against this suit? Won't they have to prove that they had some type of enforcement authority in the first place? They have none. All indications are that this catch was legal and that Watson was in need of something to show for his efforts in a largely uneventful campaign. Can't be upstaged by Greenpeace, after all!

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In the article there is a mention of illegal slaughter of pilot whales. That´s not true. The Faroese people do not hunt og fish pilot whales. A couple of times a year the pilot whales are found in Faroese water and if spotted they are driven to shore, killed and distributed to the people. The whale is usually killed in a blink of an eye, but sometimes it can take up to 3 or 5 seconds. You can compare that to other animals that are brought to slaughter, pigs, cows and chickens for instance. The whaling of pilot whales is not an industry or a commercial business and they are braking no laws. But people like Paul Watson who has been fined thousands of pounds and has been expelled from the Faroe Islands for braking international and domestic laws still try to justify their acts. And people who believe them clearly do not know what they are talking about. Even some of Paul Watsons old crew has come forth and testified to his disregard to the law and his loose way with truth.

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@ Fellus ta Gahan Agreed. Companies like these should burn in hell for their greed. What then when they have all the money in the world, I ask.

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What will Fish & Fish do when there ARE no more fish in the sea due to their greed and the greed of companies like them? I will be sending a token donation to Sea Shepherd to show my support and to show that not all the Maltese are the same.

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They rammed a cage and sent two men to the hospital via medevac flight, they could have killed these men, they deserve to be prosecuted. The only people acting illegally were the sscs with paul watson in charge. The fish were caught legally and that was varified by ICCAT at the time. Paul Watson LIES but only a fool would believe him. The Faroes are breaking no laws either, if he lies about anything, he'll lie about everything.