As Libyan war rages, Sea Shepherd prepares to bring its war on tuna poachers

After its “successful victory” in the southern ocean whale sanctuary against illegal whalers in February, the Sea Shepherd fleet is undergoing some repairs in preparation for their upcoming summer campaigns in the Mediterranean Sea, and also the Faeroe Islands, and the Republic of Palau’s waters.

The Gojira stopped off in Tahiti and more recently, the Galapagos Islands, for several repairs. Arriving from French Polynesia, the Gojira is now en route to Panama and subsequently to the Mediterranean Sea for the second year of Operation Blue Rage, to protect the highly threatened blue fin tuna.

Last summer, the flagship Steve Irwin was involved in skirmishes with Maltese tuna farmers and had to be warded off by the Armed Forces of Malta. But Sea Shepherd’s divers managed to free over 200 tuna from a pen owned by Fish and Fish.

The Steve Irwin will join the Gojira for the Mediterranean campaign. “We need to bring to the attention of the international public that one of the most unique fish species in the world, the Bluefin tuna, is on the brink of extinction due to the illegal fisheries driven by Japan’s insatiable demand for this expensive fish,” said Sea Shepherd founder and president Captain Paul Watson.

The Mediterranean tuna industry is supported by tens of millions of Euros in subsidies from the European Commission, but scientists and conservationists say the industry has driven the Bluefin tuna to the brink of extinction.

Sea Shepherd claims populations are within three years of total collapse but the rising market value of the fish is preventing any real conservation efforts.

Sea Shepherd said it intends to confront ‘tuna poachers’ and will not back down to “threats and violence” from the fishermen.

“Our campaigns in the Southern Ocean against Japanese whalers for the last six years has given us the experience and the resolve to tackle the violence of poachers anywhere in the world.

“We may lose a ship, but the loss of a ship is preferable to the loss of the Bluefin as a species,” said Captain Paul Watson. “Ships are expendable, species are not.”

The vessel Gojira paid a quick visit to the island of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos earlier this week. On the evening of Sunday, 10 April, the Gojira set sail for Panama. It will then proceed to the Mediterranean Sea.