Sea Shepherd Ships to Patrol Libyan War Zone for Poachers - Polidicks

[release]Effective next month, two Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ships will enter the waters off the coast of Libya, an area declared to be in a state of war as NATO-backed rebel forces struggle to topple the despotic dictator Muammar Gaddafi, with the goal of intercepting bluefin tuna poachers and freeing any illegally caught fish in attempt to save the species from nearing extinction. The territorial waters off Libya are a declared a no-fly zone by NATO, which means there will be a distinct absence of poaching surveillance in the region. NATO is not interested in illegal fishing operations, and no European Union or International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) inspectors will be allowed into the Libyan zone. The Greenpeace Foundation is not conducting a bluefin tuna campaign, meaning that the only protection for the highly endangered bluefin tuna will be at the presence of two Sea Shepherd’s vessels: the flagship Steve Irwin and the soon to be renamed fast interceptor vessel. [b]The only non-military aircraft in this zone will be Sea Shepherd’s helicopter the Nancy Burnet onboard the Steve Irwin.[/b] This will be a dangerous campaign but the bluefin tuna are facing extinction within a few years unless they are effectively protected, and Sea Shepherd will not fail them. Last year, during the first Operation Blue Rage Campaign in 2010, Sea Shepherd crewmembers located and intervened against an illegal poaching operation freeing approximately 800 bluefins. President of Sea Shepherd France, Lamya Essemlali, attended a meeting with the European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on May 6, 2011. As a result, the commission will follow Sea Shepherd’s campaign activities in June; Sea Shepherd will also prepare a complete progress report for the commission at the end of their campaign. [b]Prior to taking action to release any unlawful catches, Sea Shepherd will confer with the commission regarding the potential illegality of the intercepted vessels.[/b] This year, the bluefin will have some respite because nearly half of the French bluefin tuna fleet will remain in port due to the cancellation of all fishing permits in Libyan waters for all Libyan-owned, French-registered boats. Ten of the tuna ships operating in the Mediterranean port of Sete, some 185 km (115 miles) from the city of Toulouse, will be confined to port because they are owned by Libyan companies with links to Gaddafi. The conflict led to a delay in Libya submitting its 2011 Atlantic bluefin tuna fishing quota to the Madrid-based ICCAT, which determined quotas late last year and awarded permits in mid April; Libya's quota was canceled. "Because of the war in Libya, around a hundred fishermen from Sete will not go out to sea this year," said Raphael Scannapieco, owner of five tuna ships, three of which are registered in Libya. The Libyan quota was to be set at 902 tons out of a total of 12,900 tons for all nations for the 2011 season starting on May 15. However, no fishing will be allowed at all in Libyan waters this year, making Sea Shepherd’s job of identifying and interfering with poachers much easier this year than last. “The profits from the poaching of bluefin are enormous,” said Essemlali, President of Sea Shepherd France. “This kind of quick-profit enterprise does attract a criminal element and we must take every precaution to defend ourselves from the potential of violent attacks.” The Sea Shepherd [b]deck crew and bridge officers have been outfitted with bulletproof vests for this campaign in the event that the poachers are armed and potentially violent.[/b] [b]Sea Shepherd will not be intervening against legal tuna fishing operations[/b], although we consider any so-called legal quotas to be grossly irresponsible, considering the recent diminishment of bluefin tuna due to excessive overfishing and mortality caused by the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill where the Atlantic bluefin spawn. France, Italy, and Spain catch most of the Atlantic bluefin consumed in the world, and 80 percent of the haul is sold to Japan. Bluefin tuna can weigh up to 650 kg (1,433 lbs) and are found in the North Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mediterranean Sea, where big commercial fisheries often fatten captured fish in floating enclosures. Port captain Philippe Friboullet in Sete, France said the authorities would be informed if any of the Libyan-owned boats left port without the required fishing permits. Poachers can be expected from Libya, Malta, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey. “We will be armed with the regulations and in touch with NATO and the European Union Commission if we encounter any suspicious activity,” said Sea Shepherd Founder and President, Captain Paul Watson. [b]“Any bluefin tuna seiner or holding cage found in Libyan waters will be intercepted, the nets will be cut open, and the fish will be released. This year it is zero tolerance towards these illegal poaching operations and any fish in any net we encounter in Libyan waters will be freed and released.”[/b][/release] [url]http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-110512-2.html[/url] Oh this will be good, considering Sea Shepherd just repainted all their ships with the classic Razzle Dazzle paint scheme of WWI. The same paint scheme of -you guessed it- the Libyan navy! [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo_xtnlr5G4&feature=channel_video_title[/media] France is gonna "accidentally" put an Exocet in their side. I wonder what kind of clearance they have for that helicopter, or if that's going to get shot up too. Oh well, they're only there to stop poachers. They're going to leave legal fishing alone. If they want to put themselves in harms way let them.

they're going to release 2 fishnets, then they start getting rocks and books and stuff thrown at them, then maybe another two releases, then they start getting shot at because people are getting pissed off.

So Sea Shepherd is installing a no fish zone in Libya?

[QUOTE=jaredop;29807913]So Sea Shepherd is installing a no fish zone in Libya?[/QUOTE] Only against poachers under watch and in accordance to the European Commission.

[img]http://webzoom.freewebs.com/spikkel/uboat.gif[/img]

[QUOTE=Testabar;29808084][img_thumb]http://webzoom.freewebs.com/spikkel/uboat.gif[/img_thumb][/QUOTE] Nevermind, found it, it's from Silent Service 2.

[QUOTE=Testabar;29808084][img_thumb]http://webzoom.freewebs.com/spikkel/uboat.gif[/img_thumb][/QUOTE] *bzt* This is Shepherd, deploying the Staff. *bzzt*

Why can't they use the ships to help deliver humanitarian aid instead of protecting fucking fish?

[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;29808355]Why can't they use the ships to help deliver humanitarian aid instead of protecting fucking fish?[/QUOTE] They're a nonprofit organization, and all the money they have was donated to them for explicit use in conservation. To legally undergo in aid they would have to start a whole separate fund for it. This is also why they could not help Japan or Chile. [editline]13th May 2011[/editline] At least that's how I understand it...

i hope they get sunk

[QUOTE=OvB;29808512]They're a nonprofit organization, and all the money they have was donated to them for explicit use in conservation. To legally undergo in aid they would have to start a whole separate fund for it. This is also why they could not help Japan or Chile. [editline]13th May 2011[/editline] At least that's how I understand it...[/QUOTE] Deliver.

[QUOTE=Lord of Ears;29809185]i hope they get sunk[/QUOTE] Name a reason this is bad?

[QUOTE=FunnyBunny;29809399]Name a reason this is bad?[/QUOTE] because in japan sea shepherd pretty much had no idea what they were doing, and were essentially doing nothing but raising shit pretty much they could be safely described as eco-terrorists

They are going to die.

[QUOTE=Jimpy;29809846]They are going to die.[/QUOTE] nu uh they're pirates see [img]http://cdn.wg.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/whale-wars-cast.jpg[/img] Yeeeeeeeeeeah so bad ass

[QUOTE=Lord of Ears;29809791]because in japan sea shepherd pretty much had no idea what they were doing, and were essentially doing nothing but raising shit pretty much they could be safely described as eco-terrorists[/QUOTE] You don't become the most successful nonprofit ocean conservation organization, with a fleet of ships, offices world wide, missions going on year round, including monitoring and protecting the Galapagos islands, and shutting down the Japanese Antarctic whaling fleet without knowing what you are doing. Their crew are volunteers, yes, but Paul -regardless of how crazy his orders may be- deals with what he's got pretty good. [editline]13th May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=superdinoman;29809887]nu uh they're pirates see [img_thumb]http://cdn.wg.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/whale-wars-cast.jpg[/img_thumb] Yeeeeeeeeeeah so bad ass[/QUOTE] [i]I'm a pirate in a war![/i]

[QUOTE=OvB;29809901]You don't become the most successful nonprofit ocean conservation organization, with a fleet of ships, offices world wide, missions going on year round, including monitoring and protecting the Galapagos islands, and shutting down the Japanese Antarctic whaling fleet without knowing what you are doing. Their crew are volunteers, yes, but Paul -regardless of how crazy his orders may be- deals with what he's got pretty good.[/QUOTE] i believe we've already had a fairly longwinded debate about this, you know my opinion

[QUOTE=superdinoman;29809887]nu uh they're pirates see [img_thumb]http://cdn.wg.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/whale-wars-cast.jpg[/img_thumb] Yeeeeeeeeeeah so bad ass[/QUOTE] Yeah that bottom left guy screams unstoppable killing and pillaging machine.

[QUOTE=Lord of Ears;29809927]i believe we've already had a fairly longwinded debate about this, you know my opinion[/QUOTE] That's right, ok.

[QUOTE=Jimpy;29809941]Yeah that bottom left guy screams unstoppable killing and pillaging machine.[/QUOTE] Yeah you better watch out that fucker is crazy I mean shit look at him just sit there like a boss [img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nl6ijEeo8cg/TPHIpO5U4NI/AAAAAAAAAD8/7jJ5z-Mfhq4/s1600/sscs.jpg[/img]

I'm disappointed by the total lack of Whale Whores references...

[QUOTE=Ridge;29810392]I'm disappointed by the total lack of Whale Whores references...[/QUOTE] I think you're just mad you wont ever be a cool pirate [img]http://i4.fc-img.com/CTV02/Comcast_CIM_Prod_Fancast_Image/56/689/1222717593966_05WhaleWars_mif_290_210.jpg[/img] I know Im jealous

Poachers are gonna cut them up and eat them instead.

[QUOTE=aydin690;29810791]Poachers are gonna cut them up and eat them instead.[/QUOTE] Nope, just the fat one.

i like how FP totally ignores their consistent success and assumes they are useless because they pretend to be pirates sometimes.

Considering how incompetent they seem, this sounds like a horrible accident (involving explosives and sinking) asking to happen . [editline]14th May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Mattk50;29820257]i like how FP totally ignores their consistent success and assumes they are useless because they pretend to be pirates sometimes.[/QUOTE] Well hey, they somehow still manage to achieve their goal, but bloody hell. Wasn't there that one time when they sent out a boat of new recruits, they ended up swimming in the wrong direction, losing radio contact, turning over and nearly getting lost at sea and drowning? And a lot of other similar incidents.

didnt someone post a news thread about gaddafi dropping mines into the sea

I suddenly start to like them. At the same time i want them to get shoot by a cannon from a couple of miles away.

[QUOTE=Roof;29820351]didnt someone post a news thread about gaddafi dropping mines into the sea[/QUOTE]That was just in Misrata's port, not the wider Libyan coast.

[QUOTE=Uber|nooB;29820295]Wasn't there that one time when they sent out a boat of new recruits, they ended up swimming in the wrong direction, losing radio contact, turning over and nearly getting lost at sea and drowning? And a lot of other similar incidents.[/QUOTE] dunno, but that sounds funny. have a url?