Sea Shepherd Conservation Society operations
[6] Sea Shepherd in 2006 noted that drift netting had again gained prominence, due to the reduction of fish stocks tempting commercial fisheries to again use the method to keep up their catch volumes.
Sean O'Hearn-Giminez said that "This successful sting is the result of several months working covertly with the co-operation of General Bolivar Cisneros, Chief Commander of the Ecuadorian National Police.
Watson also signed two agreements at this time, one for Sea Shepherd's involvement in the protection of the Amazon river dolphin and the Amazonian manatee; the other with the Ecuadorian Police to work with them to detect and destroy illegal fishing boats.
[38][39] The ship was first intercepted on December 17, 2014, at 62°15′S 81°24′E / 62.250°S 81.400°E / -62.250; 81.400, inside the CCAMLR (Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources) region of management while deploying illegal gillnets.
In March 1979, 32 crew aboard the Sea Shepherd protested the hunt and eight members were arrested after going on the ice to spray the pups with colored organic dye so as to render the pelts worthless to traders.
[109][110][111] The Icelandic National Police did not arrive until the agents had left, and allowed them to pass through a routine traffic stop en route to an airport, after officers found nothing suspicious.
[6] In 2003, Sea Shepherd posted a reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people who murdered St. Lucian whale and dolphin conservationist Jane Tipson.
The whalers say that lethal research is needed to accurately measure the whale population, health, and response to global warming and is essential for the sustainable management of the world's cetacean stocks.
[127] In 2004, The Cetacean Society International claimed that the Sea Shepherd's release of captured dolphins "played into the hands of the authorities" and prevented other groups from documenting the activities at Taiji.
[131] New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter criticized Sea Shepherd as irresponsible for using tactics such as running into the other vessel with a "can opener" device, a seven-foot steel blade on the starboard bow designed to damage the hull of an enemy ship.
[1] Ian Campbell, Australia's environment minister, said Watson's threats to attack the Japanese fleet reflected poorly on legitimate anti-whaling groups and risked "setting back the cause of whale conservation many years."
He also said that shortly after that, the Kaiko Maru reversed and collided deliberately into the port stern section of the Robert Hunter causing a metre-long gash in the starboard bow region.
[135][139][140] On April 9, first mate Peter Brown was described in a newspaper article as saying that the incident only became a hostage situation because the Sea Shepherd vessel left the scene, so the Japanese would be forced to hold the two crewmen longer.
"[141] On March 3, Sea Shepherd members threw bottles of butyric acid and packages of slippery methyl cellulose powder onto the Japanese vessel Nisshin Maru.
"[145] The statement also reiterated earlier IWC resolutions from May and July 2007 that read in part, "The commission and its contracting governments do not condone and in fact condemn any actions that are a risk to human life and property in relation to the activities of vessels at sea.
[152] The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department obtained arrest warrants for three Sea Shepherd crew (Daniel Bebawi, Jon Batchelor and Ralph Koo), for allegedly attempting to foul the propeller of the Keiko Maru and throwing smoke bombs.
In October 2015, the São Tomé and Príncipe justice system imposed penalties on a Chilean captain and two Spanish mechanics up to three years in prison and several million euros fine for "use of false fishing permits", "pollution of the sea" and "dangerous driving".
[160] Also in February, the president of the company overseeing the whale hunt used a media release to call upon the government of Australia to prevent what he considered violations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The eco-friendly vessel usually ran on a low emission fuel "derived mainly from animal fat, soybeans or other forms of bio-diesel"[165] but was forced by operational reasons to switch to a more polluting petroleum diesel.
[172] In December 2009 and early 2010, New Zealand representatives of the Institute of Cetacean Research, including PR specialist Glenn Inwood, chartered Australian planes to search for the other Sea Shepherd ship, MV Steve Irwin.
[186] It has also asked Australia and New Zealand to investigate charges against the Japanese, including for attempted murder,[187] and proclaimed that had the situation been reversed, the Australian Navy would now be sending a ship to arrest him.
Bethune was interrogated, then brought to trial at the Tokyo District Court, where he was charged with trespassing, causing injuries, obstructing commercial activities, vandalism, and carrying a weapon.
According to Gil, Watson saw the collision as an opportunity to spin the incident into a major publicity and money maker for his organization so instead of towing the boat to port for repairs, he secretly gave an order to sink the ship "under the cover of darkness" and blamed the Japanese.
The Institute of Cetacean Research called Sea Shepherd's activities "eco-terrorism", and the Japanese IWC Commissioner said the government made the decision to protect human lives.
[217] While Japan agreed to release the activists, the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard deemed the action "unacceptable" and warned that others who carry out similar protests would be "charged and convicted".
[220][221] On January 17, three crew on a Sea Shepherd inflatable boat received minor injuries from bamboo poles and iron hooks while attempting to hinder the Yushin Maru No.2.
[235] On 27 February 2013, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declared Sea Shepherd "pirates", clearing the way for Japan to pursue further legal action against the organization.
[245] Surveyors from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority were scheduled to inspect the Sam Simon, the only Australian-flagged ship, for any evidence of a breach of International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
[247] In this Antarctic whale defense campaign, Sea Shepherd Global is employing the MY Steve Irwin and the new MY Ocean Warrior,[247] a custom-made patrol vessel capable of speeds up to 30 knots.
[258] Fishing organizations and residents of San Felipe, Baja California have demanded that the government take control of the sea both to protect the fauna as well as legitimate economic activities in the area.
