Canadian Coast Guard ship rams Sea Shepherd vessel
Tue, 2008-04-01 18:56
#1
scott
Canadian Coast Guard ship rams Sea Shepherd vessel
Tue, 2008-04-01 18:56
#2
scott
[url=http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_080330_2.html]Canadian Coast Guard Rams Farley Mowat[/url]
quote:
The Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker CCGS Des Groseilliers twice rammed the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship Farley Mowat today.The Coast Guard had ordered the Farley Mowat to not approach the area where seals are being slaughtered. When the Farley Mowat did not comply, the Coast Guard rammed the vessel near the port aft stern area. After the Farley Mowat stopped in the ice, the Coast Guard rammed the ship a second time in the same area of the ship causing damage to the plates in that area.
Last week the Coast Guard ordered the Farley Mowat out of the sealing area.
quote:
Two coast guard vessels shadowed the Farley Mowat all morning. The Coast Guard vessel CCGS Des Groseilliers ordered the Farley Mowat to leave Canadian waters and to not approach any sealing operation stating that a permit is required from the Canadian government to observe the seals being slaughtered.The Farley Mowat responded by saying; “permits. We don’t need no stinkin’ permits.”
The Canadian government has no authority over a foreign registered ship traveling outside the Canadian twelve mile limit. The Farley Mowat is a Dutch ship with a Dutch Captain and a crew from the Netherlands, Great Britain, Sweden, France, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada and South Africa. The crew of the Farley Mowat believe the Canadian Coast Guard should be concentrating on search and rescue operations instead of censoring observation of the slaughter of seals.
Tue, 2008-04-01 19:22
#3
Boom Boom
quote:
Originally posted by scott:
The Canadian government has no authority over a foreign registered ship traveling outside the Canadian twelve mile limit.
I thought Canada had a 200 mile limit. [img]confused.gif" border="0[/img]
Tue, 2008-04-01 20:48
#4
scott
quote:
Originally posted by Boom Boom:
[b]I thought Canada had a 200 mile limit. [img]confused.gif" border="0[/img] [/b]
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_waters]Territorial waters[/url] are only 12 miles. The 200 mile limit is the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_economic_zone]Exclusive Economic Zone[/url]
quote:
A coastal nation has control of all economic resources within its exclusive economic zone, including fishing, mining, oil exploration, and any pollution of those resources. However, it cannot regulate or prohibit passage or loitering above, on, or under the surface of the sea
Video of the incident was shot, but the Coast guard has grounded the helicopter that was to transfer it to shore.
quote:
“Canadian Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn is weaving a very tangled web with his attempts to deceive the Canadian people,” said Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson. “First he says that the Coast Guard did not ram the Sea Shepherd, they only “grazed” us twice and now he’s saying that it was the Sea Shepherd ship Farley Mowat that was at fault by deliberately placing itself in the path of the ice-breaker Des Groseilliers. The problem with this latest spin by DFO is that the Coast Guard vessel is faster and more maneuverable in the ice and the Farley Mowat was stopped the second time it happened and the entire incident was captured on video by a cameraman onboard the Farley Mowat.”Yesterday the government grounded the Humane Society of the United States helicopter that was going to pick up the video.
“That was convenient,” said Sea Shepherd Communications officer Shannon Mann 35, from Calgary, Alberta who is on board the Farley Mowat.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has broken no laws. The ship is a non-Canadian registered yacht engaged in a non-commercial activity outside the 12 mile limit. Canada has no right to interfere with the free passage of this ship in these waters.
[...]
Yesterday the Des Groseilliers refused a distress call from a sealing vessel. They refused to leave the Farley Mowat demonstrating that it is their priority to monitor the activities of Sea Shepherd.
[url=http://www.seashepherd.org/news.html]links to all Sea Shepherd press releases[/url]
[ 01 April 2008: Message edited by: scott ]
Wed, 2008-04-02 06:39
#5
Boom Boom
quote:
Originally posted by scott:
Territorial waters are only 12 miles. The 200 mile limit is the Exclusive Economic Zone.
Thanks! [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
By the way, a group of sealers from the Magdalene Islands, not very far from where I live, lost their lives while being towed by a CG ship. [img]frown.gif" border="0[/img]
Wed, 2008-04-02 06:55
#6
One of the survivors charged that the fishing crew had been left on the boat being towed even though its rudder was broken, that no one from the Coast Guard was on the rear deck monitoring the towing opoeration. The towed ship, swinging to and fro, hit an iceberg. Distress radio calls to the towing ship went unanswered and it was a third ship that managed to save two of the six fishermen.
To quell public indignation on the Islands, the feds instantly announced three separate inquests into the matter - none of them public, despite calls for a public inquest from the Magdalen Islands MP (Bloc quйbйcois)- and, just to make sure that whoever will "inquire" know the official line, flatly denied that there had been no Coast Guard personnel on the rear deck of the towing vessel.
In a show of generosity that was given maximum visibility by media toadies, the feds announced that the families of the dead would not have to pay to have the bodies of the deceased flown back to the Islands from Halifax! [img]mad.gif" border="0[/img] [img]mad.gif" border="0[/img] [img]mad.gif" border="0[/img]
[ 02 April 2008: Message edited by: martin dufresne ]
Wed, 2008-04-02 07:20
#7
N.Beltov
quote:
Yesterday the Des Groseilliers refused a distress call from a sealing vessel. They refused to leave the Farley Mowat demonstrating that it is their priority to monitor the activities of Sea Shepherd.
That's worth repeating.
Wed, 2008-04-02 10:29
#8
Boom Boom
One of our residents was a cousin to one of the sealers that died in the capsize off the Magdalene Islands.
Wed, 2008-04-02 11:48
#9
Boom Boom
There was an icebreaker here this morning to clear a path through the ice for our supply ship (Nordik Express) which was supposed to dock tomorrow, but it looks like it could be delayed because of the heavy wind.
Thu, 2008-04-03 21:51
#10
scott
Finally we have video of what Sea Shepherd calls ramming and what the Coast Guard calls "grazing"
Warning: Graphic footage and strong language
[ 04 April 2008: Message edited by: scott ]
Fri, 2008-04-04 06:56
#11
scott
And for those who prefer their ramming videos set to punk rock:
This video was produced by the band, not Sea Shepherd. They have a bunch of things mixed up. Sea Shepherd's illegalism is limited to hunts that are illegal, such as whaling in the southern whale sanctuary. The Canadian seal hunt is legal, and Sea Shepherd have stated that they will commit no illegal acts on the sealing ground. The sealing footage seems to be from previous years hunts.
[ 04 April 2008: Message edited by: scott ]
Fri, 2008-04-04 09:12
#12
Le T
I don't understand how people can selectively care about life depending on how cute it is.
The problem isn't the seal hunt, the problem is capitalism.
Sat, 2008-04-12 14:38
#13
scott
[url=http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_080412_1.html]The Farley Mowat Has Been Illegally Stormed and the Crew Assaulted
[/url]
quote:
At 0700 Hours (PST) and 1100 Hours Atlantic time the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Farley Mowat was attacked by officers from two Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers the Des Groseilliers and the Sir Wifred Grenfell.Captain Alex Cornelissen informed the boarders that the Farley Mowat is a Dutch registered ship in international waters and that Canada had no legal right to restrict the free passage of the vessel through international waters.
The ship was in the Gulf of St. Lawrence well beyond the Canadian twelve mile territorial limit.
Captain Paul Watson was speaking by phone with Farley Mowat communications officer Shannon Mann when he heard the voices of men screaming for the crew to fall to the floor. The men carried guns according to Mann and could be heard by Captain Watson threatening the Farley Mowat’s crew. As Captain Watson was speaking with Shannon Mann, the Satellite phone went dead and nothing more has been heard from the Sea Shepherd crew.
The Farley Mowat was documenting violations of the humane regulations and gathering proof that the seals were being killed in an inhumane manner. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is assuming that the video tapes will be seized by the Canadian authorities.
[...]
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been cut off from communication with the crew and has no information on where the vessel will be taken. Sea Shepherd has no information on the condition of the crew and the Society is deeply concerned for their crew.
This happened (is happening) on day one of the resumption of the hunt after being suspended by the fatal accident earlier this month
Sat, 2008-04-12 14:44
#14
Boom Boom
quote:
Originally posted by scott:
The ship was in the Gulf of St. Lawrence well beyond the Canadian twelve mile territorial limit.
Isn't the entire Gulf of St. Lawrence Canadian territory?
Sat, 2008-04-12 14:46
#15
I wouldn't exactly call a press release from Sea Shepherd Conservation Society unbiased journalism. It's one side of the story - theirs. Perhaps they were inside Canadian territorial waters, maybe even attempting some act of violence or piracy towards a Canadian flag vessel. Let's get all the facts before we light our torches, shall we? As distasteful as it may be, our sealers are performing a legal act, following their own cultural traditions. I for one am loathe to tamper with something like that. Maybe your moral superiority gives you the right, but that's a slippery slope to tyranny. I don't much care for that either.
Sat, 2008-04-12 15:08
#16
scott
quote:
Originally posted by Boom Boom:
[b]Isn't the entire Gulf of St. Lawrence Canadian territory?[/b]
Nope. [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_waters]Territorial waters[/url] are only 12 miles. The 200 mile limit is the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_economic_zone]Exclusive Economic Zone[/url].
The sealing takes place outside the territorial Zone, but inside the Economic Zone. The Coast Guard can regulate economic activities, such as hunting, fishing or oil exploration, but they don't have the power to stop people from observing the hunt, which is what the Farley Mowat was doing.
The government and the sealers claim that hunt practises have changed, and that it is now done in a humane way. If that is true, then why are they preventing hunt observers from observing the hunt? No permits have been issued to observe the hunt.
[url=http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=405649]Activists allege cover-up in seal hunt 'This says to the world that there is something to hide'[/url]
quote:
The Department of Fisheries confirmed that it hasn't issued any permits for observers and explained it is holding off until it has a better idea of the sealing activity.[...]
the department received a record 60 permit requests to observe this year's harvest.
[ 12 April 2008: Message edited by: scott ]
Sat, 2008-04-12 15:18
#17
scott
[double post removed]
[ 12 April 2008: Message edited by: scott ]
Sat, 2008-04-12 16:34
#18
Boom Boom
Hmmm.... I thought maps of Canada always included the entire Gulf of St. Lawrence other than near St. Pierre and Miquelon. I didn't think it had anything to do with territorial waters - rather like Hudson's Bay which is entirely within Canada.
ETA: According to [url=http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/outlinecanada/canad... map of Canadian boundaries, the entire Gulf of St. Lawrence is within Canadian territory.
[ 12 April 2008: Message edited by: Boom Boom ]
Sat, 2008-04-12 17:23
#19
Boom Boom
[url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080412/sealing_con... two perspectives[/url]
Canadian Govt says:
At a news conference held Saturday afternoon, Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn said that the Farley Mowat was in Canadian territorial waters and the government acted because the vessel was putting sealers in danger.
"Our action (were) to safeguard the seal hunt and ensure the safety of and livelihood of the Canadian sealers," Hearn said.
"The Farley Mowat and its crew, under the direction of Mr. Paul Watson, contravened the Marine Mammal Regulation and the Fisheries Act that govern the seal hunt."
Paul Watson says:
But Paul Watson, the head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, told CTV Newsnet a very different tale.
Speaking from New York, he said that his Dutch-registered vessel was outside the 12-mile (19.2 kilometre) limit when the boarding occurred and in a news release, described the incident as "an act of war."
From what Paul Watson says, it sounds like they were nowhere near the Gulf of St. Lawrence but maybe east or south of Newfoundland? I'm sure the entire Gulf of St. Lawrence is Canadian territory.
Sat, 2008-04-12 17:30
#20
Boom Boom
quote:
Originally posted by scott:The government and the sealers claim that hunt practises have changed, and that it is now done in a humane way. If that is true, then why are they preventing hunt observers from observing the hunt? No permits have been issued to observe the hunt.
"Observing the hunt" really means "harassing the sealers". It's already a dangerous enough occupation without having to tolerate photographers and other folks gawking at you the whole while.
Sat, 2008-04-12 19:14
#21
scott
quote:
Originally posted by Boom Boom:
[b]"Observing the hunt" really means "harassing the sealers".[/b]
Do you have any evidence that Sea Shepherd were harassing anyone? If so, what is it? If I were bashing seals over the head and skinning them alive, I guess that I might consider anyone documenting that fact "harrassment". The sad fact is that the sealers might be conducting a sustainable, humane hunt but they have not presented that case.
It is a mistake to think that the fight is happening in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. It is happening in the European Parliament at this very moment. The European Parliament is debating a ban on the import of seal products into the EU. No market = No hunt. The Conservative Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has decided to arrest a Dutch registered ship in international waters. Lets see how the Europeans will view this:
The Farley Mowat is a Dutch registered yacht not engaged in economic activity navigating with the right of free passage as allowed by International Maritime law in waters beyond 12 miles of Canada.
The Captain is Dutch.
The First Officer is Swedish.
Other crewmembers are British, French, South African, and American.
Loyola Hearne and the Con. government may have irrevocably damaged Canadian sovereignty in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Canada may claim sovereignty in the Gulf but according to international law Canada's laws extend only 12 miles (I have linked to sources backing this up twice now).
The seal hunt only lasts a few weeks. The court case will last for months and so far all the optics favour Sea Shepherd.
Sat, 2008-04-12 19:22
#22
As far as I can find, the Gulf of St larence is considered to be totaly within Canada's control and ownership and not international waters at all
Sat, 2008-04-12 19:31
#23
Boom Boom
quote:
Originally posted by scott:
Canada may claim sovereignty in the Gulf but according to international law Canada's laws extend only 12 miles (I have linked to sources backing this up twice now).
Where within the Gulf of St. Lawrence are these "international waters" you speak of? The Gulf is entirely within Canadian territory as far as I can see.
Sat, 2008-04-12 20:38
#24
Le T
From scott's wikipedia link:
quote:
Conflicts still occur whenever a coastal nation claims an entire gulf as its territorial waters while other nations only recognize the more restrictive definitions of the UN convention. Two recent conflicts occurred in the Gulf of Sidra where Libya has claimed the entire gulf as its territorial waters and the U.S. has twice violently enforced freedom of navigation rights (Gulf of Sidra incident (1981), Gulf of Sidra incident (1989)
Good thing that the Sea Shepard wasn't a U.S. ship packing heat eh?
Sat, 2008-04-12 21:45
#25
Frin scotts wikipedia link
quote:
Canada
Canada is unusual in that its Exclusive Economic Zone, covering 2,755,564 kmІ, is slightly smaller than its territorial waters.[8] The latter generally extend only 12 nautical miles from the shore, but also include inland marine waters such as Hudson Bay (about 300 nautical miles across), the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the internal waters of the Arctic archipelago.
Which means sorry scott, it ain't international waters, even by your own links. This isn't to support or not support the sealers, just that its Canada's waters and no international bogy like the UN or the EU which say different about that aspect of this affair at least
[ 12 April 2008: Message edited by: Bacchus ]