All 6 pirate toothfishing vessels of the Bandit Six have been intercepted and shut down. Today the Yongding and Songhua were boarded by police in Cape Verde.
Sea Shepherd’s Captain Peter Hammarstedt not only chased the Thunder for 110 days until it was scuttled on 6 April 2015, he also located, identified and reported the Yongding and Songhua to Cape Verde police with the assistance of the Sea Shepherd vessel Jairo More Sandoval. Operation Icefish is a massive success.
“The successes of Operation Icefish clearly demonstrate that Sea Shepherd’s arsenal in the fight against poaching extends far beyond high-seas patrols. We have the tools and the experience required to eradicate IUU fishing operations from the Southern Ocean. With the welcomed cooperation from law enforcement authorities, coordinated by the expertise of the Environmental Crime Unit of Interpol, that’s exactly what we will do,” said Captain Chakravarty.
Operation Icefish was Sea Shepherd’s 11th Southern Ocean Defense Campaign, and the first to target IUU fishing operators in the waters of Antarctica.
Hobart has a direct connection with Operation Icefish Hobart is the Honorary Home Port for the Bob Barker and the ship and crew have spent many months here. More at:
http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/news-and-commentary/news/military-and-police-board-last-two-toothfish-poaching-vessels-in-cabo-verde.html
Paul Watson, Facebook comment @7 am AEST 23/5/15
SIX FOR SIX. WE DID IT.
All six of the Bandit Six have been intercepted. The THUNDER scuttled off Sao Tome. The VIKING and the PERLON detained by Malaysia. The KUNLUN detained by Thailand and today the YONGDING and the SONGHUA boarded by the police in Cape Verde.
Captain Peter Hammarstedt in command of the BOB BARKER not only chased the THUNDER for 110 days until it was scuttled on April 6th, he also located, identified and reported the YONGDING and the SONGHUA to the police with the assistance of the crew of the Sea Shepherd vessel JAIRO MORE SANDOVAL in Cape Verde.
Little did the owners and Captains of the YOUNGDING and the SONGHUA know that when they voyaged all the way to Cape Verde from the Southern Ocean that a Sea Shepherd vessel the JAIRO MORA SANDOVAL was patrolling Cape Verde waters for poachers.
What an incredible year. Sea Shepherd went for six poachers (the Bandit Six) and helped to shut down all six.
Operation Icefish has been a huge success.
Meanwhile Captain Sid Chakravarty and Sea Shepherd Hong Kong director Gary Stokes were in Indonesia to witness the destruction of 41 poaching vessels by the no nonsense Indonesian Minister or Fisheries.
Captain Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd
