The Steve Irwin, Animal Planet's 'Whale Wars' Ship, Set Free
Peter Jay Brown - director of Confessions of an Eco-Terrorist and longest serving Sea Shepherd crew member - with The Steve Irwin. Photo courtesy of Peter Jay Brown.
The Steve Irwin has been saved and freed, according to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS). The SSCS flagship vessel, which stars on Animal Planet's "Whale Wars," was detained by the UK on July 15 in the Scottish Shetland Islands due to a civil lawsuit concerning their unorthodox marine wildlife rights practices.
SSCS launched the SOS! - Save Our Ship fundraising campaign less than two weeks ago in an effort to raise the bond amount of $1,411,692.87.
The fundraising campaign raised over $735,000 in under two weeks. On Tuesday the British court set the bond at 520,000 British pounds (approximately $846,290 USD). SSCS details the proceeding events.
Once the exact amount was set, Sea Shepherd UK Director Darren Collis scrambled to the bank and set up the money transfer (to the court) with only one minute to spare—and the bond was posted!
The Maltese bluefin tuna company Fish & Fish Limited, after being caught by SSCS allegedly illegally fishing bluefin tuna from Libyan waters, have brought a civil case against the organization. They are prepared for battle.
We firmly believe we caught their boats red-handed, unlawfully taking bluefin tuna from Libyan waters. We have evidence, and we look forward to our day in court against these plunderers of the ocean.
“We will not be unsettled or bullied by their wealth and their reputation of using litigation to silence their opposition. The bluefin tuna is on the threshold of extinction,” said Sea Shepherd Founder and President Captain Paul Watson. “We owe it to this species to fight the poachers on the sea, in the media, and in the courts. We acted justly in intervening against their illegal operation. And win or lose, we believe that the bluefin tuna—an awesome, magnificent species on the brink of extinction—is worth whatever money and effort we can muster to save it.”
Operation Blue Rage, Sea Shepherd's mission, plans to continue with interventions against bluefin tuna poachers.
A court date has yet to be scheduled for the civil case.
