December 26th, 2014
Sea Shepherd Locates And Commences Recovery of Illegal Gillnet Abandoned by Thunder
Yesterday, December 25, at approximately 1326 AEDT, the Sea Shepherd conservation ship, Sam Simon, located a discarded
gillnet at 62° 16’ South, 081° 14’ East, inside the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
(CCAMLR) area of management.
Using the coordinates and photographic evidence provided by fellow Sea Shepherd ship, the Bob Barker, Sam Simon Captain
Sid Chakravarty was able to identify the gillnet – a method of fishing outlawed by CCAMLR since 2004 - as the property
of the Interpol-listed vessel, Thunder.
The gillnet was abandoned by the Nigerian-flagged Thunder when it fled from the Bob Barker on December 17, after the
poaching vessel was found inside the CCAMLR area of management without a license to fish.
The crew of the Sam Simon is now in the process of removing the illegal gillnet from the Antarctic waters. They will
document the marine life killed in the net, and provide this as evidence to authorities as a part of an ongoing effort
to see the Thunder prosecuted.
“A known criminal operator like Thunder has no place in Antarctica, or anywhere else in our oceans. By removing her
illegally set gillnets we are putting a huge dent in the $60 million profits that her owners and operators have
illicitly made over the years. We want to ensure that this vessel is completely disabled - logistically, financially and
legally - and that its reign of terror is brought to a definitive end,” said Captain Chakravarty.
Captain Chakravarty further added, “It is Sea Shepherd’s responsibility to retrieve this gear, as abandoned gillnets
eventually turn into a ‘ghost nets.’ Set adrift in the Southern Ocean, they wreak havoc, killing indiscriminately and
indefinitely – not only vulnerable toothfish, but protected sea birds, whales, seals and other deep dwelling marine
life. Such destructive fishing methods, which undermine conservation measures, have no place in this pristine
ecosystem.”
Once the recovery process has been completed, Captain Chakravarty will report to Interpol, CCAMLR, the Australian
Fisheries Management Authority and the Australian Federal Police with details of Thunder’s illegal catch. The Sam Simon
will then join the Bob Barker to accompany the Thunder back to port, to demand that the relevant authorities investigate
the poaching vessel.
Despite the fact that the use of gillnets is outlawed by CCAMLR, the Commission has expressed concerns regarding the
impact of this fishing method, which is still used by Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing vessels.
Sea Shepherd hopes that the information provided to CCAMLR will help to mitigate the current deficiency in data
regarding the catches of IUU vessels.
The Bob Baker has been in pursuit of the Thunder for ten days, preventing the poaching vessel from engaging in further
illegal fishing activity.
Operation Icefish is Sea Shepherd’s 11th Southern Ocean Defence Campaign, and the first to target IUU toothfish fishing
operators in the waters of Antarctica.
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About Sea Shepherd Australia
Sea Shepherd Australia is a non-profit conservation organisation whose mission is to end the destruction of habitat and
slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd
Australia uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and
confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately balanced oceanic
ecosystems, Sea Shepherd Australia works to ensure their survival for future generations. Visit www.seashepherd.org.au for more information.