Sea Shepherd boss 'ordered boat scuttling for publicity'
The skipper of a Sea Shepherd protest boat damaged in a collision with a Japanese whaling ship said today that the head of the conservation group ordered him to let the vessel sink because it would help win public support.
Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson (known in Malta for his anti blue-fin tuna protests earlier this year) denied the claim, saying the decision to scuttle the futuristic, high-tech protest boat Ady Gil in January was made by the skipper, New Zealander Peter Bethune.
The exchange exposed a bitter falling out between Mr Bethune, who shot to international prominence because of the high-seas drama, and Mr Watson, the figurehead of Sea Shepherd's campaign against Japan's Antarctic whaling programme.
The campaign drew high-profile donor support in the United States and elsewhere and spawned the popular Animal Planet series Whale Wars.
Mr Bethune was at the helm of the Sea Shepherd boat Ady Gil when its bow was shorn off by Japanese whaling ship Shonan Maru 2 in waters off the frozen continent in January.
Mr Bethune later boarded the whaler to confront the ship's captain over the collision, and was detained by the crew.
Mr Bethune was arrested and spent five months in a Japanese jail while being tried on trespassing, assault and other charges.
He was convicted and received a suspended prison sentence in July, then deported.
He said the Ady Gil was salvageable after the collision but that Mr Watson ordered it to be sunk.
Mr Bethune said he believed Mr Watson wanted the boat to sink to "garner sympathy with the public and to create better TV".
"Paul Watson was my admiral. He gave me an order and I carried it out," Mr Bethune told New Zealand's National Radio. "I was ashamed of it at the time and I'm ashamed of it now."
"It was all done in secret. I was ordered not to tell any of the crew, not my family and especially not Ady Gil, the owner of the boat," Mr Bethune said, referring to the US businessman who funded the vessel.
Mr Watson, a Canadian, said the scuttling of the Ady Gil was Mr Bethune's decision.
"Pete is on camera saying 'yes, I guess we're going to have to let it go', so it was his decision and actually wasn't mine," Mr Watson told National Radio.
The Ady Gil sank two days after the collision with the Japanese ship.
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martin saliba
Oct 7th 2010, 15:12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_b_IYQMSvM
This is what these extremeist do. The video speaks for itself.
Chris Finch
Oct 7th 2010, 16:33
Martin, Where is the difference between your video and the ramming of the Ady Gil? It even looks like the same 'research' vessel in the clip. Have you seen the footage of the Maltese tuna rancher boat ramming the Steve Irwin? Also the Tuna rancher with the gaff hook attempting to hook Sea shepherd crew? That is what the people who you support do. These actions speak for themselves. One further question. What will you do when there are no whales left? Or Blue Fin Tuna in the Med? Why do you think we are having swarms of jelly fish each year? Is it just a coincidence that blue fin tuna stocks are collapsing and jellyfish swarms are increasing? Where will you swim? What will happen to Malta's economy when tourists go outside of the med because you can't go in the sea anymore?
Joseph Aquilina
Oct 7th 2010, 17:41
This is what the whalers do. The articles and photos speak for themselves. http://www.smh.com.au/news/whale-watch/killing-pregnant-whales-is-good-news-whalers/2007/07/25/1185339064854.html and here are some photos as well ... http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/03/28/whaling_narrowweb__300x377,0.jpg http://puertogaleradive.com/blog//media/blogs/pgdive/whale-killing5.jpg http://cdn.physorg.com/newman/gfx/news/hires/japancarries.jpg http://puertogaleradive.com/blog//media/blogs/pgdive/whale-killing4.jpg I think that since governments are not doing enough to protect our environment then some else have to. Now after weighing what Sea Shepherd and what the whalers are doing, personally, I prefer to stick with Sea Shepherd. Their cause is much more just!!
martin saliba
Oct 7th 2010, 17:48
@ chris finch. My point is that this man has no right to put peoples lives in danger. If he wants to be credible he should admit to ramming the japanese ship and not say it was the other way round. With regard to the gaff hook , the sea shepards crew were the aggressors and everyone has the right to defend themself with whatever waepon in hand if he feels that his liofe is threatened. Essentially what you are saying is that , for example , you agree with terrorist attacks against israel because they are illegaly occuping palestinian land.
joseph cachia
Oct 7th 2010, 13:14
Mr Watson, whoever he may be , is he allowed to enter MALTA ??
Declare him persona non gratia. Stop the aggro.
We don't want hypocrites nor any money grabber to be in our midts using
MALTA to fattening his pocket
Joseph Cachia B'Bugia
Frans Muscat
Oct 7th 2010, 15:40
We're in the 21st century! Donations to groups are made on-line via credit card payments and publicity arrives through the media.
Chris Finch
Oct 7th 2010, 16:38
Joseph, It is exactly because you have hypocrites and money grabbers in your midst in the form of Tuna Ranchers that we need people like Capt. Watson and the SSCS to make a stand against them. Where do you think the money goes that the Tuna Ranchers make? Have you seen any of it? These Ranchers are using Malta to make themselves rich. How long do you think they will stay once there aren't enough Tuna to catch anymore? The TUna Ranchers should be made persona non grata.
Raymond Sammut
Oct 7th 2010, 12:01
Mr Bethune was not just at the "helm", as you are claiming in this article. He was the captain of Ady Gil. No-one can tell a captain what to do with his vessel. In my view, his claim that capt. Watson was his "admiral" is surely stretching things quite a bit.
Joe Camilleri
Oct 7th 2010, 08:59
HEAR HEAR,
at to what extents these extremist will go. As long as money keeps pouring in, anything will do.
And not only these Sea Shepherd guys but also their 'maltese' partners
Chris Finch
Oct 7th 2010, 12:23
Joe? Read the article again, there is 2 differing views: Peter Betheune says Capt. Watson ordered the scuttling, Capt Watson says it was Peter Betheune who made the decision.
After watching the full video of what happened with the Tuna ranchers off Malta and the lies aimed at Capt. Watson by Joe Caruana of Fish and Fish, I would tend to believe Capt. Watson.
His methods may be unorthodox but at least his intentions are honourable.