http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110517/ap_on_re_eu/eu_libya_illegal_tuna
QuoteA U.S.-based organization of environmental activists plans to steam into Libyan waters to stop poachers from netting bluefin tuna.
The organization, called Sea Shepherd, will send two boats into the war zone — the 58-meter (190-foot) Steve Irwin, named after the Australian conservationist, and the 35-meter (115-foot) Gojira — said Paul Watson, the organization's founder. Sea Shepherd's headquarters are in Friday Harbor, Washington.
Founded in 1977, Sea Shepherd has undertaken many aggressive, high-risk operations at sea. In 2009, the group chased Japan's whaling ships for thousands of miles, working to disrupt their operations. Late in the year, the group's ship and a whaling boat collided at sea.
The Japanese government said Sea Shepherd's activities were tantamount to terrorism.
In their latest mission, Watson will captain the larger boat, and the smaller, faster boat will act as a scout, looking for targets, he said. The boats will carry divers who will cut the nets of fishing boats to free the tuna, Watson said. Last year, Sea Shepherd cut the net of one boat in the area, freeing about 800 fish, he said.
Once abundant in the Mediterranean, the bluefin has come under great threat as fishermen have plundered the waters far beyond sustainable levels. The European Union has ruled that none of its members can fish in Libyan waters this year because there is no way to check licenses and enforce quotas in a war zone.
Watson said his group had informed the European Union it will operate in Libyan waters and planned to inform NATO, which is leading the air campaign meant to protect civilians in Libya from attacks, primarily from their own government. Watson spoke by telephone from Cannes, France. The Sea Shepherd boats will set sail from southern France, near Marseille, around June 1.
The expedition carries risks, said Laurens de Groot, the organization's European director.
"We're expecting quite a bit of resistance when we get in there," de Groot said. "We might get into confrontations in which weapons are used. ... If they ram our vessel, we'll stand our ground."
Sea Shepherd's aggressive save-the-whales campaign has resonated with Western audiences and has been the subject of a popular series on the Animal Planet TV network, "Whale Wars," filmed from its ship.
Bluefin tuna are a prized delicacy in Tokyo restaurants, where a slice of sushi can cost 2,000 yen ($24). The fish are up to 10 feet (3 meters) long and weigh more than 1,430 pounds. One large specimen fetched a record 32.49 million yen — nearly $396,000 — in Tokyo early this year.
The fish spawn in the Mediterranean from mid-May to mid-June before heading out to the Atlantic. But their numbers are so severely depleted that experts fear they could disappear. Last November, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas voted to cut the annual quota that could be caught by about 4 percent, but environmentalists called the measure inadequate.
Yes, please enter a war zone. ^_^
To be fair, illegal fishermen, especially Chinese ones, are scum and will drive tuna to extinction if they are not stopped.
It is easy to mock guys like this, but you know what?
Most people, especially the enviro-crowd, just blahblabblahtalktalktalkbitchbitchbitch. I don't generally think that most of them even care about their chosen "cause", it is just a convenient vehicle to rant about "corporate greed" or whatever term du jour the ignorant left wing trust fund kiddies are babbling about for the moment.
At least these guys are willing to actually do something, actually RISK something in furtherance of their beliefs. I am not sure I agree that chasing Japanese whalers around is a legitimate way to express those beliefs, but on the other hand I have to give them credit for having the balls to actually do something.
Quote from: Berkut on May 17, 2011, 11:27:09 AM
It is easy to mock guys like this, but you know what?
Most people, especially the enviro-crowd, just blahblabblahtalktalktalkbitchbitchbitch. I don't generally think that most of them even care about their chosen "cause", it is just a convenient vehicle to rant about "corporate greed" or whatever term du jour the ignorant left wing trust fund kiddies are babbling about for the moment.
At least these guys are willing to actually do something, actually RISK something in furtherance of their beliefs. I am not sure I agree that chasing Japanese whalers around is a legitimate way to express those beliefs, but on the other hand I have to give them credit for having the balls to actually do something.
Yeah an act like assholes on television to boo. :rolleyes:
Save the Fish, Eat Meat.
Quote from: garbon on May 17, 2011, 11:22:46 AM
Yes, please enter a war zone. ^_^
Sounds pretty courageous to me. :mellow:
But I do not choose to live in places like SF, Mass, and NYC so I do not have all the pent up rage against leftist activists.
Quote from: garbon on May 17, 2011, 11:27:55 AM
Quote from: Berkut on May 17, 2011, 11:27:09 AM
It is easy to mock guys like this, but you know what?
Most people, especially the enviro-crowd, just blahblabblahtalktalktalkbitchbitchbitch. I don't generally think that most of them even care about their chosen "cause", it is just a convenient vehicle to rant about "corporate greed" or whatever term du jour the ignorant left wing trust fund kiddies are babbling about for the moment.
At least these guys are willing to actually do something, actually RISK something in furtherance of their beliefs. I am not sure I agree that chasing Japanese whalers around is a legitimate way to express those beliefs, but on the other hand I have to give them credit for having the balls to actually do something.
Yeah an act like assholes on television to boo. :rolleyes:
Meh, I think they would be out there doing their thing whether the cameras were rolling or not - therefore, they get a pass from me for acting like assholes on TV - if you actually care enough about your cause to go out and risk a lot for it, you would be an idiot to refuse the exposure.
Now, if I thought that they likely did not give two shits about the cause, but just want to be on TV, I would be cheering on some Jap whaling boat running them over a few times.
On the other hand, it does seem rather hard to side with the people who think that fishing tuna out of existence is a good idea.
And for those who think that worries about over-fishing are over-stated...read up on cod fishing in Newfoundland.
Or rather, read up on the history of cod fishing in Newfoundland. Since there really isn't any to speak of now...oops.
Quote from: Berkut on May 17, 2011, 11:32:35 AM
Meh, I think they would be out there doing their thing whether the cameras were rolling or not - therefore, they get a pass from me for acting like assholes on TV - if you actually care enough about your cause to go out and risk a lot for it, you would be an idiot to refuse the exposure.
Oh I agree that they actually care - though I don't see why that necessitates acting like an asshole on tv.
Quote from: Berkut on May 17, 2011, 11:32:35 AM
On the other hand, it does seem rather hard to side with the people who think that fishing tuna out of existence is a good idea.
Maybe but their antics make me hard pressed not too. I'm not sure what other recourse they have (to effectively make change) but they strike me as immature individuals acting out some Robin Hood fantasy. I think their show does nothing but support that notion.
It's ok to eat fish. They don't have any feelings.
Quote from: Berkut on May 17, 2011, 11:27:09 AM
It is easy to mock guys like this, but you know what?
Most people, especially the enviro-crowd, just blahblabblahtalktalktalkbitchbitchbitch. I don't generally think that most of them even care about their chosen "cause", it is just a convenient vehicle to rant about "corporate greed" or whatever term du jour the ignorant left wing trust fund kiddies are babbling about for the moment.
At least these guys are willing to actually do something, actually RISK something in furtherance of their beliefs. I am not sure I agree that chasing Japanese whalers around is a legitimate way to express those beliefs, but on the other hand I have to give them credit for having the balls to actually do something.
It's only too bad they don't have Exocets.
Quote from: MadImmortalManIt's ok to eat fish. They don't have any feelings.
I'm not totally convinced they do, either, but some things I've seen have led me to doubt that they don't. In any event, I've pretty much phased fish out of my diet--just the occasional sushi, and that's pretty rare. Indeed, it's mostly just a wasabi delivery device anyway.
I don't think they can do much patrolling with just two ships, unless they have some really kick ass radars.
Quote from: Berkut on May 17, 2011, 11:27:09 AM
It is easy to mock guys like this, but you know what?
Most people, especially the enviro-crowd, just blahblabblahtalktalktalkbitchbitchbitch. I don't generally think that most of them even care about their chosen "cause", it is just a convenient vehicle to rant about "corporate greed" or whatever term du jour the ignorant left wing trust fund kiddies are babbling about for the moment.
At least these guys are willing to actually do something, actually RISK something in furtherance of their beliefs. I am not sure I agree that chasing Japanese whalers around is a legitimate way to express those beliefs, but on the other hand I have to give them credit for having the balls to actually do something.
And at least Osama had the balls to get people to fly planes into the twin towers rather than just bitching about the Great Satan, amirite?
Don't really care for tuna. Don't like Whales either, but they were all right in my book since they were harassing the Japanese. I support attacking Japanese fisherman anywhere and anyhow. Be it some dingbats shooting paintballs at whalers or irradiating the Lucky Dragon 5. Japan must be stopped.
I like tuna taco.
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 17, 2011, 05:14:20 PM
I like tuna taco.
Overcompensating for Martinusism.
:weep:
Quote from: Ideologue on May 17, 2011, 11:45:11 AM
In any event, I've pretty much phased fish out of my diet--just the occasional sushi, and that's pretty rare.
Punishment.
Fuck all you environment-haters.
I hope Sea Shepherd is allowed to have a NATO forward air controller.
There is only one good way to eat blue-fin tuna - raw :mmm:
I have mixed feelings about this. Blue-fin tuna *is* the best, but they are hard to find and expensive. And every time I eat it, I am somewhat worried that it'll be my last. On one hand, I utterly detest environmentalists. On the other hand, we have yet to find any way to make blue-fin tuna sustainable for the future.
Why don't you ask all your evil little countrymen to help make all species sustainable?
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 17, 2011, 09:50:52 PM
Why don't you ask all your evil little countrymen to help make all species sustainable?
Preferably by killing themselves today. And maybe the Russians too.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 17, 2011, 09:50:52 PM
Why don't you ask all your evil little countrymen to help make all species sustainable?
Huh. If I have such powers, making all species sustainable would be among the last things that I think of ;)
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 17, 2011, 09:50:52 PM
Why don't you ask all your evil little countrymen to help make all species sustainable?
The PRChinese don't even care if the human species or their own subset of it is sustainable. I can't imagine them caring about tuna when they ignore the fact that they've already pushed themselves into demographic, economic, and political collapse. Again. You'd think after thirty or forty times, a nation would learn.
Quote from: Ideologue on May 17, 2011, 10:32:24 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 17, 2011, 09:50:52 PM
Why don't you ask all your evil little countrymen to help make all species sustainable?
The PRChinese don't even care if the human species or their own subset of it is sustainable. I can't imagine them caring about tuna when they ignore the fact that they've already pushed themselves into demographic, economic, and political collapse. Again. You'd think after thirty or forty times, a nation would learn.
I guess they assumed that since the Manchus and Mongols are no longer a threat, they don't have anything to worry about.
Quote from: Ideologue on May 17, 2011, 10:32:24 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 17, 2011, 09:50:52 PM
Why don't you ask all your evil little countrymen to help make all species sustainable?
The PRChinese don't even care if the human species or their own subset of it is sustainable. I can't imagine them caring about tuna when they ignore the fact that they've already pushed themselves into demographic, economic, and political collapse. Again. You'd think after thirty or forty times, a nation would learn.
I can see you're no fan of the idea the 21st century will be a Chinese one. Elaborate.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 18, 2011, 03:09:44 AM
Quote from: Ideologue on May 17, 2011, 10:32:24 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 17, 2011, 09:50:52 PM
Why don't you ask all your evil little countrymen to help make all species sustainable?
The PRChinese don't even care if the human species or their own subset of it is sustainable. I can't imagine them caring about tuna when they ignore the fact that they've already pushed themselves into demographic, economic, and political collapse. Again. You'd think after thirty or forty times, a nation would learn.
I can see you're no fan of the idea the 21st century will be a Chinese one. Elaborate.
You want a list of why China won't surpass the West?
-the massively corrupt bureaucratic system, arising from a society where corruption is seen as normal
-the massive hidden debt
-the yawning chasm between east coast elites that we like to think represent China and the rural majority of the country
-divisive class conflict and grinding poverty even within the areas where capitalism is on the march
-an illegitimate government that offers the people of China only as much freedom as it believes will ensure its continued existence, and thus is likely unable to keep China stable in the long term
-rampant abuse by that government of its own people, much of which is hidden from the West
-a culture that does not inculcate progressive values and hence is less likely to be flexible enough to accommodate rapid change
-rising energy costs that will make the promised Western standard of living nigh-unattainable without a technological miracle
-a disastrously skewed sex ratio that is leading to a 40 million strong surplus of unattached young men, the most dangerous creatures in the world
-a somewhat less disastrously skewed age ratio
-severely degraded environment and an agricultural capacity in a state of decline
and, of course...
-the possibility of a violent confrontation with an actual superpower, which the Chinese would lose quite badly
Also, more prosaically, when you think about it, there are almost a billion Europeans, too, we're just more loosely associated.
I have no idea that you guys are *that* insecure ;)
"Meat is murder. Fish is justifiable homicide."
"We"? Since when are you European, Ide? :hmm:
Quote from: Brazen on May 18, 2011, 04:29:11 AM
"Meat is murder. Fish is justifiable homicide."
Blue-fin tuna is tasty. That's good enough for me :mmm:
Quote from: Slargos on May 18, 2011, 04:44:29 AM
"We"? Since when are you European, Ide? :hmm:
Since my distant ancestors settled Spain, Ireland, England, Scotland, etc. But perhaps I should've said Westerners.
Quote from: MonoriuI have no idea that you guys are *that* insecure
Behold the east coast elite!
Quote from: Ideologue on May 18, 2011, 05:34:38 AM
Quote from: Slargos on May 18, 2011, 04:44:29 AM
"We"? Since when are you European, Ide? :hmm:
Since my distant ancestors settled Spain, Ireland, England, Scotland, etc. But perhaps I should've said Westerners.
Quote from: MonoriuI have no idea that you guys are *that* insecure
Behold the east coast elite!
Probably an equally tricky label. Greeks may be European, but they sure as shit aren't Westerners.
If you consider "The West" as a monolithic entity [and conveniently "forget" that the claim to belonging to the "West" is tenuous to say the least for races like the Greek, Italian and most of Eastern Europe] we're far in excess of 1 billion anyway.
US (310m) + EU (501m) + Australia (22m ) + Canada (34m) + NZ (4m) = 871m. I don't mind defining the West slightly more broadly, where basic values are more-or-less the same but some constituents were never historically part of Western Christendom. Under this, it's easy enough to include Japan (128m), the RoC (23m), and the RoK (49m), and get 1.071 billion.
Russia is arguable, but I wouldn't feel comfortable including it. I'm also not 100% sold on the RoC, but 1)I already looked up their population figure and 2)placing them in the civilized world is obnoxious, in that it makes them morally superior to unfree Chinese, and by embracing the Republic, one also neatly defuses any accusation of blind anti-sinicism. Thanks, Chiang, you dumb, villainous bastard! :smoke:
Edit: Oh, right, I forgot the EU doesn't include Switzerland or Norway. Add, what, 20m? Those guys are useless anyway. Like Norway's ever rescued anyone. All you ever did for Western civilization was provide an opportunity for the Glorious to get sunk. :angry:
I wouldn't count Serbia even if they were part of the EU. Romania can be in, though, whatever. It can't be worse than Alabama.
Quote from: Ideologue on May 18, 2011, 06:14:42 AM
US (310m) + EU (501m) + Australia (22m ) + Canada (34m) + NZ (4m) = 871m. I don't mind defining the West slightly more broadly, where basic values are more-or-less the same but some constituents were never historically part of Western Christendom. Under this, it's easy enough to include Japan (128m), the RoC (23m), and the RoK (49m), and get 1.071 billion.
Russia is arguable, but I wouldn't feel comfortable including it. I'm also not 100% sold on the RoC, but 1)I already looked up their population figure and 2)placing them in the civilized world is obnoxious, in that it makes them morally superior to unfree Chinese, and by embracing the Republic, one also neatly defuses any accusation of blind anti-sinicism. Thanks, Chiang, you dumb, villainous bastard! :smoke:
Edit: Oh, right, I forgot the EU doesn't include Switzerland or Norway. Add, what, 20m? Those guys are useless anyway. Like Norway's ever rescued anyone. All you ever did for Western civilization was provide an opportunity for the Glorious to get sunk. :angry:
I wouldn't count Serbia even if they were part of the EU. Romania can be in, though, whatever. It can't be worse than Alabama.
:lol:
You're preaching to the choir.
Norway rests in the same category as Somalia, whatever that is. :nelson:
Quote from: Ideologue on May 18, 2011, 06:14:42 AM
US (310m) + EU (501m) + Australia (22m ) + Canada (34m) + NZ (4m) = 871m. I don't mind defining the West slightly more broadly, where basic values are more-or-less the same but some constituents were never historically part of Western Christendom. Under this, it's easy enough to include Japan (128m), the RoC (23m), and the RoK (49m), and get 1.071 billion.
Russia is arguable, but I wouldn't feel comfortable including it. I'm also not 100% sold on the RoC, but 1)I already looked up their population figure and 2)placing them in the civilized world is obnoxious, in that it makes them morally superior to unfree Chinese, and by embracing the Republic, one also neatly defuses any accusation of blind anti-sinicism. Thanks, Chiang, you dumb, villainous bastard! :smoke:
Edit: Oh, right, I forgot the EU doesn't include Switzerland or Norway. Add, what, 20m? Those guys are useless anyway. Like Norway's ever rescued anyone. All you ever did for Western civilization was provide an opportunity for the Glorious to get sunk. :angry:
I wouldn't count Serbia even if they were part of the EU. Romania can be in, though, whatever. It can't be worse than Alabama.
Switzerland + Norway = 10 M
Norway also added the words Quisling and Slalom to the world languages, not to mention inventing the paperclip.