Should we rename it and recommission the Sea Shepherd to become a sealing vessel called the Seal Harvester?. After all Shepherds keep herds to cull the animals just like corn is harvested.



Nova News Now (CAN)
Sydney court to hear arguments on future of anti-sealing vessel
May 8th 2008, 7:15
http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-21032...ing-vessel.html

A hearing is slated for May 9 in provincial court in Sydney to
determine whether the anti-sealing vessel Farley Mowat should be
returned to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

The ship was seized by the federal government in April, for what DFO
says are alleged seal hunt violations. The accusation is that the ship
and its 17-member crew got too close to the seasl hunt.

The ship was seized off Cape Breton on April 12 after being boarded by
RCMP officers. The Farley Mowat's captain, Alex Cornelissen, and first
mate Peter Hammarstedt have been charged with violating the Fisheries
Act. Both have been released on bail and their lawyer said they will
be pleading not guilty to the charges.

A preliminary hearing in the case has also been scheduled for July 2.

The Dutch-registered Farley Mowat is being held in Sydney. Paul
Watson, head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, has said he
wants the vessel back.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has also vowed to bill Canada
$1,000 for every day it holds the seized ship.

"At no time did my ship ever enter the 12-mile limit," Cornelissen,
the ship's skipper, said in a release. "They had no right to board us
and these charges are ridiculous. All we did was take pictures of
seals being slaughtered on the ice."

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has said it will send an invoice
to the federal Fisheries Department on the 12th of each month, asking
for $30,000 for the time the ship is held.

Now Watson is trying to claim nobody owns the Farley Mowat,through his legal council??


Anti-sealing vessel to remain at Sydport Breaking News print this article
The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY – Canadian taxpayers are now responsible for an anti-sealing vessel seized off the coast of Cape Breton last month and now docked at an industrial park wharf near Sydney.
The 54-metre Farley Mowat, owned by the Sea Shepherd Society, was seized April 12 by federal fisheries department officers who charged the vessel’s captain and first mate with interfering with the annual seal hunt off Cape Breton.
The vessel and its 17-member crew were brought to Sydney where Captain Alex Cornelissen, 40, of Amsterdam, and first mate Peter Hammerstedt, 23, of Stockholm, spent 24 hours in jail before being released on $10,000 bail. They were deported but are scheduled to return to court July 2 to enter pleas to the charges.
During a provincial court hearing today in Sydney, Judge Peter Ross turned down a federal Crown application to release the vessel to Cornelissen and Hammerstedt provided they post a $50,000 bond.
Crown lawyer Theresa O’Leary argued the Crown would return the vessel to those from whom it was seized, meaning the captain and the first mate.
But lawyer Guy LaFosse, who represents the two accused, said the Crown has failed to produce any evidence proving that the vessel had been seized and from whom. Further, he said, neither of his clients own the property nor are they in any position to assume control over the ship.

What a bunch of bull crap. Sounds like the lawyers are trying to get this thing hung up on a technical details.

After they find them guilty they should auction the ship off, hopefully some sealers get together and buy it for next year's harvest.

Clark

The Globe and Mail (Toronto, CAN)
Taxpayers charged cost of keeping anti-sealing vessel docked near Sydney
The Canadian Press
May 10, 2008
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080510.FARLEY10/TPStory/National

SYDNEY, N.S. -- Canadian taxpayers are on the hook for the cost of
keeping an anti-sealing vessel docked at an industrial park wharf near
Sydney, N.S.

The 54-metre Farley Mowat, owned by the Sea Shepherd Conservation
Society, was detained off the coast of Cape Breton on April 12 by the
federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

It charged the vessel's captain and first mate with interfering in the
annual seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

During a Provincial Court hearing yesterday in Sydney, Judge Peter
Ross turned down a Crown application to release the vessel to Captain
Alex Cornelissen, 40, of Amsterdam, and first mate Peter Hammerstedt,

Crown lawyer Theresa O'Leary argued the Crown would return the vessel
to those from whom it was seized, meaning the captain and the first
mate.

But lawyer Guy LaFosse, who represents the two accused, said the Crown
has failed to produce any evidence proving that the vessel had been
seized and from whom.

He also said neither of his clients own the property nor are they in
any position to assume control over the ship.

In his decision, Judge Ross concurred with Mr. LaFosse that the Crown
application seemed to amount to asking that a remedy to be imposed on
a party not seeking a remedy.

"This may be imposing some kind of liability on them when they are not
even asking for it," the judge said in rejecting the Crown's
application.

The vessel and its 17-member crew were brought to Sydney where Capt.
Cornelissen and Mr. Hammerstedt spent 24 hours in jail.

They were released on $10,000 bail and deported, but are scheduled to
return to court July 2 to enter pleas to the charges.

The vessel is being held at the Sydney Industrial Park at taxpayers' expense.

The society can make application itself to have the vessel returned,
but has not done so.

Sea Shepherd spokesman Paul Watson said earlier this week he plans to
submit a bill every month to the federal government for as long they
retain control over the ship.

Mr. Watson said the society will bill $1,000 per day for every day the
vessel is held.

The society is also demanding an apology from federal Fisheries
Minister Loyola Hearn.

when they find them guilty they should take it apart and sell it off. lets hope the judge isn't going to be a bleeding heart BS follower.