The Queen left the ghostly Lootus 2 with her nets still down in the water. I'll never forget sitting alongside that trawler in the fog and looking up at the rusty hull and the large round dangling lights, which hung across the deck. We couldn't see anyone on board at all. It seemed as if the ship was running all by itself with nobody to haul the nets in. As soon as we pushed off towards Halifax on the Esperanza we noticed that the Lootus 2 finally stopped for hauling after 18 hours of having those nets down in the deep. It's upsetting to think about that ship still out there tearing up the sea floor along with so many others. We didn't stop deep sea destruction in international waters because we need the UN to do that but we went out there to tell a story and I think we told it very well. The bottom trawlers out there in the NAFO area might be hidden in fog but we've unveiled their actions to the world. It's up to governments now to make the right decision by putting in place a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling and granting deep sea biodiversity the reprieve it deserves. You can help by sending them an e.mail.
It's been a great success! I'd like to think that the pipe carrier who came on the ship and blessed it before we left actually had some effect. I'm not usually one for reading much into "signs" but there are two things, which struck me as pretty amazing and they happened at the start and right at the end of the campaign. Just before we left Halifax to go to the Grand Banks there was a rainbow over the Esperanza and I only happened to see it through a window in a shop on the waterfront. Then on the way back to Halifax I was awake in the early hours of the morning and decided to pay a visit to Satu and Thjise who were doing watch on the bridge. We stood outside and witnessed a meteor shower with shooting stars appearing almost every minute. That was my last time looking out at the open ocean on the ship and it was just beautiful. There was no moon in the sky but it was lit up with stars, many of which are not visible to the naked eye from most places on land because of the light pollution. These two events, together with the sheer luck of finding the Lootus 2, have made me question my usual atheist tendencies.
Being back in Halifax it was hectic since we did an open ship for 2 days and had lots of people on board. I enjoyed talking to people about the bridge for a few hours and whenever there were kids in the tour group I would get them to help me switch the bridge window wipers and water on and we'd wash the windows. When the kids didn't want to accept my offer I was surprised when adults were keen to take their place! I felt so lucky to have spent time living and working on the ship, which so many people were now queuing up in the hot sun to spend a few moments on.
I didn't get much sleep during my last night on the ship because so many new people had just arrived and others were leaving early in the morning so I wanted to stay up and make the most of the time I had left with everyone. I helped Chris, the radio operator, do his laundry and then said goodbye to him and Virginia who left at 4:30am. Then I went down to the mess and ate toast with Flo before getting around 2 hours sleep. Woke up at 7:30, hugged more people goodbye as they left one by one, swept and mopped the campaign office, packed up my things and sat down for lunch but I couldn't eat much at all. My heart felt like it had expanded several times it's usual size and it was difficult to breathe let alone eat. Strange how emotions can really manifest themselves physically.
I walked down the gangway one last time and turned around to wave at the Esperanza with tears welling up in my eyes. It was tough to accept that such a good thing had come to an end. I can only hope that I'll experience it all again sometime in the not too distant future.
So that's it folks. The Esperanza is now making it's way back across the Atlantic, heading for Norway. Most of the crew from the Deep Sea campaign have gone their seperate ways and I'm sitting on my bed back home now, looking at the crew photo and it doesn't feel like I have totally left at all. I took a taxi to the airport with Maite and Flo and we sat down for coffee before we each flew off in different directions. Maite told a story about a conversation she had with someone once when they said "your body travels faster than your mind and so when you leave a place you have been for a long time part of you stays there for a while". I certainly feel that way now.
This has been one amazing adventure and experience. It's been great meeting everyone on board and to have new friends from all over the world. I really enjoyed being part of such a big team and working together on a large issue like bottom trawling.
I never intended to be on the Esperanza but only to be helping out at the harbour in Halifax with Greenpeace Canada. It's funny how things work out. My mother happens to be on the Greenpeace International Board and she persuaded me to volunteer on the ship.
My first week was a little scary and rough, since this was my first time on a ship at sea. I was seasick for the first day and then battling with nausea on and off for a while. The waves and wind freaked me out until I realised I had nothing to worry about. The very experienced crew on the Esperanza made me feel safe.
During my volunteer time on the ship I worked in a wide range of areas from painting, to washing walls, helping with the food inventory and preparing food in the kitchen. I enjoyed doing it all because I got to work with such wonderful people.
I got to experience going out in the African Queen on an action and happened to pick a beautiful day to be out for 4 hours on the ocean. I finally was able to understand and see what deep sea trawling was all about up close and I really enjoyed being included.
I have also loved seeing dolphins play at the bow and for the first time seeing whales up close. One of my favorite places to be is on the heli deck where I enjoy looking out over the water. That's one of the things I will miss.
I was really happy to know that there was exercise equipment on board, which gave me the opportunity to exercise everyday, which is really important for me.
This time has been an amazing lifetime opportunity to become a part of the Greenpeace family. Thanks to everyone.
-Melanie
Hello Again Halifax!
Once again, the Esperanza is docked in Halifax by the Maritime Museum. We have an open ship today 10am-3pm and all are welcome for a free tour of the Espy. The first person to arrive at the ship and mention the weblog will get a Greenpeace T-shirt.
Hope to see you soon despite the miserable weather.
-Lisa.
August 12, 2005
Meet Bernhard: Logisitics Coordinator
Name: Bernhard From: Germany Job: Greenpeace International Logistics Coordinator
How did you end up working for Greenpeace?
I studied marine science and became a volunteer for a local Greenpeace group in Germany about 12 years ago. In my opinion Greenpeace was the way to become active in protecting the oceans. About 4 years passed while I was volunteering in every activity I could get a grip on. Then in '96 the chance arose to enter even deeper in the Greenpeace world by taking on various jobs in the German office. Seeing more and more of the importance and potential of an international organisation I act now as the logistics coordinator for Greenpeace International and have done so for the past 2 years.
What do you like best about your job?
Working with people under sometimes difficult conditions and facing ever new challenges. The work we do really makes a difference.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
I would bring the human evolution one step blobfurther to a state where ego does not rule but people have learned that respect for others and nature is the way sustain our existence. Nature doesn't need us but we need nature.
Why do you think we should give high seas bottom trawling the (fish) finger?
Bottom trawling is one example of man just longing for profit. This fishery is not performed by small fishermen but by big companies. In their rush for money they don't care about what they destroy or what species they extinguish.
Only little is known about the sea bottom. Even on well researched seamounts science has hardly seen more than 1000m down. This is about the area that one bottom trawl erases within 10 seconds from the sea floor. It's as if we are burning a land before we have even seen it.
Nothing Else Matters
Lisa is sitting opposite me now and has been for the last two weeks. She looks tired, but she is smiling. It seems that she is writing a nice weblog...
We are on the way back. Steaming with 14 kn - 750 miles to Halifax. The tour is at the end and this part of the seamounts campaign is over. It was a great time for me here on the Esperanza. From the campaign side as well as from the personal side.
Campaign wise I am glad that we were able to document the different fisheries here on the high seas of the Northwest Atlantic. This gave us the possibility to tell the different stories about what is wrong with fishing redfish, shrimp and Greenland halibut. We showed what doesn't work with the regional fisheries management organization NAFO. We were able to get more evidence and support for our demand, which is a UN moratorium on high seas bottom trawling. I have been a scientist for many years and I love to identify species, to find small organisms, to discover their way of live and to learn how all this fits together. I still have the passion of a scientist to research and feel that it would be such a scandal if the world of the deep blue ocean get lost before we had a chance to look at it. Before we can imagine how important this life in the deep is for our world above the surface. It is so logical for me that we need to give scientist the time to identify the important ar
eas first before we can protect them. We can't identify them while we destroy them at the same time by bottom trawling.
>From the personal side it was a great team to work with - the campaign people as well as the crew of the Esperanza. There was always the chance to say your opinion, to get heard and to be involved in the decision making process. I love to be on the sea, to see the horizon, feel the wind and taste the salty air. It's freedom for me and I never will get enough of it. Every ship tour you meet new people, some which fit more to yourself, some less. There are so many different nationalities and different stories behind the people so it's always such a great experience. One of my wishes when I came on boars was to see whales and dolphins alive in the sea. Until now I've only seen harbour porpoises in the North Sea and dead sperm and fin whales on the beaches of the Wadden Sea. Here I got to see dolphins, pilot whales and sperm whales a few meters alongside an inflatable! It impressed me deeply and reached my heart where it will stay forever. I am able to sit and watch the ocean for
hours and hours. Feeling cold or hungry doesn't matter and nothing else seems to be important when you get the chance to experience the ocean like this.
How did you come to be working on Greenpeace ships?
I did a degree in telecommunications and was working for the Australian navy 10 years ago when I saw on the news that Greenpeace had suffered damage to their radio equipment during an action so I offered to fix it for them.
What do you do when you are not on board?
I manage an organic chocolate farm with my girlfriend in Costa Rica
What is your favorite thing to do on the ship?
Participate in anything that matters.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
Protesting is not enough. We must take radical action against the fascist leaders in this world.
[Editor's note - I think Chris has watched "Team America" too many times]
The following is from Flo, an activist and boat driver from Germany...
If I had come up to the bridge, probably 5 minutes earlier everything would have been different. There was a meeting in the chartroom and almost everyone was there and I stepped right into their discussion about what we could do with the Lootus 2, which was only 1 nautical mile to our starboard side and hidden by the fog. By the trawler's behaviour over the last 24 hours we could tell that they had not hauled their nets for over 14 hours, which was more than strange. The team decided to do something about it. What? Well, the banners with magnets worked the other time, but now we wanted something different. They chose an action with swimmers for a change, so the moment I stepped into the chartroom, they were looking for volunteers. The first thing I heard, was Luke saying: "There's one!" while pointing at me. That's how I became a swimmer. Actually, there was a list of people who had volunteered earlier for possible activities and there I was on the swimming list because in so me silly moment I must have lifted my arm, to volunteer as a swimmer. I can't remember why. Normally I don't like swimming, but that's a different story. This didn't seem to be very normal at all.
I went to tell Gabor, the other swimmer to get ready. It was his first sw imming action too, but he sincerely volunteered and actually looked forwa rd to it. I didn't know yet what to think about it but I was happy to get out in front of the Lootus 2 and do something about bottom trawling.
So I found me a nice big bright dry-suit. I've tried these before, you ac tually stay dry and don't really feel the cold of the water. No luck! Gab or and me were told we had to wear wetsuits which are apparently much bet ter for swimming. Everybody seemed to know a lot more about swimming than we did!
Well, there we were, in shorts on the poop-deck, finding our way into the suits, jackets, boots and gloves. In the meantime everybody else got in the inflatables and left, not without giving us some last great tips on h ow to avoid the propellers, how to hold on to the bow of the ship and how to make sure the captain of the ship actually sees our banner. This was really exciting! Gabor and I started liking the entire project.
Eventually we had everything and got into the boat to leave for the Lootu s 2, which was difficult to find in the fog. Once there we got some more advice, none of which I really took in. Then the inflatable manouvered in front of the fishing vessel. The captain of the Lotuus 2 had not replied to any of our attempts to talk to him for the last 24 hours, even though Waldemar was telling him via radio to stop, since we had two swimmers in front of his bow.
There we go. All of a sudden Gabor and me went overboard, some water crep t into the wet suit, but as promised, we didn't really feel the cold wate r (14 B0C). Someone handed us the banner, which was attached to a floati ng buoy and then our boat was gone. Instead of coming closer to us, the L ootus 2 actually steered hard to port side, so that we couldn't come clos e to it. Then something weird happened, both Gabor and I actually tried t o swim after the ship, trying to reach its bow. It was crazy! Now I was s wimming after a fishing boat, trying to stop it!
Since this attempt was not very successful, we decided to go for it again. We really wanted to show the captain (and the world!) that we were dete rmined. This time we jumped much closer to the ship into the water and af ter only a few seconds we actually touched the hull of the ship. The Lotu us 2 was still trawling at about 3 knots, so after only a few seconds we were drifting by the side of the ship, nearing the stern. From right unde rneath the ship it seemed huge...an enormous wall of steel driven by a ve ry strong propeller. Scary! For a brief moment I was scared of the idea o f being sucked under the ship and at the stern I felt the water twirling and spinning, but it was not strong enough to actually pull us.
We did the action again for a third time and I held onto the bow for seve ral seconds and actually managed to light a flare at the same time but th e Lotuus 2 never slowed down. Hanging on the bow, it actually felt like t he ship was speeding up and after a while my arms couldn't hold me any lo nger. I had to let go and I drifted alongside the ship, passing the stern and the two massive cables, which went all the way down to the fishing n et on the seabed 900 meters below.
Why didn't they haul for the last... now 16 hours? It's a sad feeling, se eing these fishing boats from behind, disappearing in the fog. Their huge doors at the stern look like big mouths, in whose nets tons and tons of fish and sea life disappear. We felt exhausted but good about trying to d o something, about expressing our opinion even if it looked kind of crazy out here in the middle of nowhere swimming in the ocean. We had a nice w elcome back on board, got dry and got us some warm food. Great!
Later that night, close to 11 o'clock I stood on the deck watching the Lo otus 2 and one of our inflatables in the distance (still waiting for the ship to haul) and then I saw a big shark passing the Esperanza. No kiddin g, this shark was 2.5 to 3.5 meters long and stayed some time in the spot lights alongside the ship and then dove away. I had never seen a shark be fore, but this was beautiful, the way it moved in the water, the color of the water. I don't have the words to describe it but just believe me, it was an incredible sight.
And only then I realised we had just been swimming in shark infested wate rs!!! Not bad for a story.
Name: Tara (Tarasara) From: Sweden Job: Assistant Cook
How did you come to be working on Greenpeace ships?
Three and a half years ago I started at Greenpeace as a direct dialoguer. At that time I was a poor student that desperately needed a job. When I saw that Greenpeace searched for direct dialoguers I became very happy because I always liked Greenpeace and their beliefs and thought it was nice to combine work with something important. The more I got to know about Greenpeace the more interested I became and I took the decision to become a Greenpeace activist. I trained as a boat driver with Greenpeace Sweden and got totally sucked in. So when I had the chance to join the ship I took it and I've never been happier!
What do you do when you are not on board?
At home I just finished my Performing Art studies, which included singing, dancing, theater, circus and art science. I spend a lot of time with friends but I am also training a lot and trying to learn new things. Climbing and singing is something I do a lot back home. I do actions and voluntary work for Greenpeace Sweden. When I'm go back home from the ship I'm going to spend some time diving and try to find a job.
What is your favorite thing to do on the ship?
I love to sit outside on the deck watching the ocean with dolphins in it and feel the freedom that you only can feel when you're out at sea and only can see ocean wherever you look. When I get the chance I drive the inflatables. That and changing the world for the better are the things that make my life worth living. To just travel everyday and see new places is also a thing I love about the ship.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
Everyone would be vegetarian.
Wake Up
We came to the Grand Banks to document high seas bottom trawling and after we'd seen enough, we couldn't resist taking action against it. The past couple of days have completely blurred into one another leaving me feeling unsure of where to start telling you about how things have happened. Let's go back to Monday afternoon. We hadn't found any fishing vessels for the entire day on the western side of the Flemish Cap and we were heading south. We were coming to the end of our time at sea and we wanted to find a trawler with a bad history, which would help get our message out to the world that NAFO is not capable of managing this area and a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling is needed NOW!
Just as we felt that time was running out and our hopes were beginning to fade up came a blip on the radar, which we suspected was a bottom trawler. As we drew nearer to the vessel, we called them on the radio, getting no reply we launched the African Queen to find out who it was since it was so foggy. A few moments later we heard Mariajo's ecstatic voice on the radio "It's the Lootus 2!". Everyone on the bridge erupted with applause and shrieks of excitement. This was one of the vessels we wanted to find because it has broken NAFO regulations 7 times in the last 5 years (like using illegal nets and catching species under moratoria). We knew we had to do something quite special with this vessel in order to raise awareness about deep sea destruction. We needed to wake up NAFO and the rest of the world and the Lootus 2 was a perfect example to do this with.
The Esperanza went into action mode and was once again buzzing with anticipation. As we waited for the Lootus 2 to haul in the net I managed to get myself included as part the crew on the safety boat for the action. The call came at about 7'o clock that the trawler had slowed down and was probably hauling so we should prepare to launch. I dashed to the wet room, ready to board the Hurricane but as soon we all got into our boat suits and life jackets another call came through over the speakers, "stand down, the ship is speeding up again and is not hauling". Disappointed, we took everything off and went back to waiting around but it quickly grew dark and the action was delayed until the morning.
The ship hauled her nets at around 11pm and took off at a speed of over 9 knots, which it maintained for 7 hours during the night. It slowly slipped away from us during my nightwatch and by 5am it was over 7 miles away. At 6am, the bridge started to come alive with many people watching the radar and pondering what to do about the situation. Bunny, our campaign coordinator, asked me to wake up the the crew who would be involved and at 7:30am I did another wake up call, this time for everyone. We launched the Queen which went over to the Lootus 2 and waited there, feeding information back the Esperanza about what was happening. By 10am the trawler had been fishing for 5 hours and we expected she would haul before lunch time so once again we were on standby.
We launched the Hurricane and another inflatable over the side and stayed in the water, ready to go to the trawler as soon as she slowed down to haul. She had been fishing since 5am and we traveled alongside the Esperanza, behind the trawler for what seemed like hours, wondering when the fishing would stop but it went on and on! What were they doing? Were they too scared to pull their nets up in front of us (trawls don't usually last more than 8-9 hours)? I sat in the Hurricane bobbing around on the ocean, along with Mike and Rosso and after a while Penny passed us coffee in flasks through a porthole in the Espy (so nice!). I had time to think a lot about the fragile, living structures on the sea floor right beneath us, which were being demolished the entire time this vessel was fishing... dragging the net through the myriad of life in the deep... and about how many other creatures were also being swallowed up by this enormous death trap. It made me sad and angry and I felt i
ncredibly eager to go over to this deep sea destroyer and do something to try and stop it.
Eventually we had to come on board the Espy again since we didn't want to be traveling in the water for too long. I desperately needed the toilet so I was very glad about the pit stop. Mike had been telling me what I needed to do in order to pee over the side of the Hurricane and I really didn't fancy that option, especially right alongside the Esperanza with over 30 crew on board! I ended up falling asleep in my boat suit on the helideck while I put my camera on charge and waited for the call to go again. Staying awake since the wee hours of the morning was proving difficult.
After we hit 5 o'clock it became obvious to everyone that we needed a plan B since it seemed like they were going to keep trawling and keep their nets down for as long as we were around. We also had to start heading back to Halifax as soon as possible (the Espy is on a tight schedule). So we decided to get in the way of the trawler itself by putting protest swimmers in the water right in front of the bow of the Lootus 2. Gabor and Flo bravely volunteered for this and suited up. I helped load a banner into the Hurricane, which the swimmers would carry and we set off into the fog towards the trawler.
Well now, I've already written too much and my intention was to wake everyone up, not put anyone to sleep, so the rest will have to come later along with loads more pictures!
Just a quickie to let you all know that we found the Lootus 2(the Estonian trawler we were looking for) yesterday afternoon! What a stroke of luck! We followed it all through the night even though it was going faster than us and in the morning we set out to do an action, which we have only just finished (It's now nearly midnight). I've been up since 3:40am so you're going to have wait until tomorrow to hear all about it I'm afraid but I've had the best day and there will be lots of blogging by me tomorrow, and hopefully some other crew will write about it from their perspective too. Wow! My head feels like Vegemite! I'm off to bed.
Yesterday we pulled off an action against a Spanish trawler, attaching a banner saying "deep sea destroyer" to the hull of the offending vessel. No doubt that information is available through the official web pages but if you only read them what you miss is the stuff that goes on behind the scenes. So that's what I'm going to tell you about, about how it happens from the moment we have the chance to do an action. The following account is roughly how it has taken place during this campaign.
As soon as there is a possibility for action and the decision has been made to seize it, over the phones comes the message "we are going into action, we are going into action. Everyone drops what they are doing and disperses throughout the ship to collect what they need (spare batteries for radios, snacks, cameras, life jackets, boat suits, banners, magnets, boots, protective head gear) and then the crane starts lifting up the inflatables one by one and launching them into the water. Four people are needed to hold onto 'tag lines' which hold a boast in position as it gets lowered over the side. The driver and a crew person need to be in the boat when it gets lifted and lowered into the water. The Espy needs to be doing some speed (usually 6 knots), which makes launching easier and sometimes she needs to be in a certain position to give the
small boats a lee (shelter from the waves).
Once the inflatable detaches itself from the crane, it comes against the side of the ship by the pilot door and collects the extra crew (campaigners, photographers and action people now all dressed in thick orange suits and life jackets) from the wet room. This is hardest part if the weather or swells are bad. Boarding passengers need to be quick when climbing down the ladder and only when the driver says "go". They also need to to hold onto the sides of the pilot door and look down towards the boat to make sure it doesn't get pushed out by the waves as they try to stand on it otherwise they could drop right into the water! There are always extra people at the pilot door to help crew get into the boat. The captain can watch the pilot door on a television screen on the bridge and he communicates with the inflatable by radio. This communication can also be heard in the radio room.
Once everyone is on board the captain gives the inflatable the signal to go and then they stay in contact on the radio. The driver of the inflatable needs to know where he is going since it's been foggy and impossible to see where the fishing vessel is. He asks the captain for a bearing and away they go. If the weather is too rough the captain may decide to abort the action at anytime.
After the action, everything happens exactly in reverse. The inflatables come back to the pilot door. Most of the crew get off, very carefully. The crane pulls the boats out of the water. People pull the tag lines in. Everyone takes off their boat suits and washes them and then hangs them up to dry. The radios are returned to the radio room. The photographers go straight to their tiny offices and look at what they've got. There is time for a shower and some left over food in the mess and then we all have a discussion about what happened.
This meeting is mainly celebratory and there are lots of good vibes flying around along with the serious discussion of the events although it becomes obvious that not everyone is completely happy about not taking things further. Everyone is different on board and although we all care about the same things and want to take action for a better environment we don't always see eye to eye about the way it should be done. Some would perhaps like to do something a little more radical but what unites us is that we all want to do something to stop the destruction, and the conviction that whatever we do has to be non-violent. So everyone does their best even if they are not completely in agreement with the plan. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing. We want a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling and there is not a single person on this ship who doesn't.
When another trawler is discovered on the radar the entire process starts again, even if it's Sunday and the crew are expecting to be in bed for a little longer (just like yesterday).
How did you end up working for Greenpeace?
I got a phone call asking if I would like to make pictures of the people working on board.
What do you like best about your job?
It is really interesting to work with so many people of different nationalities working on one goal.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
No more war.
August 07, 2005
S.O.S. to the World
The following is an account from Mike (chief mate) of what happened in yesterday's action against high seas bottom trawling...
The sun rose and some of the crew were out to watch it for its brief appearance. The rest watched with us as it disappeared again, half an hour later into dark rain filled clouds that took over the sky whilst we were launching the boats. The wind rose in the suns wake to a Beaufort force six, occasionally gusting to seven. Esperanza swung one way and then the other, making a lee to each side in order to launch the boats in the twelve foot swell. The Hurricane, with me as coxswain and Florian as crew were the first in the water. Florian, is a university student of environmental science from Germany, who joined the Esperanza as an activist in Halifax. He wears his long blond hair in dreads, and volunteers for everything all of the time.
Next in the water was a Noviranea, its role in the action was to be a safety boat, to tag along behind the scenes and pick any body out of the water, should the sea wash them from the deck of the Hurricane. On board the Noviranea for the terrific ordeal into the weather was Fritz, the Greenpeace International crew manager. He apparently laughed for the first hour and then hung to his dear life for the next, for the sea was relentless with the small boat. The African Queen in her grace was third in the water, she went ahead and started then ended the action as the on site co-ordination and media boat.
In the action boat, we were joined by Marta from Madrid and Tara from Stockholm. They had come along as the painters. The four of us wore helmets for protection and bright yellow vests, with the words `Deep Sea Defenders' emboldened on the back in large black letters. My helmet was fitted with a camera to capture another angle of the activity. Inside the boat, we carried five litres of water based orange paint, two rollers and a paint tray. We also had a back up banner with magnets, and a small yellow flag to fly from the stern of the Hurricane. The weather tore at the small boats and within minutes the seas on the Flemish Cap had found their way through our action suits.
The Queen headed towards the target vessel and positioned herself ready with the cameras. Then the call came through, " Your turn Hurricane". A goodbye wave to the Esperanza and away we went at fast speed, straight into the action. I brought the Hurricane alongside the Icelandic bottom trawler 'Petur Jonsson' whose gear was down, trawling at a slow speed. The rise and fall of the swell was phenomenal. Marta poured some orange paint out into the tray and Tara dipped the roller into it. The hurricane rose and fell two meters at a time as she tried to paint a question mark onto the Petur Jonsson's hull. But the roller slid and did not paint well over the wet surface and we risked getting dashed against the side of the trawler. I filmed this as it was happening, with the camera on my head. Gavin, our video guy, had instructed me to try and look at things for periods of ten seconds at a time so not only was I concentrating on the positioning of the inflatable, but I was try
ing to restrict the movement of my head, whilst looking out of the corner of my eye.
The fishermen rushed out onto the deck and turned their fire hoses on us and I heard them shouting in a language that I did not understand. The paint was not going on and the painting plan was not coming off. I shouted above the wind to the crew, "Lets try the magnets and banner". The girls put away their paint, whilst Florian pulled out the banner. It was a simple message that read, `LEGAL?' A number of attempts were made to place the banner on the ships side with magnets, but somehow the wind whipped around the side of the Petur Jonsson and tore it down again. The crew resorted to holding the banner up in their hands and for the picture I was asked to position the Hurricane under the bow, beneath the ships name. As the bulbous bow came up cascading with white water, it pushed the bow of the hurricane away, swinging the stern onto the hull of the trawler. Effectively we were being bounced around and I needed little engine movements to keep her in position.
Despite the odds, we held our message today before the camera lenses to focus attention on the international waters, which cover 64% of our Earth. Like a message in a bottle it was cast off, with love and peace.
We set out to paint the side of the Petur Jonsson today, with the question "Legal?". Here's an update from Bunny, our campaign coordinator...
It was an early start to the day and into three boats: paint boat, media boat and safety boat. The swell was pretty big so getting in the boats was a challenge and painting the side of the boat was also a big ask. We got to the Petur Jonsson around 8.30am. They were trawling at a decent speed for painting and the valient paint crew went at it with gusto, and as soon as the crew on board the Jonsson saw what they were doing they got the water hoses out onto to them. However, it was simply too hard to get the little word 'legal?' onto the side of the ship, so they moved to plan B which was to attach the same word on a banner with magnets but this didnt work either. So plan C, yes there was a plan C! They held the banner up under the bow of the ship with the name of the boat in full view. It was as good as it was going to get out there with the big swell and the hoses. We all came back to the ship after about two hours, pretty wet and cold but with some good shots which are going out now with the press release.
We are now heading for a Latvian trawler and if it is fishing for Greenland halibut we will try to go on board to document what they are doing as it would still be good to get some footage of bycatch from this fishery. We have also sent the note below to the boats that we have visited to explain to them why we have moved to a protest activity. Otherwise it would seem like we had opened the door and then shut it without saying anything, and as the contacts with some of these boats was very good and informative on both sides we decided this made sense... another opportunity to explain the campaign too.
Thanks for the opportunity to visit with you earlier in the week and to document the shrimp fisheries as part of the bottom trawl fisheries in international waters of the Northwest Atlantic. We appreciated the time to discuss the campaign with you and recognise that we agree on some issues but also have different positions on others.
One point we discussed was NAFO's management of the shrimp fisheries here on the Flemish Cap. You know better than us, that it is not done by setting a catch limit, but rather by allocating a number of days and vessels to member countries fishing in the area. This managment system has resulted in members of NAFO just using bigger boats, often setting up to three nets at a time to catch as much as possible in the time allocated. This is not the response of an industry committed to a sustainable fishing future. This is not the only example where NAFO and its members have demonstrated that they are not able to manage the fisheries under their care in a sustainable way.
Additionally, Iceland has used the objection procedure in the NAFO to opt out of this effort allocation scheme and set its own quota. We are asking: "Why is it legal for member countries to opt out of management decisions made collectively by NAFO? Why is it legal for members of NAFO to set their own quotas and ignore scientific advice?
Unsustainable fishing will lead to fish stocks collapsing and when that happens, there will be no more employment in the fishing industry and no income for people who depend on the sea. Bottom trawling is an unsustainable fishing technique that has destructive impacts on the marine ecosystems and poses serious threats to deep sea fish species. We want to encourage fishing companies and governments to use other low-impact fishing methods available to ensure that we are not causing irreparable damage to the marine environment. Regional organisations like NAFO have been directed by the UN to address the destructive impacts of technologies such as bottom trawling, but nothing has happened.
That's why we are documenting and also protesting. We have today done a non-violent peaceful protest against bottom trawling on the highseas. We did not interfere with the navigation equipment of the vessel and we did not do anything to jeopardise the safety of the crew of the trawler and of ourselves. The protest is not against the fishing vessel workers.
What does Greenpeace want?
We are calling on governments around the world to support a UN General Assembly Resolution imposing an immediate moratorium on high seas bottom trawling. This will provide scientists with the necessary time to assess deep sea biodiversity, and policy makers with the time to agree legally binding measures for effective conservation and management of the highseas.
How did you end up working for Greenpeace?
In the eighties, I got my bachelors degree in Human Resources. I started my work at a consultancy firm. I have seen dozens of organisations from the inside, especially from the HR point of view. Profit and Non-Profit.
I moved over to an offshore company. There I became the HR board member but the activities of the company had an impact on the environment. That's how I realised that their is more in life than just doing a job and making money. I reached a point where I no longer wanted to take responsibility for their way of producing and their impacts on the environment.
I took time to think my life over. I decided that my next job should give me an opportunity to make a contribution towards a better world. So when I saw a Greenpeace ad for a crew manager, I applied. To cut things short, here I am on board the Esperanza, opposing high seas bottom trawling.
What do you like best about your job?
Being part of a team, making changes that have a positive impact on our world really makes me go for it. If I can somehow make a change for the positive, it's all worth the effort.
August 06, 2005
A Twitcher's Blog
Chris bears witness to deep sea destruction
The following is by Chris, our onboard naturalist...
So here we are... the North West Atlantic Ocean, over 200 NM from the closest point of land, there is over 1500m of water beneath us and a vast deep blue oasis in every direction around us. We are priveledged to be sailing on the Esperanza, in all accounts a vessel of "Hope". Hope by name, hope by creed. A hope for the future of this aquatic paradise, a hope that our descendants will have the same opportunity to experience this natural wonder for themselves. A hope that the whales, the birds and the creatures of the deep will survive man's continuous plunder. A hope that this nobel voyage WILL make the difference, that a balance between man and nature may be found so that both may thrive.
Many pleasant hours have been spent gazing from the bow and decks of the Esperanza during this voyage to the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap. Once one of the richest fishing grounds in the world, it is home to a diverse and vibrant ecosystem. From the surface, the depths below hold their intimate secrets closely. Only few men have had rare glimpse's of the mystery and beauty found far below in this practically unknown, benthic wonderland. However, from the ripples on her surface, much of her mystique comes to life. his serene world is an vigorous playground for whales, dolphins, seals and an abundance of seabirds. I along with several other avid and knowledgeable birders on board have delighted greatly upon the sightings and subsequent additions to our "life lists" of several new species of seabirds. Of special note were several sightings of Long-tailed Jaegers (Stercorarius longicaudus). This bird is characterised by a round chest, flat belly and narrow wings. Its tail is forked and very distinctively long. There is a yellow wash over white on its cheeks that is hard to see, except in mature adults. A black cap on the head offers a sharp contrast. It is a rare visitor to these waters at this time of year, more commonly seen in the fall during its migration south. It breeds in dry, upland tundra in the arctic. This species can be seen soaring high above fishing vessels, often trying to land on the masts and antennas. They have a characteristic "shrill" call which should quickly make their presence known.
Several other interesting species have been spotted in this area, such as the Dovekie (Alle alle) also called, Little Auk. Black and white "Penguins of the North" are plump with a short neck and stubby bill. Normally they are not seen this far south until at least September as this area is in the heart of their wintering range. They breed in the arctic and sub-arctic regions. Many of our old favorites are ever present on a daily basis. The Greater Shearwater seems to be the most abundant resident to the area. They are so-named due to the way way they move under water. With wings tucked backwards, they appear to "shear" the water creating a jet stream effect behind their wings. Northern Fulmers, Great Skua's, and Leach's Storm Petrels also abound. Seabirds can always be found nearby fishing vessel's, awaiting their chance at a "free" meal. Often the birds will provide clue's to the whereabouts of fish. A large flock of birds on the open ocean can often mean there is schooling fish about. Often the appearance of whales and dolphins in the area will remove any further doubts.
Any member of the crew who has spent several hours on a warm sunny day leaning over the bow of the Esperanza watching the bird ballet before them, could also almost certainly hear the musical symphony that they sway too. I often marvel at the effortless banking and gliding, swooping and dipping as the Shearwaters and Fulmers dance upon the waves. Storm Petrels flit from place to place, hovering for an instant to snag a bit of food from the surface, their quest relentless, their precision flawless. There is a seemingly endless congregation of feathered angels, which descend from the heavens above, sliding down one wave to catch an updraft and soar over the next peak hugging the ever changing contours of a sea in chaos. The continuous flight of fancy exhibited by these aerial mavericks is truly something to behold. High above, the cries of Jaegers, against the backdrop of soft pillowy clouds dotting the vast blue sky, can be heard. Dolphins frolic in the waves at the bow, and charging forward the vibrant rainbow painted hull of the Esperanza makes way.
As the day finally draws to a close, the sun slowly sinks westward, the horizon is ablaze, the red glowing sun reminds me of a timeless Fishermen's Lament... Red Sky at Night, Sailors Delight! Red Sky in Morning, Sailors Take Warning! As the sun is a fiery scarlet tonight, I look forward to clear sailing ahead and the hope of better days to come.
--Chris
Meet Iris: Oceans Campaigner
Name: Iris From: Germany Job: Oceans Campaigner
How did you end up working for Greenpeace?
I studied biology and have done my diploma thesis and my Ph.D on marine issues. I worked for seven years at a marine scientific institute on a small island in Germany. I came to Greenpeace three years ago, because I would like to shift my work from basic scientific studies to more environmental issues. I have been a supporter of Greenpeace since I was 18 and I was very lucky to get the job as a campaigner and especially an oceans campaigner because the oceans are one of my passions.
What do you like best about your job?
To be on the sea!
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
I am completely focused on the oceans: Stop the destruction and plundering of the oceans and they will give us so much more.
PRESS RELEASE: Greenpeace leaves a mark and casts a net of legal doubts on Icelandic ship
Northwest Atlantic, 6 August 2005 - Greenpeace called on Iceland and other members of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) to get their deep-sea fisheries mismanagement under control by branding the side of the Petur Jonsson, a 64-meter Icelandic bottom trawler with the word "Legal?" in international waters of the Northwest Atlantic.
"We want a UN moratorium on high-seas bottom trawling now," said Bunny McDiarmid of Greenpeace International. "We need to force decision makers to sort out the mismanagement of deep-sea fisheries and to give scientists the necessary time to identify which vulnerable areas need protection from this destructive fishing practice" she said.
NAFO's "management" of shrimp in international waters of the Flemish Cap (1) is not done by setting a catch limit, but rather by allocating a number of days and vessels to member countries fishing in the area. Iceland has used the objection procedure (2) in the NAFO to opt out of this effort allocation scheme and set its own quota.
"Why is it legal for member countries to opt out of management decisions made collectively by NAFO? Why is it legal for members of NAFO to then set their own quotas and ignore scientific advice? And why is it legal to bottom trawl in areas where soft corals and other vulnerable deep-sea life also exists and could be lost forever with one trawl?" asked McDiarmid.
The Greenpeace ship Esperanza is in the international waters of the Northwest Atlantic to highlight and document the activities of the bottom trawling fleets. Greenpeace has visited four shrimpers and observed seven bottom trawling ships in the same area of the Flemish Cap last week (3). Skippers on board shrimp trawlers in the Flemish Cap have told Greenpeace that over the years the shrimp are getting smaller and the boats are getting bigger. The use of larger boats is to get around the restriction on boat numbers and days. Bigger boats mean that they can trawl and haul more than one net at a time. In 2003 the catch increased to 62,000 MT, from 49,000 the year before; this was largely due to Norway, doubling their catch by setting three nets at a time (4).
The Petur Jonsson is the only Icelandic shrimp trawler currently in the area, although a number of other Lithuanian and Estonian flagged shrimpers appear to be either operated or owned by Icelandic interests (5).
"With around 30 tons of gear dropping onto the seabed three times a day and approximately 12 square kilometers of the seabed being trawled every 24 hours by each trawler, it's not hard to see why this is considered to be one of the most destructive fishing practices around," concluded McDiarmid.
For more information
On board the ship: Bunny McDiarmid +871 324.469.014
Racine Tucker-Hamilton +1 202.436.1039
Photos and video available
Greenpeace International Picture Desk, John Novis (m) +31 653 819 121
Greenpeace International Video Desk, Michael Nagasaka (m) +31 646 166 309
Notes to editors
(1) The Esperanza is in division 3M of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries
Organisation (NAFO)
(2) The objection procedure in NAFO means a member country can simply state they disagree with a decision within 60 days, and they are then not bound by it.
(4) NAFO Scientific Council Meeting - September 2004: Assessment of the International Fishery for Shrimp (Pandalus Borealis) in Division 3M (Flemish Cap), 1993-2004.
(5) The shrimp fishery on the Flemish Cap began in 1993 following the collapse of the cod fishery. Today Estonia, Denmark (Faroe Islands), Norway and Iceland take the largest catch and their markets are predominantly Europe, Japan and the USA. In 2001 the shrimp catch from the Flemish Cap was the largest reported bottom trawl fishery in international waters.
Citizens can participate in an online alert urging decision makers to support a
moratorium on high seas bottom trawling at
http://www.greenpeace.org/stop-bottom-trawling
For details of the tour and to follow the Esperanza's diary visit:
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/deepsea.
Cyberactivist At Sea
I'm blogging in the campaign office on the Esperanza
It's been rather quiet the past couple of days since we haven't found many ships to document. We're on the West side of the Flemish Cap and we're now going to pump up the volume a little with the campaign. If you thought we simply came here to take a passive record of deep sea destruction, you were wrong!
Last night I was relieved from my watch by Gabor (Garbo), the Garbologist and it was so lovely to have a full night's sleep. But since most of the crew are needed for their work in the daytime I've been asked to stick with it, although Mike assures me I am not expected to (but can you imagine the guilt trip if I said no?). It's not so bad. I've been really tired but there is one major perk to this job. Nightwatchers are excused from cleaning duties in the morning! We are supposed to be sleeping then. However, I've tried going to bed at all hours of the day only to find myself lying awake listening to the hustle and bustle of the ship, wondering what's going on. How can I be expected to sleep when things are happening on a Greenpeace ship? It's like being invited to the coolest party in the world as a teenager but your Mum telling you, you need to be home way before the party is over.
Lately I've found myself sitting in the campaign office and having these moments where I stop whatever I'm doing, look up at Bunny, Iris and Mariajo (the campaigners) who are sitting around me at the table, and pause to let a recurring thought roll around my head. I'm here with my computer, just as I would be at home... sitting down, writing about environmental destruction on the Greenpeace cybercenter but now I'm writing about it on a Greenpeace ship! It's very odd, like somehow I've been sucked in through my computer screen and come out the other side of www.greenpeace.org. Being a cyberactivist is what got me here on the ship but when I registered ,I never thought for a second that I'd land up here writing to you now, 1000 meters above the sea floor.
Last night we found the Petur Jonsson, an Icelandic shrimper which wouldn't allow us on board last time we were in this area. Iceland has chosen to ignore NAFO regulations, which is perfectly legal but we don't think it should be! This morning we have an early start since we're going back to visit that trawler again to...! I'll be staying on the Espy today, feeding you the latest updates as fast as possible. It's rough out there with the winds gusting up to 29 knots but there's no fog and only a little cloud in the sky.
--Lisa.
If you want to get more involved you should register as a cyberactivist. act.greenpeace.org
Meet Remon: Fitter
Name: Remon From: Holland Job: Fitter
How did you come to be working on Greenpeace ships?
My life in Greenpeace started a few years in ago in 2002 straight after the conversion of the Esperanza. I had been working on a shipyard for about ten years as a welder/ shipbuilder. When the Esperanza was bought it wasn't ready to be a Greenpeace ship yet, so a major refit had to take place for six months at the shipyard where I was working.
At that time I got to know several crew members like Mannes, our chief engineer on board. I started talking and tried to get some info about the life on board because after all those month's work I fell in love with the ship and felt a connection with the Greenpeace people and I thought this is it! If I wanted to do something for a better environment, then this would be my chance. I wrote a letter and after a few days I had a response. Yes! I was welcome.
What do you do when you are not on board? (still waiting)
I work in a shipyard and go travelling
What is your favourite thing to do on the ship?
My favourite thing to do on the ship is fixing and creating new things like steel parts for the engine room or deck and improving the ship every time - but of course being on the sea is also great.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
I would make Greenpeace not have to exist.
His eyes are wide, like black liquid beauty staring at me, at us, while we handle him gently, taking him in turns to hold him in our arms. He does not look scared. His fine Somali features express only a sense of dignified tranquility, accepting the fact that he has become one of the most loved creatures by the sanitary personnel managing the little camp of tents close to the hospital. We all compete in trying to fill him with affection and attention. He is two, maybe three years old. He is a lovely gentle child, who is slowly succumbing to AIDS and his family are already wiped out. It is November 2000 and I find myself in Somaliland, (ex British Somalia), leading a development project in the area of Boroma, close to the Ethiopian border. It's an awful November when around 30 children will die at the hospital, ravaged by cholera, parasites or AIDS. That's a child a day, which is such a blow to our attempts to maintain them in life and there is a sense of desperate impotence filling our minds and nurturing the nightmares troubling our sleep.
It's a deeply hard experience, being so close to death... but it helped me realise again how beautiful, fragile, and thrilling life and to be alive is. It put one thing back on top of my personal scale of values - surviving.
Survival is really a simple concept in itself, but regulating each single moment of our existence and we only need a few basic things to be able to survive. Water to drink, food to eat and air to breath are needs, while a shelter, clothes, medicines are mere 'add-ons' helping us to live longer. Take away just one of the first three and we are doomed. So it is with deep incredulity that every time I go back to my country, fully belonging now to the Western culture, I observe how we now take our survival chances for granted. When did we forget that we depend on the 'outer' world? When did things start to go really wrong with our ability to see the reality surrounding us? When did our cultural arrogance become incommensurable and when did we commit the ultimate disastrous ethical blunder by starting to consider money a survival tool, more important than air, food or water? All these are questions I would love to pose to the companies who own the deep sea fishing vessels whose routes I have crossed while driving an inflatable in these waters. I want to reach out to them and communicate these simple concepts but I have a feeling that they would not have the will to understand or change. But the governments of the respective countries, which are involved in this plunder, have the power and the moral responsibility to do something. We are all hoping that they will establish a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling at the next UN meeting! So I encourage everyone to take the cyberaction and make your voice heard, along with mine.
Where is the sense in destroying the resources we live upon? It would be like being at home, opening our filled fridge to eat maybe one or two things we find inside while throwing the rest in the garbage bin with, in addition, the fridge itself. Finally it is only a matter of having enough money for doing it. Madness... complete, utter, total ethical madness.
There is so much fog around us. It's a chilly greyness but nothing compared to the fog blinding our minds. We do not stop for a moment to consider the consequences of what we do, even if we directly stumble upon them, even if the fish catches are lower along with the economical gains while the hours of work are longer and people are getting poorer with each passing day. Even the huge worried outcry uttered now, so late, by the whole scientific community remains unanswered. We, the 'masters' of this poor world, have no time to spare for these "petty" problems.
Only two centuries ago the coastal waters of this area of the world were so full of fish that they could hinder the navigation. An easy catch! In the 60's, only 40 years ago, 800 000 tonnes a year of cod were sucked from these seas with the blessing of part of the scientific community, affirming that the oceans resources would be boundless for eternity... ten years later the cod had already virtually disappeared. William W. Warner, in his book 'Distant Water' believed that the fish population crisis of that time would have put a stop (like a natural kind of limit) to overfishing but he was wrong. When resources had been depleted from the shallow waters, we sought for the fish further below. It was just a matter of adjusting our gear. From cod to shrimp, from herring to halibut, from tuna to redfish, deeper and deeper, where no light is, where no man has set foot, where life and its diversity are still a mystery, with gear so destructive that we leave a desert behind, annihilating ten or twenty folds to get one... but, hey babe, we live for the day, don't we?
Going deeper and deeper, reaching down into blackness, scraping the bottom of the barrel, of our conscience, of our sense of responsibility, of the seas...
From the middle of this grey world with madness all around us, a hug to all of you that still believe, as I do, that we will be able to stop it.
We spent Monday night on the heels of a Spanish trawler ("Punta Robaleira"). They hauled at around 3am and we expect the trawl to take about 10 hours, as we are so much deeper here, so we went for a look around 8am. We tried calling them on the radio but there was no response. The trawler was fishing for Greenland halibut at about 700 meters. We returned to the Espy and went back when the trawlers speed slowed. We also sent a smaller inflatable to collect the bycatch. This time everyone was kitted out and prepared to get wet. As soon as the trawler stopped hauling they increased their speed to 10 knots and started weaving all over the place like a drunk elephant trying to flick a couple of fleas off his backside. Our inflatable stuck with them but after seeing them shut their bycatch shoot while we were sitting there it was clear that they had decided not to discharge while we were around so we returned to the ship.
Greenland halibut is a fishery with a lot bycatch. We decided to head further around the Flemish Cap sticking to the 1000 meter contour but for almost an entire day there not much life out there, which felt kind of lonely after the last few busy days.
The Greenland halibut fishery is another sad story in NAFO mismanagement and almost brought Canada and Spain over it. Its currently on a 15 year rebuilding plan but already there are concerns that this is not enough. During its peak in the early 1990s the catch was approx 45,000 mt and the quota for this year is 14,079 mt. The fishing industry would appear to be repeating the 'seriel depletion' pattern that Dr. Daniel Pauly says is the story of deep sea fisheries. Those who have quota for halibut in NAFO by: Canada, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Spain, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Japan.
So, yesterday was Greenland halibut day on the Flemish Cap. We had tracked down several Spanish trawlers but it appeared that they too had agreed not to put any bycatch out whilst we were around. It didn't matter how we approached them slow, fast, talking first, no talking... they had all agreed not to release their bycatch. It makes me think that they must have something to hide if they do not want to release it whilst we are there. Every time Mariajo tried to call they played loud Spanish music back on channel 16 (the emergency and calling channel, which all ships use).
The very small amount that we did get, before one boat closed its shoot, tells us it's a fishery with a diversity of bycatch. We found lots of different kinds of grenadiers (roughhead, roughnose and marlin spike), small redfish and small Greenland halibut. We also visited with a Faroese shrimper, which carries 500 tons of shrimp. They were very wary of Greenpeace but loosened up after a while and talked about the fishing. They are still disputing the shrimp quota allocation with NAFO so they can't enter Canadian ports. They had an observer on board (you can spot them because they were very clean non-fishermen type clothes) but he refused to answer any direct questions because of his confidentiality agreement.
We are now heading for other Greenland halibut boats in the hope that we will be able to get a better idea of the bycatch involved in this fishery. We have decided to stay a couple more days in the halibut grounds before heading back down the edge of the Grand Banks.
--Bunny
Meet Thijs: 3rd Mate
Name: Mathijs (Thijs) From: Holland Job: 3rd Mate
How did you come to be working on Greenpeace ships?
The opportunity simply arrived ,and I feel very privileged to be here indeed.
What do you do when you are not on board?
I enjoy being at home with my friends, and I also get some extra work on party ships in Rotterdam.
What is your favorite thing to do on the ship?
Watchkeeping and coming alongside because I'm good at those things.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
I believe that humans need to reach a certain critical point before they truly understand the error of their ways so my only wish would be that we wouldn't have to reach it before we gained that understanding.
We are now northwest of the Flemish Cap and have found several Spanish vessels fishing for Greenland halibut. The sea floor lies 800 meters below us.
This morning I fell back to sleep again after Marta (Spanish volunteer) came to wake me up at quarter to 4. It's getting harder and harder for me to get out of bed this early but luckily I was only a couple of minutes late for my watch. I hurried to the bridge with a cup of coffee and Thjis (third mate) told me we had several trawlers on the radar so we stayed within a few miles of the closest one ("Ana Gandon", a Spanish flagged vessel) and monitored her speed. When trawlers slow down it indicates that they are hauling (bringing in their nets) and that is the time when we need to go and look at their catch. I had been given instructions to wake half the crew any time after 6am if any hauling started and at 10 to 6 Morton (one of the mates) told me that the vessel had slowed down so we decided it was probably a good idea to do a wake up call.
Off I went with a list of people who needed to get the African Queen ready and be on board when it leaves. Within 5 minutes the Esperanza was suddenly buzzing with people again. I'm always glad to do a wake up call earlier in the morning as things start happening, people come up to the bridge, the crew start to launch the Queen, and I am busy instead of just sitting quietly watching the ocean and the radar for 4 hours.
We watched the trawler through binoculars to see when she would set the net again and also spotted some large whales very close to her. I went down the the wet room, where people were getting into the Queen, to wish them luck and tell them about the whales. The Queen sped off into the distance towards the trawler as several different puffs of sea spray rose into the air ahead of them. The crew on the Queen identified the whales as sperm whales once they got closer and apparently they were following the trawler for at least 30 minutes. Sperm whales are frequently found in areas like this (seamounts). They dive to great depths of hundreds or even thousands of feet for food and are thought to forage on or close to the ocean bottom. Here, where we are, they are probably making 800 meter dives! They mainly feed on medium sized squid, octopuses, rays, sharks and various bony fish so the ones we see here are feeding on the Greenland halibut which the trawlers are also catching. Both the trawlers and the whales use acoustic methods (sonar) to find the fish. The difference is the whales only take what they need and don't destroy the sea floor when they dive for food, unlike the trawlers. Funny how we often consider ourselves smarter than other animals isn't it?
At 7:30 I woke the rest of the crew up and told them we could see sperm whales from the bridge. By 8am, the bridge was crowded with onlookers and everyone was excited to see these enormous creatures, laying on the surface, so close to the Esperanza. It was a great start to the day... just a shame I had to go and ruin it with burnt toast!
How did you come to be working on Greenpeace ships?
I had been longing to support Greenpeace since I was a child. Every time I watched activists on TV, I wished to be there one day, but saw it as almost impossible! I became a member of Greenpeace thanks to a sticker in a car with the Spanish office's address. Some years later I started volunteering for Greenpeace Spain as a deckhand on a local ship. Later, I spent two years working for Greenpeace Spain. Finally, I started sailing on the international ships last year, and this is my third trip. I feel like here is where I've always wanted to be!
What do you do when you are not on board?
I go back to my home in Mallorca but also travel abroad at least once a year. I am an activist for Greenpeace Spain and volunteer with other organisations, such as Amnesty International. I love sailing boats and doing things related to the sea like swimming, diving, walking on the beach but I go trekking because I also like mountains as well. I play drums and belong to a group of drummers called "Drums for Peace". We play in social demonstrations and meetings around the island.
What is your favorite thing to do on the ship?
I love my job. I am so happy to be here that I usually enjoy any work I have to do even if it is sometimes a little hard. The job allows me to learn a lot about sailing and things I can do with your hands, but I am also an activist when we are working in campaigns, and then I feel I am doing a little bit to improve this world. It is really nice to meet people who come from different parts of the planet and with whom you share the same ideals. For me, one of the biggest presents given by my job is to be working on deck, raise my head and then see waves, seabirds and the infinite round horizon.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
The world!
Meet Tom: Assistant Radio Operator
Name: Tom ("Greentux") From: By accident (or dumb luck) I was born in Belgium Job: Assistant Radio Operator (volunteer)
How did you come to be working on Greenpeace ships?
Eight years ago a friend of mine who worked for Greenpeace Belgium came to me and asked if I could help him out painting a caravan, so I did, but one thing let to another... after the caravan came some banners and after that some actions... I even worked on the conversion of the Esperanza and eight years later, here I am sailing into the Atlantic.
What do you do when you are not on board?
I'm a web-junkie/techno-freak so when I am not occupied with actions I like to surf the internet, meet up with other people and talk and work on technology, everything that's new and has blinking lights, I love it!
What is your favorite thing to do on the ship?
Work! It may sound strange but since the ship is a tool for changing the world, then everything from cleaning the toilets and keeping the ship tidy to participating in actions, is all helping to make this world a better place for all of us.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
The rich less rich and the poor less poor!
PRESS RELEASE: Greenpeace discovers pirate fisher companies fishing in international waters.
Northwest Atlantic, The Greenpeace ship the Esperanza currently in the Northwest Atlantic area heard a routine radio call to all EU vessels fishing in the NAFO area (1). The Lootus II and the Madrus were called, suggesting that these boats are both back fishing in the area.
The Estonian flagged Lootus II has been cited numerous times since 2000 for breaking NAFO rules (2). The Estonian Company MFV Lootus OU is the registered owner of the Lootus II. In 2004 the Spanish company Grupo Oya Perez, through one of its subsidiaries became a shareholder of the Estonian company. Grupo Oya Perez is the owner of the notorious pirate Patagonian toothfish vessel, Ross (3). Madrus is similarly jointly owned by the Estonian registered company, MFV Lootus OU with Spanish interests.
Greenpeace is calling on Estonia and Spain to explain why it is allowing vessels, owned by a company with a criminal fishing history to continue fishing in the Northwest Atlantic management area also known as NAFO.
"If NAFO cannot get its act together on this very simple level what hope is there that they can address the destruction of deep sea biodiversity from bottom trawling operations, said Mariajo Caballero on board the Esperanza." "NAFO should institute a moratorium on this fishing practice immediately until it has its house in order," added Caballero.
In 2003 and in 2004, the EU delegation to the NAFO meeting included three members from Grupo Oya Perez. The EU and NAFO must be aware that this company's fishing vessels have been involved in illegal toothfish fishing in southern waters, but despite this they are invited to participate in NAFO decisions on fisheries conservation matters and measures to deter Illegal, Unregulated and Unreporting (IUU) operations.
"It's totally counter productive to efforts to manage fisheries sustainably to have IUU operators sitting at the table making decisions about fisheries that their vessels will then simply ignore. Its like inviting the wolf into the chicken house", said Caballero.
The Esperanza is in the NAFO area to highlight the destructive impact of bottom trawling in support of the call by more than 1,100 marine scientists and environmental organisations for a UN moratorium on high-seas bottom trawling.
Contacts:
On board the ship: Bunny McDiarmid +00871 324469014
Racine Tucker-Hamilton-+1 202-436-1039
Notes:
1. Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) is an international body designed to manage the fishing in international waters off the coast of Canada.
2. The Lootus II has been cited seven times for NAFO violations including fishing for species under moratoria and exceeding by-catch regulations. The latest citation was December 2004.
3. The Ross under a variety of names has been photographed illegally fishing for toothfish in the sub Antarctic in 2003 and again in 2005 fishing in an area closed to fishing by CCAMLR (The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources). The Ross is also on Norways blacklist of fishing vessels.
4. Citizens can participate in an online alert urging decision makers to support a
moratorium on high seas bottom trawling at
http://www.greenpeace.org/stop-bottom-trawling
5. For details of the tour and to follow the Esperanza's diary visit:
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/deepsea.
The following is from Tara, our assistant cook, who was on the African Queen, the day I was on the Hurricane (Monday)...
The wind was blowing in my hair and my skin was burning from the sun as we were heading for one of the trawlers. Still I felt as happy as I could be. Being on an inflatable in the incredibly sunny and warm weather, just with some cool winds blowing makes life seem so easy. But the reason we are out here for is not easy and fun at all. Its about deep sea trawling and its going on everywhere in the world especially on the Grand Banks where we are now.
We were going to one of the trawlers nearby to give information to them about this and try to get the bycatch for documentation. Remon was driving the African Queen. He is an excellent boat driver and I was standing next to him trying to learn every little move he did. The fishing boat we were heading for was called Lomur 2 and we had been trying to contact them for a while on the radio but they were refusing to answer. We arrived after 20 minutes and saw that the trawler was not hauling their nets while we were there. So after some waiting we decided to go to another trawler which was just one mile behind. But it was the same story there. They were not hauling as long as we were close.
After one hour passing between the ships we got a radio call from Bunny saying that an Estonian trawler, which they have been talking to before was now really interested in getting information from us and wanted us to come straight away. The fisherman on the radio sounded suspiciously over-interested but we still decided to go to them with the information. The Estonian trawler was about seven miles away so it would have taken at least 20 minutes to get there. We sped up to get to the ship as fast as possible when we suddenly saw something in the water. A big shark was swimming next to us! Everyone stood breathless as we were at top speed. I had only one minute earlier thought about how nice it would be to swim in the water just where the shark was. It did not cross my mind that there might be sharks in the ocean here.
Several minutes later I was still thinking about the shark and judging by the looks of the others' faces I wasn't the only one. But as we finally arrived to the Estonian trawler I had to forget about the shark for a while and started to help the campaign people up the ladder. While the campaigners are starting to get ready to climb up the ladder Bunny starts talking on the radio again. Apparently the Lomur 2 started to haul their nets as soon as we went away. Maybe the whole thing was a set up and the Estonian fishermen were not really interested at all. Maybe they just helped the Lomur 2 to get us out of the way. The Esperanza sent out another inflatable to go there so we stopped worrying about it and got the people up to the other trawler instead. When they where safely up we drove to the stern to see the nets coming in and tried to get some bycatch. There were huge fights in the water between birds as the bycatch floated up on the surface.
Trying to get the fish was not an easy job but one and a half hours later we had one box of bycatch and the campaigners where ready to come down. Apparently the fishermen had been really interested so they had a long and good conversation with them. Sunburned and happy about the successful conversations we started to head back to the Esperanza. I asked Remon if I could drive the African Queen and driving with full speed back I felt really happy again. The Queen feels a little bit different to drive compared to the ones I'm used to but I soon got the hang of it and I didn't want to stop. We got back to the Esperanza, ate lunch, talked about the trawlers and then I had a nice nap before I had to get up again and start to cook dinner.
I'm still dreaming about the big and beautiful shark.
--Tara
PRESS RELEASE: Greenpeace records activities of bottom trawlers in the Northwest Atlantic
Northwest Atlantic, The Greenpeace ship Esperanza, documented a Portuguese bottom trawler, the Santa Cristina in international waters off the Canadian NE coast hauling in deep sea redfish.
The Esperanza is in the Northwest Atlantic to document and challenge the mismanagement by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) of the deep sea fisheries under its care. Greenpeace is calling for an immediate moratorium on highseas bottom trawling because of its destructive impact on deep sea life (1).
The Portuguese flagged Santa Cristina belongs to the company, Aveiro Pesca. The company also owns and operates two other bottom trawlers, Calvao and Santa Mafalda. Both vessels have been cited for various infractions (2).
"Redfish is a deep sea species that is slow growing and very vulnerable to overfishing. NAFO does not have a good track record when it comes to this fishery", said Mariajo Caballero on board the Esperanza. " As well as mismanagement of the actual fishery, redfish also makes up a large part of the by-catch from the shrimp and Greenland halibut fishery putting more pressure on its long term survival."
It was only in 2004/2005 that redfish in this particular area came under NAFO regulation and the stocks are considered by NAFO's Scientific Council as "uncertain" and at low levels by historic standards. At the peak of the redfish fishery in 1987 79,000 MT were caught off the nose of the Grand Banks. The same area, known as 3L in NAFO has had a moratoria in place for redfish since 1998.
"The redfish fishery in NAFO is heading in the same direction as in the Arctic, Greenland and the Faroes Islands where it has been overfished and scientists are now recommending a zero quota," said Dr. Iris Menn on board the Greenpeace ship.
In 2001 Russia took the majority of the redfish caught in international waters of the Northwest Atlantic, and Germany is the key market for redfish in Europe. Over one-quarter of all groundfish imported into Germany in 2001 came from Russia.
The Esperanza will be in the NAFO area for the next three weeks.
Contacts:
On board the ship: Mariajo Caballero, Dr. Iris Menn, Bunny McDiarmid +00871 324469014
The past couple of days, we've been documenting shrimp trawlers. Although this fishery does not produce a lot of bycatch we did find starfish, capelin, sponge and eelpout but not in any quantity. Many believe this is because there is not much else to get. The shrimp fishery developed on the heels of the collapse of the groundfish in this area, including cod. It's also been heavily trawled for 20 years so its not surprising. Maybe a better image for what has happened in NAFO is the empty bycatch net.
The gear they are using is massive and you are transfixed by the size of everything. Twenty five plus tons of gear shot down onto the seabed in one go, followed by the large steel balls or rockhoppers that prevent the net from snagging and then tons of chain to weight the foot of the net which is 2-300 meters long. They work 24 hours a day, with trawls lasting approximately 7 hours. They bring the nets in, drop the catch and reset in about 40 mins. Its pretty efficient. It's hard to believe there are any shrimp left after 20 years of ploughing the Flemish cap. The fishermen say this area is too rocky and that they get too many rocks in their nets. They make no qualms about hitting the bottom in this part of the world. It's part of fishing.
NAFO has a very odd system for 'managing' the shrimp fishery in the 3M area, which we are now in. Rather than a quota, there is an effort allocation scheme which means countries get a number of days and vessels allowed to fish shrimp for the year. There doesn't seem to be any limit to how much you can catch. The fishermen we spoke to told us that the shrimp are getting smaller and the boats are getting bigger.
This is an area where there are also soft corals in residence but there is no protection in place for them. Its lucky they have not been completely destroyed by the trawlers already. We gave the trawlers some information about our campaign and spent some time talking to them about why we are here. We also asked them to tell us what they have noticed about the fishing in this area over the years.
All the Estonian and Lithuanian vessels are Icelandic skippered and crewed by underpaid Estonian and Lithuanian crew. It suggests that Iceland does this to get more shrimp 'quota' as there is only one Icleand flagged boat out here fishing for shrmp. We also heard an EU NAFO inspector calling a boat we had just filmed and saying he wanted to come aboard but the fishing boat had since we had been on board developed a winch problem and was resisting the invitation. Another boat asked for the inspector to call back and when he did they did not respond. So all is not well in the NAFO neighbourhood.
We are heading north again for the Greenland halibut fishery. We are all doing well on board although I am meeting some wind and sunburnt faces in the alleyways, eating too much good food and definitely watching too much of the movie "Team America" but generally heading in the right direction.
Yesterday was an action-packed day. In the morning the Sunna, (an Estonian trawler, catching shrimp - "northern prawns") requested information about our campaign over the radio. There were other shrimp trawlers around, which we wanted to document, but when a fisherman asks for information we don't waste any time getting it to him since usually this is the first step towards getting on board. Other trawlers seemed reluctant to haul their nets while a Greenpeace inflatable was close by and hanging around while nothing was happening soon started to feel like a waste of time for the crew on the African Queen so off they went to visit the Sunna, which was a few miles away.
Just as they reached their destination we could see that one of the other trawlers (Estonian-flagged vessel called Lomur II) was hauling their nets in but it was too far away now for the Queen and all her documenting crew to get back there in time. We had a dilemma since our camera people were not available but we decided to send out another inflatable (the Hurricane) and this time I was designated as the camera person. Mariajo (Greenpeace Spain Oceans campaigner), Mike, Luke and Maite were also on board. I climbed into the boat with my own cameras and the ship's digital video camera packed in a watertight bag and we took off in the direction of the Lomur II. We wanted to get there in time to see if any bycatch was coming up with the nets so Luke drove the Hurricane at top speed and we all had to hold on tightly. As we glided over each swell the sea sprayed up into the air creating rainbows in the sunshine on top of the water. While I remained focused on how I was going to film the trawlers I couldn't wipe the enormous grin off my face. It was a beautiful sunny day and I was out on the water with an important task ahead. I finally got that exciting "yeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaahh" Greenpeace feeling, which I've only ever experienced before through pictures of Greenpeace in action.
Once we got to the trawler they were already resetting the net and some bycatch was being washed overboard through holes in the side of the ship. Mike and Maite tried to catch some with a crate (not the most appropriate equipment but the African Queen had the net so we had no choice) but it was really difficult since the force of the water coming out from the hole was so strong and it even poured into our boat when we got too close. We were getting soaked and any bycatch coming out was getting pushed away from us and eaten by the seabirds rather than going into our crate. Eventually Mike and Luke managed to work something out and caught some deep sea fish in the crate while I filmed everything. Mariajo also caught some deep sea sponge with her hands as it shot out from the side of the ship, which was rather impressive!
The African Queen
Mike asked a fisherman if we could come on board but he shook his head and refused to communicate with us so we hurried off to another Estonian shrimp trawler called Ontika, when the Esperanza told us over the radio that she was hauling. This time there was more bycatch coming out of the side and we caught quite a few deep sea creatures (including capelin and eelpout - sadly all dead). Occasionally shoots above us would suddenly gush with water and the hurricane got badly flooded at one point. I managed to keep the Greenpeace video camera dry, however my own (and my husband's) beloved digital stills camera got seawater in it and is now sitting in pieces in the radio room drying out. The situation does not look good and I am dreading what my other half is going to say when I get home. Oops!
Both inflatables were out and about for most of the day, with crew switching every once in a while and the African Queen didn't return home until it got dark. We managed to board 3 different trawlers so the campaigners are pleased with how much we achieved and the crew are delighted to be busy with such an important issue although everyone is tired and exhausted since being out on the water a lot in the bright sunshine can be very draining.
Sunrise this morning near the Flemish Cap
We put the clocks forward 1 hour last night, which went unnoticed by some of the crew, including myself so I was incredibly upset when I was woken up at 2:50am to start my 4am watch. It was worth it though because the sunrise was spectacular with the horizon in front of our bow appearing as if it was on fire. We found a new ship on the radar, which we think might be fishing for Greenland halibut (or "turbot"), which is fished at much greater depths than shrimp, (700 - 1000 meters). We followed this vessel during the night and it was an early start for most of the crew today since we planned to launch the inflatables at 7am. I woke up everyone at different times depending on what they needed to do. Boat crew had to be woken at 6:30am (which felt like 5:30 because of the clocks, so they weren't too pleased), campaigners and camera crew had to be up by 7am and everyone else by 7:30am.
Tracking bottom trawlers on the radar
Looks like it is going be another busy day! The African Queen is out with the trawlers again.
-Lisa
PRESS RELEASE: Greenpeace films shrimp boats bottom trawling near vulnerable soft corals.
Northwest Atlantic, Greenpeace is calling on the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) to impose an immediate moratorium on high seas bottom trawling, so that vulnerable areas of deep-sea biodiversity that exist within its boundaries can be clearly identified and protected before it is too late.
The Greenpeace ship Esperanza, is currently documenting the shrimp bottom trawl fishery on the Flemish Cap in the NW Atlantic where they have filmed six bottom trawlers (1) in the last 24 hours. The trawlers are all setting two nets at a time with up to 25 tons of gear going onto the seabed at once. The nets are 200 to 300 meters long and are weighted with heavy steel balls called rockhoppers that prevent the nets from snagging on the bottom. The boats are working 24 hours and hauling every four to seven hours. There is no quota set for the NAFO 3M area but a catch allocation scheme that assigns a number of days and vessels to countries that can fish the area.
The Flemish Cap is also a "biodiversity hotspot" for soft corals according to two Canadian scientists (2). The information is drawn from recent fisheries observer reports and the corals includes cup corals and gold banded corals and in the same area are seapens.
"Next to nothing is known about these corals and very little work has been done to establish how common they are and yet bottom trawling these areas is allowed" said Bunny McDiarmid on board the Esperanza. "NAFO has a blind spot that is resulting in the needless destruction of deep sea life." "NAFO concentrates on the fish stocks under its care and pays little attention to the habitat they live in. There is no protection in place for these vulnerable corals or any other such areas within the NAFO area," added McDiarmid.
The shrimp fishery got underway after the collapse of the groundfish fisheries in the area in the 1990s. The Flemish Cap shrimp fishery is the largest bottom trawl fishery in international waters, and in 2001 it equaled approximately one-quarter to one-third of the catch and value of high seas bottom trawl fisheries worldwide. (3)
"The shrimp boats are trawling up and down the same area as if ploughing the seabed", said McDiarmid. "Talking with some of the fishermen on board the vessels we were told that the shrimp are getting smaller and the boats are getting bigger. Many of these fishermen acknowledge the need for regulation despite their resistance."
Greenpeace together with the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (4) is calling for a UN moratorium on highseas bottom trawling to allow scientists the time to identify and assess deep-sea biodiversity and to institute the protection required before it is too late.
Contacts:
On board the ship: Bunny McDiarmid +00871 324469014
Racine Tucker-Hamilton-+1 202-436-1039
August 01, 2005
Meet Gabor: Garbologist
Name:Gabor From:Hungary Job:Garbologist/ Deckhand
How did you come to be working on Greenpeace ships?
I used to work as press officer & spokesman for Greenpeace Hungary. Last summer two of our activists came on board and took part in plenty of actions. For pushing their story in the media, I spent long days in the office, waiting for the latest news about the actions. I dreamed about being on the Esperanza and worked hard for more than a year in the office without any rest or hollidays and then suddenly the opportunity to join the crew appeared this year. I had no time to waste, I had to pack my stuff and three days later I was on the ship!
What kind of work do you do on the ship?
I work as a deckhand. Our main duty is to keep the ship clean and take care of her beauty. This second thing is not that easy, as she is over 20 years old and we have a permanent, never ending fight againts the rust. We attack, as soon as we discover any little redish patch and our weapons are the needlegun, the scraper, the wirebrush, and the different sorts of paint and primers.
In addition to the general deck work I have a special role on the ship. As a new volunteer, without seagoing experience, I become the garbologist, so one of my daily tasks is to take care of all the rubbish we produce on board. Different types of waste must be separated before they are stored.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
I would like to erase the selfish idea of "my" or "mine" from every human being's mind. Afterwards I think we could start to set up a much better life on this Earth.
Meet Waldemar: Captain of the Esperanza
Name: Waldemar (Wally) From: Argentina Job: Captain (God)
How did you come to be working on Greenpeace ships?
I used to sail in oil tankers where I witnessed a lot of bad practice such as tank cleaning, sludge discharge in the sea etc. Coming back to my hometown, Corrientes, I got shocked by how much the Parana River has changed since my childhood: almost no fish, polluted water.
At that time I thought I could join Greenpeace ships to use my mariner skills to do something for the environment.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
No more wars. They are useless, contradictory, unnatural and horrendous. They serve no purpose but the power-hungry world leaders. I would re-direct all the money going to the military industry towards humanitarian help, medical care, education and renewable energy.
Campaign update
The following update is from Bunny, our campaign coordinator...
We are now out in the heart of the Northwest Atlantic area and this is where some of the heaviest bottom trawling takes place. We are here because we want to demonstrate how destructive bottom trawling is to deep sea life and why a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling is needed now so that scientists can identify those areas that need protection from bottom trawling. Organisations like NAFO are ill equipped to do anything about it. NAFO has been solely concerned about fish since it started in 1979 and today is no different. Until it starts thinking about looking after the whole neighborhood of the deep sea rather than just one or two residents the problems will continue.
Despite the United Nations and the Convention on Biological Diversity agreeing to urgent action to address destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling, NAFO has done absolutely nothing to respond to this. We are now in the area of NAFO known as 3M, where a lot of shrimp fishing takes place. Today there were so many boats around ploughing the seabed for shrimp. The shrimp fishery developed after the collapse of the groundfish fisheries in this area. According to the FAO (UN Fisheries and Agricultural Organisation) trawl fisheries for shrimp are one of two fisheries that account for over 50% of the total estimated discards globally.
This is the 4th day that we have been in the NAFO area and so far nothing is convincing us that NAFO is up to the job of both managing its fisheries properly as well as looking after the rest of the life that inhabits the deep sea. They need a radical transformation if they are going to be able to think beyond the fish and to manage this area with a view to it being a neighborhood.
--Bunny
Fish and Ships
Tropical storm Franklin finally caught up with us yesterday. The storm had started to become exhausted on its route towards the north, and it was expected to die out today somewhere south from Greenland. We were hit by its tail, the waves were getting bigger and bigger, breaking to white horses and bringing back the dolphins to surf at our bow. The wind was most of the time behind us, and so Esperanza was surfing the ocean waves moving rather steadily. Just before dinner we changed courses, and the rolling got heavier. There was some heavy consumption of sea sickness pills around the medicine locker, the poop deck was getting wet and was therefore off limits, and all the watertight doors and portholes were secured.
As the Espy was bouncing on the waves there was suddenly a blue spot on the radar screen: another fishing vessel. She was contacted on the radio and the captain of the fishing vessel talked a good while with our Spanish campaigner Mariajo, finally inviting us to come on board. The whole deck crew got ready to launch the African Queen - everybody was enthusiastic about going out even though the wind speed was up to 35 knots, but finally captain Waldemar decided it's a no go. We would have been all right with launching the Queen, but getting the passengers on board might have been too dangerous. Besides, it was getting dark. Good night and sweet dreams, better luck on Sunday. Why is it that these things always seem to happen on Saturday and Sunday, the crew's day off?
The following morning dawned sunny and calm, and there was no fog! This was the first time since we left Halifax that we could actually see the horizon. As we got closer to the Flemish Pass the radar screen started to look busy. Just after lunch we identified the first European bottom trawlers, coming from Estonia and Iceland. There was some excitement in the air with people standing lined up out on the bridge wing with their binoculars, trying to get a glimpse of the ships' names and identification numbers. Most of the ships answered our calls on the radio, some were more open for the possibility of exchange of opinions than others, and the African Queen went out again to document the doings of these ships. They seemed to be mainly trawling for shrimp in this area, the nets being towed, then hauled up to the ship, then being lowered down again and again. As I am writing this posting the Queenie is still not back and so we don't know what got caught on film. What I do know is
that the fog is crawling back and we will be losing the visibility again, leaving us surrounded by the blank whiteness of the Grand Banks.
This morning's 4-8am watch was blessed with a clear night sky to begin with and I saw a shooting star fall towards the glowing, red horizon just before the sun rose. It wasn't long before we were once again cloaked in thick white fog.
Some of the crew saw North Atlantic right whales, which are the most endangered of the great whales, with only several hundred left in the world. Meanwhile, the African Queen has been visiting bottom trawlers, which we came across at mid day in between the Grand Banks and Flemish Pass.
I never knew that deep sea trawling has a direct impact on marine mammals until today when I was reading some campaign material. Sperm whales for instance, eat orange roughy, which is one of the most heavily fished deep sea species. Narwal whales and hooded seals feed off Greenland halibut, which is a major fishery in the North West Atlantic and, as with all high seas fisheries, is unregulated in terms of the damage it is allowed to cause to other deep sea life. So you see, it's not just bits of inanimate coral and ugly looking deep sea creatures that are affected by this destructive fishing method.
It's incredibly challenging to obtain permission to board these vessels so that we can document what goes on, since the fisherman are very skeptical about Greenpeace and most of them don't want us to come anywhere near them. We had several radio conversations with the bottom trawlers in this area today and since I was helping out on the bridge I was able to listen to and monitor what was being said. In order to build trust with fishermen we always offer to deliver information about the campaign to them, but even this is difficult. Here's a rough transcript of some of the conversations we had so you can see how hard it is to accomplish what we are trying to do out here.
Lomur II, Estonian trawler
1pm
The captain of Esperanza called the Lomur, which was catching shrimp...
Espy "We would like to deliver some written information to you with our inflatable?"
Lomur II "I do not want you to come near our ship because an accident could happen, your engine could stop and your boat might get tangled in my net"
Espy "We will not come by when you are fishing. We will wait until after you have hauled"
Lomur "I will be fishing all day without stopping until tomorrow" Espy "Thanks you very much, have a nice day"
Estonia has quotas for the following deep sea fisheries: skate, Greenland halibut, redfish, shrimp and white hake
Petur Jonsson
Icelandic trawler
1:30pm,
Iris, Greenpeace campaigner from Germany spoke with this vessel...
Peter Jonsson (PJ) "Hello Esperanza, I want to know about your campaign."
Espy "We are here to document bottom trawling on the high seas including illegal fishing because we want to ensure that there is plenty of fish for the future"
PJ "There is no illegal fishing here, none at all"
Espy "Do you catch any other species in your nets" (shrimp trawling is well known for bycatch)
PJ "No, only shrimp. We use a technology with our nets, which lets out the bycatch and only allows us to catch the shrimp. The shrimp here is doing very well, so you have nothing to do here" Espy "Do you sell your catch in Iceland?"
PJ "I don't want to answer any more of your questions, you offered me information, you did not say you wanted to ask questions"
Espy "Can we come to your ship to deliver some information about the campaign?"
PJ "I have all the information I need, thank you"
Meanwhile the African Queen and her crew were watching the trawlers while they dragged their nets along the sea floor and hauled their catch up. Thankfully, the fisherman allowed them to do this.
-Lisa.
Common dolphins have frequently visited the Esperanza
