Posted by at 09:08 PM, October 28, 2004
 As we have been bobbing around in the North Atlantic over the last few weeks, a critical meeting has been going on in New York that could determine the fate of deep sea life on the high seas. The United Nations General Assembly meets once a year, and as it involves all the governments of the world it is quite a long meeting! It started in September and finishes on the 16 November. They discuss many different issues, including oceans and fisheries issues, and they pass resolutions or make agreements on what they are going to do about these issues.
Continue reading "What has the UN got to do with squid?" »
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This morning we geared up, ready to stop the Playa de Menduiña from fishing. As soon as we heard that the trawler had hauled earlier than expected and was steaming off, we jumped into action mode.
However, the good weather we had been enjoying started to turn and the wind picked up. All the activists were kitted up and ready to go in the Esperanza's wet room, eager to get out there before the nets were set again. As we were launching the boats, we got the call from the bridge that were already too late – the nets had been set, and we had just missed our opportunity.
Continue reading "The Weather Packs It In " »
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Posted by at 12:13 PM, October 27, 2004
 | | (C) Greenpeace |
Out here on the Atlantic, it's just another day in the office. After getting one activist on the cod end of yesterday's trawl net, today we went the next step.
Two activists (Francois and Erkut) jumped onto the cod end, but this time they were able to stay on. As the net was hauled up the stern ramp of the trawler, they were still there, holding up the banner "EU deep sea destroyer". The net was hauled up the ramp and onboard with our two activists still hanging onto the cod end - straight into the mouth of the beast!
Continue reading "Into the mouth of the beast" »
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Posted by at 09:08 PM, October 25, 2004
 We could smell it in the air... we were in the fishing zone once more.
All day we were tormented by promising echoes on the radar screen, only to be let down each time by gill-netters or refrigerated cargo carriers.
As the day wore on, we were greeted with another smudge on the radar screen. This time we were not to be disappointed. On the horizon, the smudge materialised into a trawler. Excitement on the bridge reached new levels. And then, yes! It was a real live bottom trawler - a Spanish one called the Playa de Mendui&ntilda;a.
Continue reading "We found us a bottom trawler! " »
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Posted by at 10:20 AM, October 18, 2004
 | | (C) Greenpeace |
Today we bagged our first bottom trawler!
A week since we left Falmouth, I was beginning to wonder if we would ever find anything! But this morning we were greeted by a satisfying trawler shaped echo on the radar.
A Spanish one as it turns out, and very friendly.
We launched the inflatables and a couple of teams were sent over to go onboard. Then we went out again this evening to watch them haul in their nets.
The bridge of the bottom trawler was filled with computers and screens, which showed the captain the location of the net on the bottom. One screen was filled with lines, scrawled across the screen and tightly packed together. This showed where the vessel had already bottom trawled - like a thoroughly ploughed field.
Continue reading "Our First Bottom Trawler" »
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Posted by at 09:10 PM, October 14, 2004
 No land, just water as far I can see around our rolling metal home...
We left Killybegs late on Monday evening, crossing the EEZ this morning and so far the high seas have lived up their name. Great piles of swell have been rocking the Esperanza in a stormy Force 7 all day. The bridge has been well populated, with eyes fixed to the horizon line. But this has also meant extra eyes for watching for bottom trawlers.
Continue reading "In the zone" »
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Posted by at 04:12 AM, October 12, 2004
Finally, we are underway. Yesterday we left Falmouth on the southern UK coast heading straight into a Force 9 storm and a huge swell. Rolling around on the bridge was quite a ride with some of our team knocked down with seasickness. It was a rude shock into life at sea.
Continue reading "Getting underway" »
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