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18 April 2006

Victory in Las Palmas! Binar 4 in deep deep trouble... (updated with photos)

by Dave, onboard the Esperanza


©Greenpeace/Walsh
It's Tuesday in Las Palmas, and have we got news for you! After a seven day occupation of the Binar 4, the two goverments - Guinea and Spain, have agreed that the Binar 4's 200-tonne cargo of fish is illegal. The Guinean fisheries ministry are right now meeting to discuss fines for the pirate reefer. Once they've made their decision, they'll present their findings to the Spanish government, who've already told us the 11,000 boxes of stolen fish will be confiscated - and hopefully returned to Guinea.

Their jobs done, Marta and Tony (another Marta!), the last two activists who put up with heat, cold and abuse on the mast and crane of the Binar 4 since 3am on Friday have climbed down to cheers from all of us, The Policia have arrested them, and the crowd behind the barriers gave a great roar of applause as the police cars left. Heroes all - the eight climbers who spent time on the Binar 4 have done an amazing job, keeping an eye on things for nearly 150 hours.

Fining the Binar 4 and confiscating the cargo should send a signal to the pirates - they can't keep operating below the radar. The fine will sting the owner(s) but the greater cost here is the humanitarian and environmental one. Hopefully this be the beginning of proper EU and particularly Spanish action against pirate fishing.

Never let it be said that we rest on our laurels - the Esperanza departs for Tenerife tomorrow morning, and will arrive in the Azores next week, for the next leg of the Defending our Oceans expedition.

- Dave

Supporters and media gather by the Binar 4
© Greenpeace/Walsh


Defiende los océans
© Greenpeace/Walsh


Sebas 'doing' media
© Greenpeace/Walsh


Campaign team cheering on the Binar 4 activists
© Greenpeace/Walsh


Meeting Marta and Tony
© Greenpeace/Gleizes


Welcome back!
© Greenpeace/Gleizes



The Binar 4 activists get arrested
© Greenpeace/Walsh


Sebas doing 'thing to camera'
© Greenpeace/Walsh


Binar 4, now without banners...
© Greenpeace/Walsh

   

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Comments

Well done!!!

Posted by: Kjell at April 18, 2006 7:12 PM

Oleeeeeeeeé!!!!

What a great lesson this guys gave to all of us.
You all must be proud of yourself.

Congratulation coleguitas!!!

Posted by: Vicen at April 18, 2006 7:15 PM

YAY!!!

Nobody will accuse you for "resting on your laurels" if you celebrate just a little bit before you leave! Hopefully they let Marta and Tony out soon so that they can join you. Big hug to you all

Posted by: Irene the webbie at April 18, 2006 7:53 PM

Word is, they'll be back on the mean streets this evening...

Posted by: Dave - Webbie on the Esperanza at April 18, 2006 8:18 PM

Bravo everybody.

You did a fine job.
That success should put some wind in your sails.

Posted by: Chameleon at April 18, 2006 8:35 PM

Congratulation guys!
Good wind and peacefull sail!

Posted by: Slavko at April 18, 2006 9:04 PM

Well done everybody. Im so delighted.
Great Work!

Posted by: Angela at April 18, 2006 9:56 PM

A victory for the sea! lets hope this sends a signal to all fish-stealing pirates around the world!

You made yourself deserving of a celebration, go out and have some fun after all that time sitting on the hard crane and mast.

Posted by: Klintwood at April 18, 2006 10:46 PM

following the stories and sitting on the edge of my chair, i can only applaud the work you have been doing. congratulations and thank you - especially those doing the hard work of spending time up on the boat - you are heroes!

Posted by: kirsten at April 18, 2006 11:00 PM

a great victory. congratulations to all for all the hard work to get to this point.
it has been a privilage to watch the last days unfold.

Posted by: feargus at April 19, 2006 1:10 AM

Good on ya all! Congratulations & keep up the pressure!
Love (and miss)you all
Cheers,
Rien
peace
(home on Waiheke Island/NZ)

Posted by: Rien Achterberg at April 19, 2006 4:03 AM

Congratulations Greenpeace! Job well done.
Hopefully this exposure of pirate fishing will motivate EU to act.

Looking forward to reading about the next leg of your journey.

Posted by: echo at April 19, 2006 4:39 AM

Well done Greenpeace, this is an extremely important victory , hopefully this will as well lead to a change in Spain's fishing policy and change EU's view on illegal fishing.

Congrats to you all again! I hope you will find the time to open a bottle of champagne !!!

Posted by: Ann Novek at April 19, 2006 10:14 AM

Congrat's to you all. Fruition and success. Thanks for putting up with all that Marta and Tony. I think there will be a lot of happy children when the booty is returned to Guinea. Hopefully the fine will be a severe one for the pirates.

I'll be keeping my binoculars at hand watching your webcam approach the Azores. Good luck on the next part of the journey.

Just so you all know, I'll be attending a Greenpeace action outside Senator Joe Lie-berman's office tomorrow at noon in Hartford, Connecticut. You can RSVP here - http://democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/greenpeace/event/index.jsp?event_KEY=13952&t= ...or contact their local organizer, Miriam Brandt, at 860-464-9152 for more information.

Love to you all, ...and thanks to you too Echo for hanging in here with all that excellent support, ...Wes

Posted by: Grateful Child at April 19, 2006 11:55 AM

BRAVO !!!

Posted by: Simon at April 19, 2006 1:25 PM

Congratulations!! what a great wrap up to the pirate story, well done to everyone onboard and the climbers! Also hi to Rien on waiheke!! ric

Posted by: ric o at April 19, 2006 2:15 PM

Yessssssss !
I'm very happy that the pirate's vessels have been confiscated. I wish that the fish will be return to Guinne.

Thanks to you all.

Votre cause est bonne. Parfois, vous devez être exténué, fatigué, peut-être même à veille de remmettre votre foi en cette mission en cause... Ne lachez pas ! Svp, pour tout le monde, pour l'environnement, pour tout les animeau de la terre et pour la terre elle-même.

Je ne sais pas si vous le savez, mais vous avez probablement les places les plus enviées sur terre (et sur mer bien sur) ;)

--
Serge Gagnon

Posted by: Serge Gagnon at April 19, 2006 6:33 PM

Congratulations and Well Done to the whole team!

This is a great end to this leg of your journey and brought to the forefront the issues of illegal fishing.

Peace, Irene xx

Posted by: Irene Sophia[TypeKey Profile Page] at April 19, 2006 7:51 PM

What a beautiful day!! A fantastic important partvictory for both fishes and the local population in areas of pirate fisching. Thank you all for your struggle, very well done!

Posted by: Peter Hammarbäck at April 20, 2006 3:32 PM

Bravo GreenPeace and all the brave souls who work so hard to bring some sanity and responsibility back to the planet. Good Luck on your next quest out - Renate

Posted by: Renate at April 20, 2006 9:46 PM

I want to show you my deepest respect. Thanks!
Erik

Posted by: Erik de Ruijter at May 1, 2006 11:24 PM

All updates from the Southern Ocean whaling 2007 leg »
All updates from the Pacific transit »
All updates from the Mexico leg »
All updates from the Hawaii leg »
All updates from the Pacific leg »
All updates from the Philippines leg »
All updates from the India leg »
All updates from the Red Sea leg »
All updates from the Mediterranean leg »
All updates from the Azores leg »
All updates from the Pirate Fishing/Africa leg »
All updates from the Southern Ocean »

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