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The decision comes during Bethune’s ongoing trial in Japan and is claimed to be due to his bringing of archery equipment (bow and arrows) aboard the Ady Gil at the beginning of the whaling season, which is contrary to Sea Shepherd’s “aggressive but non-violent direct action” stance.
Although the equipment was never used or intended to use against any person, the decision to bring them on a Sea Shepherd campaign was deemed unacceptable. According to Bethune in a previous television interview, he intended to place “a nasty chemical” on the arrow tips and then shoot them into a dead whale as an attempt to prevent the carcass from being loaded onto one of Japan’s factory ships.
Technically, that would have followed the Ady Gil’s purpose during that campaign, as their main mission was to prevent any killed whales from being loaded onto the ships. It is also interesting to note that another Ady Gil crew member, Jason Stewart, claims the archery equipment was never a secret and that even Paul Watson—the head of SSCS—gave permission to bring them aboard the vessel.
Despite the unfortunate (and rather odd) series of events, Sea Shepherd will continue to support Captain Bethune through his legal battle in Japan, but he will no longer be invited on future campaigns.
By Heidi Marshall
