In April 2015, the pirate ship Thunder, sought by Interpol for illegal fishing, was navigating international waters. It was being chased by the Bob Barker and the Sam Simon, two ships from Sea Shepherd, the leading non-profit organization dedicated to ocean protection.
The pursuit of the Thunder lasted a full 110 days, covering 16,000 kilometers and three oceans. The crew of the Bob Barker faced Antarctic storms, attempted rammings, and assaults by the Thunder. Meanwhile, the crew of the Sam Simon worked tirelessly to recover an illegal gillnet abandoned by the Thunder, which was a full 72 kilometers long.
But on April 6, 2015, the situation turned critical: the Thunder, slightly tilted, had lowered its lifeboats into the sea. The ship had begun to sink with all the evidence on board. The crews of the Bob Barker and the Sam Simon immediately sprang into action to try to recover the vital evidence.

Clip da video di proprietà di Sea Shepherd

The Sea Shepherd crew managed to successfully board the Thunder and recover the evidence. Meanwhile, the Thunder’s crew was taken aboard the Sam Simon and brought to São Tomé and Príncipe, where the captain and officers were sentenced to many years in prison for their crimes.

Sadly, a few hours later, the Thunder disappeared beneath the waves, sunk by its own crew. Many questions arose about the ship’s disappearance and the destruction of evidence, but what is clear is that Sea Shepherd’s operation succeeded in stopping illegal fishing and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The crew of the Thunder operated in violation of international fishing laws by fishing in protected waters and using illegal equipment. Their aim was to maximize profits, disregarding the environment and local communities that depended on legal fishing for their livelihoods.

The Thunder ship was one of the most notorious vessels in the world of illegal fishing, with an estimated fishing capacity of over 100 tons per day. This allowed the ship to plunder wide fishing grounds and devastate entire marine ecosystems.

The sinking of the Thunder marked a pivotal moment in the battle against illegal fishing.

There is still much work to be done to protect marine resources and ensure the sustainable fishing for future generations.

Sea Shepherd works alongside governmental partners to stop dozens of illegal operators every year and save millions of marine lives. Protecting the oceans is essential for humanity’s survival, and we must increase efforts to safeguard them as fish populations continue to decline rapidly in the coming years.

It is important to remember that the fight against ocean destruction isn’t solely the responsibility of environmental organisations, but of all of us. With the support and commitment of everyone, we can win this battle and restore the balance of marine ecosystems.

We at RCE strongly believe that cooperation between environmental organizations and governments is key to protecting the oceans and their inhabitants. For this reason, we have decided to support Sea Shepherd with our donations, an organization that employs direct action tactics to investigate and prevent illegal activities in open seas, bringing them to global attention.

Each of us has the power to make a difference with a small act. By supporting organizations that work to save ocean life, we can help preserve this extraordinary environment for future generations.