Someone call the insurance company, we've been hit

August 22, 2009 1:55 AM

Maritime Law: Why are the terrorists aboard the Sea Shepard allowed to fly a Dutch national flag? Aren't there international conventions in place to control their disgraceful and willful disregard of maritime safety, i.e. endangering lives of innocent sailors?

Just finished watching the season finale of Whale Wars and was struck by the fact the international community seems powerless to deal with these terrorists. Especially in the face of willfully ramming their ship into another one around the antarctic which could result in disaster and death for all involved.

I am curious as to why and how maritime law applies to what appears on the surface to be a wild wild west situation.

posted by Funmonkey1 to Law & Government (4 answers total)

I believe the whaler's are arguably in violation of international law as well, and as such the crew of Sea Shepard is, if anything, guilty of vigilantism. For those of us who don't watch the show, what is it exactly you think is illegal?

If this really bothers you, the Dutch embassy here in DC has lots of very courteous staff through whom you could lodge a complaint.
posted by phrontist at 1:58 AM on August 22, 2009

Response by poster: well ramming another vessel in the middle of the antarctic for one is a highly illegal and dangerous act. There are also numerous other recorded incidents of such predatory attacks over the past few years.
posted by Funmonkey1 at 2:00 AM on August 22, 2009

I'm no international lawyer, but in general AFAICT treaties are in implementation bilateral in nature, ie. the Japanese-flagged vessels have to pursue the issue through Japanese <> Dutch diplomacy, as international compacts are not enforced by international cops but rather national laws and law enforcement.

Exceptions exist, like the International Court of Justice, but nations are to some extent free to thumb their noses at these apparatuses. Japanese whaling practices no doubt have little sympathy in Holland so the Japanese will have a hard time finding protection through that route of redress.
posted by @troy at 2:16 AM on August 22, 2009

There are also numerous other recorded incidents of such predatory attacks over the past few years.

you are skating on thin ice with your verbiage here, I think. One man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter, natch.
posted by @troy at 2:18 AM on August 22, 2009 [4 favorites]