Sea Shepherd environment group ship ‘attacked’ by Mexican fishermen in Gulf of California
- Group claims some of the fishermen tried to douse the boat with petrol, while others climbed aboard and removed items
The Sea Shepherd environmental group published a video on Thursday that it said showed an attack by about two dozen small fishing boats on the vessel Farley Mowat in Mexico’s Gulf of California.
Fishermen in the Gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, have long complained about conservationists trying to protect the vaquita marina, the world’s smallest and most endangered porpoise.
Sea Shepherd said fishermen threw lead weights and tried to douse the Farley Mowat and waters around it with petrol on Wednesday.
The video shows some of the fishing boats carried gill nets, though they are banned within the reserve designed to protect the vaquita.
Some fishermen threw a net in front of the Farley Mowat to foul the propellers of the Sea Shepherd vessel. Others boarded the ship and apparently carried off some items.