Tensions arise

The situation finally came to a head on February 7, 2015. Hammarstedt blocked the Thunder’s path when they started throwing out fishing nets. Despite the captain’s warnings, the illegal fishermen continued their activities. Hence, Hammarstedt gave his crew the go signal to cut and lift the buoys. This served as a sign for the Thunder’s captain to go to war by going full throttle toward the Barker. With agile reflexes, Captain Hammarstedt was able to avoid the collision by a mere one yard. After the scare, both ships returned to their original route, one chasing the other. So the pursuit continues.

Vigilantes with a heart

While confiscating nets and cutting off lines may be deemed illegal by most maritime laws, the crew of the Barker were safe from prosecution. Their actions paled in comparison to the Thunder’s activities, and most lawyers would simply turn a blind eye to what the Sea Shepherd and its team were doing to enforce the law. Hammarstedt pointed out that their actions were simply an answer to the call for non-government organizations to safeguard nature.