Watson fined
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1994:
ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland––Captain
Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation
Society was fined $5,000 on April 11 and his for-
mer ship the Cleveland Amory was fined $30,000,
for allegedly lacking proper certification under
Canadian maritime law during their July 28, 1993
confrontation with the Cuban dragnet fishing ves-
sel Rio Las Casasnear the tail of the Grand Banks.
The fines, stated in Canadian funds, would come
to about $4,000 and $24,000, respectively, in
U.S. currency.
The court ruled that Watson and the
Cleveland Amory, as a yacht, would not have
been required to have the certification in question
except that the ship was not being used in pursuit
of pleasure. Arguing that challenging the Rio Las
Casas was an act of pleasure, Watson said he
would appeal. The larger fine, levied against the
ship, may be uncollectable anyway, as the Sea
Shepherd Conservation Society sold the Cleveland
Amorylast September.
Watson was acquitted of several other
minor charges pertaining to having proper charts
on board the vessel.
Watson is to be tried before a jury at an
unspecified date in the next 18 months on three
charges of criminal mischief relating to the same
incident. He faces life imprisonment if convicted
of either of two of the counts, and 10 years in
prison if convicted on the third count.
