Thunder illegal fishing chase
- On 12 October 2015 a court convicted three of its officers of pollution and environmental damage, among other charges. Sea Shepherd Australia
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
Sea Shepherd pursued the fishing vessel Thunder for what it calls 110 days in 2014–15 until the ship sank off São Tomé and Príncipe. Three of its officers were convicted there, and its owner was fined in Spain in 2018.
As described by Sea Shepherd, which calls it a continuous chase beginning 17 December 2014 in the Southern Ocean; the vessel sank on 6 April 2015.
Status As of April 2018: officers convicted in São Tomé and Príncipe (October 2015) and the owner fined in Spain; no later development found in the sources reviewed.
- The Thunder's owner and operators — Estimated earnings of about €50 million from poaching (Sea Shepherd estimate). Sea Shepherd Australia
- Three officers — Convicted and sentenced to 32 to 36 months. Sea Shepherd Australia
- The owner, three companies and eight people — Fined €8.2 million in Spain, with a 12-year fishing and subsidy ban. Maritime Executive
What happened
An Interpol Purple Notice for the fishing vessel Thunder was issued in 2013, after New Zealand, Australia and Norway pushed for it. On 17 December 2014 Sea Shepherd's ship Bob Barker began pursuing the Thunder in the Southern Ocean. Sea Shepherd calls this a 110-day continuous chase.
The Thunder sank on 6 April 2015 in the Gulf of Guinea, off São Tomé and Príncipe. Officials believe it was scuttled deliberately.
On 12 October 2015 a court in São Tomé and Príncipe convicted three officers of forgery, pollution, environmental damage and recklessness: the captain, Luis Alfonso Rubio Cataldo (Chile), the chief engineer, Agustín Dosil Rey, and the second mechanic, Luis Miguel Pérez Fernández (both Spain). Sentences were 32 to 36 months. Sea Shepherd describes the court as the Supreme Court and the fine as €15 million; its wording leaves unclear whether the fine was per person or in total, and the figure is treated here as a collective total.
In April 2018, in a civil case brought by the Spanish government, the vessel's owner, Florindo González Corral, was fined €8.2 million. The fine was spread over three companies and eight people, with a 12-year fishing and subsidy ban. Sea Shepherd estimates that the Thunder earned about €50 million from poaching.
- 2013Interpol Purple Notice issued, after New Zealand, Australia and Norway pushed for it
- 201417 December: Sea Shepherd's Bob Barker begins pursuit in the Southern Ocean
- 20156 April: Thunder sinks in the Gulf of Guinea off São Tomé and Príncipe; 12 October: three officers convicted in São Tomé and Príncipe
- 2018April: owner fined €8.2 million in a civil case in Spain, with a 12-year fishing and subsidy ban
How it looked
Shown
- The pursuit was a 110-day continuous chase.Sea Shepherd · Sea Shepherd Australia
- The Thunder earned about €50 million from poaching (estimate).Sea Shepherd · Sea Shepherd Australia
Recorded
- Thunder sank on 6 April 2015 off São Tomé and Príncipe; officials believe it was scuttled deliberately.
- 12 October 2015: three officers convicted of forgery, pollution, environmental damage and recklessness; sentences of 32 to 36 months.
- April 2018: owner fined €8.2 million in a civil case brought by the Spanish government; fine spread over three companies and eight people; 12-year fishing and subsidy ban.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2015-10-12Claimant won€15m Fine in millions, as stated by Sea Shepherd; unclear whether per person or totalCriminal case against three officers of the ThunderCourt in São Tomé and Príncipe (described by Sea Shepherd as the Supreme Court) · Criminal · Prosecution, São Tomé and Príncipe → Captain Luis Alfonso Rubio Cataldo; chief engineer Agustín Dosil Rey; second mechanic Luis Miguel Pérez Fernández
The three officers were convicted of forgery, pollution, environmental damage and recklessness and sentenced to 32 to 36 months. Sea Shepherd Australia
- 2018-04Claimant won€8.2m Civil fine in millions, spread over three companies and eight peopleCivil case brought by the Spanish government against the Thunder's ownerSpain (court not named in the sources reviewed) · Civil · Spanish government → Florindo González Corral, owner, with three companies and eight people
The owner was fined €8.2 million, with a 12-year fishing and subsidy ban. Maritime Executive
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Record
- Insufficient Fine amount: Sea Shepherd gives €15 million (and describes the court as the Supreme Court); a search snippet attributed to Pew gave about $17 million collectively. The Pew page returned an access error and the figure is reported but not independently verified.
- Unclear Whether the €15 million fine was per person or in total: Sea Shepherd's wording is unclear; treated here as a collective total.
- Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: that officials believe the vessel was scuttled deliberately is Sea Shepherd's account of the officials' view; no official statement was reviewed.
Did the harm stop?
The Thunder sank on 6 April 2015 after the pursuit; in 2018 the owner received a 12-year fishing and subsidy ban in Spain.
Who paid?
The owner, three companies and eight people were fined €8.2 million in Spain (2018); the three officers were fined, reported by Sea Shepherd as €15 million, in São Tomé and Príncipe (2015).
Sources
Press and investigations
- Owner of F/V Thunder hit with fine in SpainMaritime Executive ·
Communities and civil society
Connected cases
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- Sea Shepherd (NGO) — here: Pursued the vessel; source of the account of the chase and the earnings estimate; there: NGO critic of the record catch
- Prestige Spain · 2002–2026
- Government of Spain (Government) — here: Brought the civil case against the owner; there: Claimant; paid advance compensation to fishers
- Save the Whales campaign and IWC whaling moratorium Global · 1971
- Sea Shepherd (NGO) — here: Pursued the vessel; source of the account of the chase and the earnings estimate; there: Paid US$2.55 million to Japanese whaling bodies (2015)
- Torrey Canyon spill and creation of the IOPC Funds United Kingdom · 1967–2026
- Government of Spain (Government) — here: Brought the civil case against the owner; there: Claimant in the Prestige case
- Whaling after the moratorium (Japan, Norway, Iceland) Iceland · 1982–2026
- Sea Shepherd (NGO) — here: Pursued the vessel; source of the account of the chase and the earnings estimate; there: Anti-whaling group; paid 2.55 million dollars to Japanese whaling bodies in 2015