Costa Rica: Sea Shepherd Captain Needs Your Help! Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - "Lori" May 6, 2002 Sea Shepherd Supporters, CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON NEEDS YOUR HELP. As most of you know from the emails, Sea Shepherd caught a Costa Rican vessel poaching in Guatemalan waters. We were instructed to bring the boat to the authorities, which we tried to do. Within 60 miles from turning the illegal fishing boat over to the Guatemalan Coast Guard, Captain Watson was threatened with arrest. The boat was set free and the Ocean Warrior made its way to Costa Rica, where Sea Shepherd was to sign an agreement with the president of Costa Rica to protect the World Heritage Site of the Cocos Island. The signing has not yet taken place. Upon arrival in Costa Rica, Paul faced arrest and was charged with attempted murder and destruction of property. This spooked a member of the government from signing the agreement. The same day all charges were dismissed, as Paul presented documentation from his Log Book, crew, and the independent media on board the Ocean Warrior, that clearly showed the facts of the incident. However, today, Paul is once again threatened with arrest. The fishing lobby in Costa Rica was stronger than we had anticipated. They are asking for another prosecutor to re-open the case against Sea Shepherd and Paul Watson. They want him arrested for exposing the poaching activities in not only Central American waters, but also in the Costa Rican waters. Here is how you can help. Please send an email to the following officials and let them hear YOUR support for Sea Shepherd, Paul Watson and your desire for us to help protect OUR World Heritage Site - The Cocos Islands. Miguel Angel Rodriguez, President of Costa Rica presidente@casapres.go.cr Carlos MI. Uribe Sáenz, President curibe@cocosisland.org William Munoz Quirós, Executive Director wmunoz@csu.co.cr The Cocos Islands is a treasure we are all responsible for and we are all trying to save from the greedy illegal fishing practices that are destroying this area. Friends of Cocos Island Foundation is a Costa Rican private non-profit organization, created in 1994 with the objective of generating and channeling human, technical and financial resources to contribute to the preservation of Cocos Island National Park and World Heritage Site (UNESCO, 1997). This mission complements the efforts launched by the Ministry of Environment and Mines (MINAE), and carried out by the Cocos Island Marine and Terrestrial Conservation Area (ACMIC). Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was asked to come and help protect this beautiful environment. We need your help to do just that. Thank you For the Oceans! Lori Pye, Ph.D. Director of Operations Lori@seashepherd.org Ph. 310-456-1141 Fax 310-456-1141 www.seashepherd.org ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytcamer-05.07.02-18:13:44-7596