The Faroe Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the vessel ‘John Paul DeJoria’, skippered by radical anti-whaling activist Paul Watson, the head of the organization known as Sea Shepherd, will be barred from entering Faroese waters. The announcement comes on the heels of reports that the ‘John Paul de Joria’ was headed toward the Faroes with identification transponders turned off.
Sea Shephard UK, now redubbed Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK, was reportedly headed toward Iceland on a mission to disrupt commercial whaling there; however after Iceland apparently canceled this year’s whaling season, the trip was redirected to the Faroe Islands to stage some protest against the non-commercial Faroese tradition of pilot whaling.
“By executive order of Thursday 6 June 2023, the vessel M/Y John Paul De Joria, flying the flag of Jamaica, has been prohibited to enter the Territorial Sea of the Faroe Islands, the breadth of which is measured 12 nautical miles from the baselines of the Faroe Islands,” an announcement from the Government of the Faroe Islands dated July 6th read. “The relevant authorities of Jamaica have been informed accordingly.”
The statement further added: “This prohibition has been issued as representatives of the ship’s crew have publicly expressed an unequivocal intention to conduct activities, which, in so far these activities are landward the outer limit of the territorial sea of the Faroe Islands, are inconsistent with international law and relevant municipal law of the Faroe Islands.”