Sydney court to hear arguments on future of anti-sealing vessel

A hearing is slated for May 9 in provincial court in Sydney to determine whether the anti-sealing vessel Farley Mowat should be returned to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

The ship was seized by the federal government in April, for what DFO says are alleged seal hunt violations. The accusation is that the ship and its 17-member crew got too close to the seasl hunt.

The ship was seized off Cape Breton on April 12 after being boarded by RCMP officers. The Farley Mowat’s captain, Alex Cornelissen, and first mate Peter Hammarstedt have been charged with violating the Fisheries Act. Both have been released on bail and their lawyer said they will be pleading not guilty to the charges.

A preliminary hearing in the case has also been scheduled for July 2.

The Dutch-registered Farley Mowat is being held in Sydney. Paul Watson, head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, has said he wants the vessel back.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has also vowed to bill Canada $1,000 for every day it holds the seized ship.

"At no time did my ship ever enter the 12-mile limit," Cornelissen, the ship's skipper, said in a release. "They had no right to board us and these charges are ridiculous. All we did was take pictures of seals being slaughtered on the ice."

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has said it will send an invoice to the federal Fisheries Department on the 12th of each month, asking for $30,000 for the time the ship is held.