Captain Pete Bethune is expected to clarify the status of Sea Shepherd as a conservation group and not an animal rights organisation, talk about why he eats meat and fishes, his time in a Japanese prison and his commitment to biofuels.
Pete Bethune is a New Zealand conservationist and a member of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. After establishing the current world record for the fastest trip around the world in a power boat, the Earthrace, Pete recommissioned his boat as the Ady Gil and began using it in anti-whaling campaigns with Sea Shepherd. The boat was sunk in an incident involving the Japanese whaling vessel Shonan Maru 2 in January, 2010.
In February, 2010, Pete boarded the Shonan Maru 2, to conduct a citizen's arrest on the Captain, Hiroyuki Komiya, alleging attempted murder and to present a claim for $3 million for the loss of the Ady Gil. Pete was subsequently detained by the crew and taken to Tokyo, where he was arrested. He was indicted on 5 charges.
On July 7, after being held for 5 months, Pete received a suspended sentence and returned to his home in New Zealand.
Pete has generously agreed to share, with ARZone members, his personal experiences as Captain of the Ady Gil, his subsequent incarceration and his conservation work and philosophies.
This is an event for which questions must be registered with ARZone; this may be done by contacting Carolyn, Dan or Jason directly through ARZone.
ARZone promotes rational discourse and intelligent dialogue and encourages participation in this event.
CHAT TIMES:
3pm -- Sat 31st -- Pacific Time
4pm -- Sat 31st -- Mountain Time
5pm -- Sat 31st -- Central Time
6pm -- Sat 31st. -- Eastern Time
11pm -- Sat 31st -- UK Time
8am -- Sun 1st -- Australian Eastern Standard Time
10am - Sun 1st -- New Zealand Standard Time
To find your time for this chat, please use this conversion site, or feel free to ask Carolyn or Jason for help:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html