Pirates Attack Fishing Boats

Shiver me timbers, we've entered the crazy times. Pirates are totally making a comeback. They're more in fashion this fall than cashmere sweaters and plain-front trousers.

It's been 200 years since they've been a force at sea, but lately no one is safe, from super tankers to fishing boats. The map on the right is from the International Chamber of Commerce's Crime Service web page and it's constantly streaming in real time to bring you the latest pirate information.

No joke, there's a website dedicated to tracking pirate attacks around the globe. And courtesy of Google's nifty little pointers you can get the exact GPS coordinates of each sea invasion.

The stories making the big news include the Sirius Star, an oil tanker loaded with a cool $100 million in crude. But, for us anglers there's a bit more worrisome news. Several fishing vessels, both commercial and private have been boarded by Blackbeard wannabes. And though this just seems absurd to type, be careful if you're fishing the east coast of Africa near Madagascar or around the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. Silly as it seems, these are prime fishing spots for big-game species like marlin and tuna and draw fishermen each winter from around the world.

The good news is this new breed of pirate seems to be a little less savage than his predecessor, mostly demanding princely ransoms. So far there are no reports of plank walking.

And for your pleasure, no wait, actually this is more for my pleasure, a couple of cheesy pirate jokes after the jump.

What rating did the pirate movie receive?
An arrrr

Why is pirating so addictive?
They say once ye lose yer first hand, ye get hooked

What's a horny pirate's worst nightmare?
A sunken chest with no booty

Zing.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

11-22-2008 @ 8:04AM

Jon said...

Not only are Pirates making a comeback, but also lock pickers and car key jackers with some scary technology....

How a camera can 'steal' your keys

http://www.curiousread.com/2008/11/how-camera-can-steal-your-keys.html

http://www.curiousread.com/2008/07/ive-lost-my-key-can-you-pass-me-that.html

11-22-2008 @ 8:48AM

Rick said...

Ahoy, Greeeaaaat, pirate jokes, thar, matey

11-22-2008 @ 8:57AM

smurfy said...

why didn't the pirate get the job as a life guard ? he didn't know
cprrrrr .

11-22-2008 @ 9:10AM

MM said...

Put an end to these acts, take them out and let the message stand on it's own. You just can't take ships like this and not have to pay the price with blood. They want the easy life, well show them the way to heaven, and they will be sent packing there too.

11-23-2008 @ 1:49PM

louise said...

You are sooo right. If pirates can commit acts on the high seas with impunity, the victims can blow them away with impunity. I'm wondering when someone is going to take this seriously before NO ONE is safe at sea, including American shipping and cruise ships. If pirates can take over these ships take them wherever they want, what's to stop them from driving one straight into Liberty Island, Boston Harbor or the Golden Gate? Terrorists commandeered airplanes and crashed them where they wished.

11-22-2008 @ 9:31AM

Ron said...

Enterprising little bands of fellons..would you say..besides every one LIKES a good pirarte story..even Disney wrote one years ago, for kids. I was reading that small towns around the coast are popping up and BOOMIMG because of the pirarte cash and botty. I might sail my small boat out there and join them for good time of looting, drinking rum, and squzing all the winches in those low cut dreses us guys got to like so much...what you say there matty should be look up a couple of them winches for a good time...aaarrrrrr

11-22-2008 @ 9:33AM

Alice said...

I assume by the 'plank walking' remark that the author think these incidents are without casualties, but that's just not so. People are dying and disappearing during these attacks, and piracy needs to be faced as the serious issue it is.

11-22-2008 @ 9:47AM

Cindy said...

HOW STUPID, WHY CANT THEY JUST BLOW THEM OUT OF THE WATER? LIKE IF YOU SAW A SMALL BOAT COMING AT YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN, AND YOUR CARGO IS MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF CRUDE OIL, DO YOU THINK THEY ARE JUST COMING OUT THERE TO SAY HELLO???? I CANT BELIEVE NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THESE LOSERS!

11-22-2008 @ 1:00PM

joel said...

ever tried o launch a rocket or shoot near a gaz station ?
the answer is no . and noone in their right mind would ever do it.
I am very surprised however knowing the technology out there that only one mother ship was ever sank .by the Indian Navy....
So far along with the French with by the way have given outstanding support to our Navy "they were the very first to medically assist the injured crew of the USS COLE" , They have been so far the most efficient in dealing with the Pirates in the Somalia region .......not even the mighty Russian come close .

11-22-2008 @ 9:58AM

austin said...

i only thought of pirates as costumes for halloween and in movies, but there back

11-22-2008 @ 10:11AM

Gil said...

Saw a video recently showing technology to fire a weapon at targets miles away with such precise accuracy that it killed a number or terrorists and left a dog untouched. Why can't we put this to use and end this senseless nonsense about pirates once and for-all!

11-22-2008 @ 10:03AM

Trowgo said...

Watched "Whale Wars" and they are after Whale fishing boat with "research boat" on the side, And I must say They looked like they had there act together. But it started falling apart, they got two members onboard a whaling vessel and they got taken hostage, then they lost contact with a kodiac boat they let out as it got night time and the chopper had to return to the base ship. Now when this starts happening to cruise liners I know all bets are off.

11-22-2008 @ 10:06AM

Chuck Miller said...

The Piracy act gives these guys immunity on the open seas. They can only be denoted as " Persons of Interest ". You cannot tread on them. They have rights you know.

11-22-2008 @ 10:14AM

CINDY said...

YEAH I WOULD SHOW THEM THEIR RIGHTS!! BRING OUT THE BIG GUNS........ ARRRRRR!!!

11-22-2008 @ 10:20AM

wayne said...

Go for it why not, When the rich protect the rich we may have france over take of the govenmint. Our great speed frigits can control the world but American thinks it can,all thinks come to pass ,So think about america or should i say ???.Look obama /opauh government is going to give the treasure to the wolves/president of the federal bank to lead us what a joke. God help us. ex/vet

11-22-2008 @ 10:28AM

WAYNE..........What the heck are you talking about, you make no sense. Please tell me your not saying the pirates are Obamas fault! LMAO

11-22-2008 @ 1:18PM

your comment is stupid to say the least....
So far France has been the most efficient force in the somalia region including and most likely saving the life of several US sailors that were hurt in the bombing of the USS Cole , by giving them medical assistance they could not get in Yemen.
As per handing out ouir goverment to the French , we actually might be better off and here is why:
they have full uninterupted medical coverage regardless how many employer they have in a year ,month, week or day.
Here some congressman actually take their US Citizen to Canada for affordable medical care.
they can retire at 58 , 70 is the average in the USA
by law they must take one month vacation a year .
In return and as per the US dept of commerce they are one of the most productive country in the world .
in education they are so far ahead of the USA it make the USA look like our southern neighbors from Mexico .
finally and thanks to our deregulation , unlike France , we have managed not only to send this Country into recession and far worse, the entire world.
GET YOUR FACT STRAIGHT AND FORGET FOX NEWS FOR A WHILE....It might make you smarter .......

11-22-2008 @ 2:28PM

George said...

Wayne, if you are an ex/vet, from what country? When I was in service many years ago we had to know how to read and write and make coherent statements. You make no sense at all. God help us!

11-22-2008 @ 10:16PM

Bobby said...

Whereas I don't condone these actions for one second, I think the authorities have taken into consideration this is mainly about money moreso than loss of life. These pirates do basically the same thing our tax system does by imposing their will on others in an unfair way. I actually think some of the gov't's involved with paying the ransom understand this as long as the game doesn't become deadly, It's a tariff if you will. Other than that thought I'm all for forceful means to eradicate lawlessness.

Question is,, is it any different than what the new gov't is talking about "spreading the wealth"??