Neptune's Navy - Registration Concerns

Registration Concerns

The vessels being engaged in controversial activities has caused registration issues with multiple governments, and the ships of the fleet have flown the flags of several different nations.

In August 2006, the Farley Mowat had its registration revoked by Canada. Later that year, Japan requested that the United Kingdom strip the Robert Hunter of its flag and for Belize to strip the Farley Mowat of hers. The Robert Hunter was removed from the shipping registers of the United Kingdom since its activities were "inconsistent with her status as a pleasure vessel." The International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize withdrew the use of the nation's flag after finding the Farley Mowat was not being used as a pleasure craft and stated that "it could not condone acts that threatened life and property at sea." The Mohawk Traditional Council of Kahnawake offered support and flags of the Iroquois Confederacy to fly on the Farley Mowat and the Robert Hunter.

In early 2010, the Bob Barker briefly falsely flew a Norwegian flag with the intent to deceive Japanese whalers.

The Steve Irwin now sails under the Dutch flag, but legislation was introduced to ban the group from using it. However, the junior transport minister later noted that there was no further intention of deregistering the Steve Irwin. In February 2010, however, after repeated requests by Japan, a new bill was introduced which would modify the registry law to allow ships to be struck from the registry if their conduct harmed the Netherlands' reputation.

Also in February 2010, Japan announced that Togo had struck the Bob Barker from its registry. The Bob Barker has since been re-registered in the Netherlands.