But how different are the super trawlers compared to the...

But how different are the super trawlers compared to the superpits of BHP, RIO, NCM, FMG, Vale, XStrata, etc? Instead of aquatic animals, it's land animals (scurrying around doing what they do to maintain the ecology) that are the victims. Instead of the sea being decimated of life, it's the pristine land. Year in, year out, until nothing is left. Then the miners move on to other pristine land and repeat the devastation.

If LYC would eventually invest $'hundreds of millions to develop a series of superpits, but the rabid greenies pounce in, scream loudly and successfully block all operations, what would be our views then? Quite complex and hard moral decisions.

I'm as much a staunch supporter of preserving the natural environment as is any genuine person, such as Timmo et al. I have put a lot of my money into private environmental projects. However, I keep my distance from the green ilk. I don't believe that they have sole claim on doing the right thing for the environment. Neither do I believe that their unscientific and shrill approach is the only way. So it's best that the greenies and I do not meet. But I digress. My apologies for doing so.