The 4 month campaign must have been really expensive. Is there a reason they didn't just forcibly board the boat with a swat type team from helicopters, or something similar?
It's likely that whatever remaining shred of legitimacy such operations have is highly dependent on not having high-def video of their operations on TV and the internet as well.
As the article states, what they do that is most harmful to them is to follow them around and notify any port they attempt to dock at, so they can't get supplies (esp fuel) without risking arrest.