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The
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is a non-profit, marine conservation activism organization based in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Washington, in the United States. Sea Shepherd employs direct action tactics to achieve its g ...
engages in various demonstrations, campaigns, and tactical operations at sea and elsewhere, including conventional
protest A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of cooper ...
s and direct actions to protect marine wildlife. Sea Shepherd operations have included interdiction against commercial fishing, shark poaching and
finning Finning is a Canadian industrial equipment dealer specializing in Caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, t ...
, seal hunting and
whaling Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution. It was practiced as an organized industr ...
. Many of their activities have been called piracy or terrorism by their targets and by the ICRW. Sea Shepherd says that they have taken more than 4,000 volunteers on operations over a period of 30 years.


Fishing (1987–present)


Anti-driftnet campaigns (1987–present)

Sea Shepherd engaged in a multi-year campaign against driftnetting practices, which it calls a way of
strip mining Surface mining, including strip mining, open-pit mining and mountaintop removal mining, is a broad category of mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit (the overburden) are removed, in contrast to underground mining, in which ...
the ocean's wildlife. Sea Shepherd's ''Divine Wind'' vessel investigated suspected driftnet fleets and collected
ghost net Ghost nets are fishing nets that have been abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded in the ocean. These nets, often nearly invisible in the dim light, can be left tangled on a rocky reef or drifting in the open sea. They can entangle fish, dol ...
s in 1987 along the coast of southern Alaska. In 1990, Sea Shepherd consulted with a physicist and found a successful way of sinking driftnets without causing ecological damage. In 1990, Sea Shepherd travelled to the North Pacific with the intent of bringing driftnetting to public attention. While there, they found two Taiwanese driftnetters, which they filmed catching seabirds and dolphins in their nets. They rammed the power blocks, used to retrieve the nets. The ships were forced to head home, and no charges were brought against Sea Shepherd for the incident. In 1991, Sea Shepherd learned that driftnetters were destroying the seabird and fish populations off of the coasts of Trinidad and Tobago. They travelled there and patrolled the area near the mouth of the Amazon. They encountered a driftnetting ship and threw stink bombs on its deck. The ship rammed the ''Sea Shepherd II,'' and they rammed the driftnetter back, leading to a confrontation that severely damaged both ships. Back in Trinidad, Sea Shepherd revealed that corrupt officials were taking bribes to turn a blind eye to driftnetting in the area, and the corrupt officials were removed from office. Sea Shepherd later donated four assault rifles to help the Coast Guard chase driftnetters. In 1992, Sea Shepherd returned to fight driftnetters in the North Pacific. They encountered a fleet of Japanese driftnetters. They chased one away, and fired air cannons and fire crackers at another to slow it down. However, no ramming took place because the fishermen on deck would not move. They did manage to retrieve a cargo hold of driftnet and create an international incident. In 1992, Sea Shepherd agent Dwight Worker covertly entered Taiwan. While there, he sank the driftnetting ship ''Jiang Hai'' in harbor. He also documented thousands of miles of driftnet being added to 43 driftnetting vessels, despite a ban on ships being outfitted with new net. Shepherd only reduced their campaign activities after the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
in 1992 banned driftnetting, but they did not stop their campaigns. In 1995, Sea Shepherd convinced the government of Ireland to disallow driftnetting in their territorial waters. In 1997, Sea Shepherd announced a campaign to fight driftnetting in the Mediterranean. Italy's driftnetters, the primary suspects, immediately halted the practice. Sea Shepherd in 2006 noted that drift netting had again gained prominence, due to the reduction of fish stocks tempting commercial fisheries to again use the method to keep up their catch volumes. In March 2016, Sea Shepherd announced the launch of ''Operation Driftnet,'' to combat
illegal fishing Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) is an issue around the world. Fishing industry observers believe IUU occurs in most fisheries, and accounts for up to 30% of total catches in some important fisheries. Illegal fishing takes ...
in the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by t ...
and subsequently employ direct-action techniques to shut-down their operations. They found and engaged a fleet of 6 driftnetters, and 3 of the ships were arrested for illegal fishing.


Tuna boat killing of dolphins (1988–1989, 1991–1992)

In 1988, Sea Shepherd released footage of dolphins being killed by an American-owned tuna seiner. The film was edited by Peter Brown. The footage scandalized the tuna industry and led to a ban on dolphin killing by U.S. tuna companies. In 1989, Sea Shepherd travelled to Costa Rica to ram a tuna seiner and bring the issue to public attention. They found a tuna seiner called the ''Pan Pacific'', which they confirmed had been illegally killing dolphins. The ramming was eventually called off due to a dispute between Paul Watson and Scott Trimmingham. Scott said that ramming would upset his negotiations to have tuna fishing banned in Costa Rica, to which Watson replied that they created international incidents—they didn't negotiate. In the end, they boarded the ''Pan Pacific'' and inspected the logbook, which revealed locations where dolphins were being killed. Using the information, they travelled along the Mexican coast and stopped several tuna seiners from various Latin American countries from killing dolphins. In February 1991, representatives of a tuna boat in the Pacific south of Mexico said that they had been rammed by ''Sea Shepherd II''. Sea Shepherd accused it of catching and killing dolphins in its tuna nets and confirmed its ship had dealt the tuna boat a "glancing blow." They had originally planned to destroy the fishermen's small boat used to lay nets, but called the plan off because the fishermen were too close. They also turned a fire hose on the fishermen's helicopter (used to herd the dolphins) in order to ensure costly repairs. In 1992, Sea Shepherd launched another campaign to stop tuna seiners from killing dolphins. They stopped in Mexico to repair their ship, ''Sea Shepherd II.'' Despite warnings from the Mexican navy that they would be arrested due to the incident the previous year, they entered the country and covertly did repairs with no incident. They later stopped a tuna seiner from killing a pod of dolphins off of Mexico.


Cooperation with Costa Rica (2002)

In April 2002, the government of Costa Rica invited Sea Shepherd to assist in patrolling for poachers around
Cocos Island Cocos Island ( es, Isla del Coco) is an island in the Pacific Ocean administered by Costa Rica, approximately southwest of the Costa Rican mainland. It constitutes the 11th of the 13 districts of Puntarenas Canton of the Province of Puntarena ...
. The group and Costa Rica had negotiated an agreement for this work which was due to be finalised on April 30, 2002. On April 22, the ''
Farley Mowat Farley McGill Mowat, (May 12, 1921 – May 6, 2014) was a Canadian writer and environmentalist. His works were translated into 52 languages, and he sold more than 17 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Can ...
'' (formerly the ''Ocean Warrior''), captained by
Paul Watson Paul Franklin Watson (born December 2, 1950) is a Canadian-American conservation and environmental activist, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine conservation activism. Th ...
, was en route to the island when it came across the ''Varadero I'' which the group alleges was poaching sharks. The authorities were contacted and Sea Shepherd was told to bring the ship in. The ''Farley Mowat'' forced the other vessel into a nearby Guatemalan port with the use of pressure hoses, and in the altercation, the two vessels collided, causing some damage to the ''Varadero I''. Subsequently, Watson was charged with attempted shipwrecking and murder by the fishermen. These charges were dropped on April 29 by the prosecutor when footage of the incident taken by a documentary team aboard the ''Farley Mowat'' was shown. Footage of the event can be seen in the film ''
Sharkwater ''Sharkwater'' is a 2006 Canadian documentary film written and directed by Rob Stewart. Helping to protect sharks, changing government policy, and inspiring the creation of shark conservation groups, ''Sharkwater'' is considered one of conservati ...
''. The prosecutor was reported to have found no evidence of any wrongdoing. A new prosecutor was later appointed to repursue the charges and Watson's lawyer advised he leave the country. Local environmental groups argue that fishing interests opposed to marine conservation were behind the legal proceedings. After subsequent litigation against the judges and prosecutors in Costa Rica, the criminal charges were dismissed in 2019. Sea Shepherd had previously worked to protect Cocos Island. In 1992, they chased over a dozen poachers out of the marine reserve with flares, water cannons, pie cannons, stink bombs, paintball guns, and air from a Civil War-Era cannon. Footage of the poachers was sent to the Costa Rican authorities, and several of the poachers were later arrested. In 2001, Sea Shepherd captured the poacher ''San José 1.'' The vessel was arrested and later confiscated.


Southern Pacific/Galápagos Islands (2000–present)

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has operated in the Galápagos marine reserve to protect marine wildlife. The reserve was declared in 1986, with an increased area declared in 1998, and despite government attempts to limit catches, fishing continued in the waters around the Galápagos Islands. The Galápagos National Park Directorate lacked the manpower to adequately manage the marine park, and fishing laws were regularly flouted. The largest fisheries were for spiny lobster, sea cucumbers, and shark fins, mainly for export to Asian markets.
Longline fishing Longline fishing, or longlining, is a commercial fishing angling technique that uses a long ''main line'' with fish bait, baited fish hook, hooks attached at intervals via short branch lines called ''snoods'' or ''gangions''.< ...
and illegal nets also cause a bycatch of seals, turtles, sharks,
boobies A booby is a seabird in the genus ''Sula'', part of the family Sulidae. Boobies are closely related to the gannets (''Morus''), which were formerly included in ''Sula''. Systematics and evolution The genus ''Sula'' was introduced by the Fren ...
and other marine animals. In December 2000, the Sea Shepherd ship, ''Sirenian'', was sent to the Galápagos to assist in patrolling the 130,000 square kilometre marine reserve around the Islands. Sea Shepherd had signed a five-year agreement with the
Galápagos National Park Galápagos National Park ( es, Parque Nacional Galápagos) was established in 1959. It began operation in 1968, and it is Ecuador's first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Park history The government of Ecuador has designated ...
Directorate to provide the ''Sirenian'', with some crew, as a patrol vessel. Under the agreement, the ''Sirenian'' had an Ecuadorian captain, engineer, and carries Park Service officers. The ''Sirenian'' is a 95-foot former
United States Coast Guard Cutter United States Coast Guard Cutter is the term used by the U.S. Coast Guard for its commissioned vessels. They are or greater in length and have a permanently assigned crew with accommodations aboard. They carry the ship prefix USCGC. Histor ...
and is now permanently stationed in the Galápagos. In November 2000, the fishers reacted to new catch limits on lobster by ransacking the Park Service offices, the facilities of the Darwin Research Centre and trashing the park director's home, burning his possessions in the street. The ''Sirenian'' carried a cargo of new computers, cameras, and communications equipment to replace what was destroyed by the fishers. The ''Sirenian'' captured four illegal boats in the first three weeks of March, 2001. In September 2001, the Ecuadorian Navy detained the ''Ocean Warrior''. This occurred after the Park Service captured seven illegal shark fishing boats at sea and Sea Shepherd criticized the Ecuadorian Navy for not enforcing the law. The Sea Shepherd Ecuadorian representative, Sean O'Hearn-Giminez, was arrested onboard and threatened with
deportation Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. The term ''expulsion'' is often used as a synonym for deportation, though expulsion is more often used in the context of international law, while deportation ...
. In June 2004, a Sea Shepherd crew-member, Cathy Davies, along with at least six other Sea Shepherd members, was taken hostage during protests by fishers who were protesting recently enacted quotas on sea cucumber (
Holothuroidea Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea (). They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number of holothurian ...
). Armed with clubs, pipes, and
Molotov cocktail A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see other names'') is a hand thrown incendiary weapon constructed from a frangible container filled with flammable substances equipped with a fuse (typically a glass bottle filled with fla ...
s, the fishers had seized Park Service offices and tourist locations. Sea Shepherd crew joined Park Services officers at the barricades erected by fishers around the buildings. Another team of Sea Shepherd crew were dispatched to guard
Lonesome George Lonesome George ( es, Solitario George or , 1910 – June 24, 2012) was a male Pinta Island tortoise (''Chelonoidis niger abingdonii'') and the last known individual of the subspecies. In his last years, he was known as the rarest creat ...
, one of the Galápagos Islands' most famous turtles, as the fishers had threatened to kill him if the quota on sea cucumber was not lifted. About 100 residents of San Cristóbal Island marched in protest against the fishers actions. In July, the High Court of Ecuador upheld the Park Service limits on the take of sea cucumber. The Park Service banned the catch of sea cucumber for 2005 and 2006 to allow for the populations to recover from
over-fishing Overfishing is the removal of a species of fish (i.e. fishing) from a body of water at a rate greater than that the species can replenish its population naturally (i.e. the overexploitation of the fishery's existing fish stock), resulting in t ...
. Watson called this a "great victory for conservation in the Galápagos." In an agreement with the
World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wo ...
, Sea Shepherd donated the ''Sirenian'' to the Galápagos National Park Service. The WWF refurbished the boat, which now operates as the ''Yoshka''. In May 2007, the president of Ecuador,
Rafael Correa Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado (; born 6 April 1963), known as Rafael Correa, is an Ecuadorian politician and economist who served as President of Ecuador from 2007 to 2017. The leader of the PAIS Alliance political movement from its foundation ...
, relaxed an International ban on
shark finning Shark finning is the act of removing fins from sharks and discarding the rest of the shark back into the ocean. This act is prohibited in many countries. The sharks are often still alive when discarded, but without their fins.Spiegel, J. (2000 ...
by legalizing the sale of fins from sharks caught accidentally. Sea Shepherd's Ecuadorian representative, Sean O'Hearn-Giminez, accompanied a police raid that found two tons of sharks fins caught before a Presidential decree. Fifteen people were arrested in the raid at
Manta Manta or mantas may refer to: * Manta ray, large fish belonging to the genus ''Manta'' Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * Manta (comics), a character in American Marvel Comics publications * Manta (''Uridium''), a spaceship in the Br ...
. However, a prosecutor ordered them released and the shark fins were returned to the fishers. O'Hearn-Giminez was arrested and ordered to be deported. This order was revoked later that day at the request of President Correa. The reason given was that O'Hearn-Giminez had a valid visa, as his wife is Ecuadorian. In June 2007, O'Hearn-Giminez participated in a raid on a house in Libertad that was being used for illegally processing sea cucumbers. At least 40,000 sea cucumbers were seized and two men arrested. Later that month, Sea Shepherd staff and operatives from the Ecuadorian Environmental Police seized 18,673 shark fins and arrested four men. Sean O'Hearn-Giminez said that "This successful sting is the result of several months working covertly with the co-operation of General Bolivar Cisneros, Chief Commander of the Ecuadorian National Police. Sea Shepherd traced potential exit points in the illegal shark fin trade in the Galápagos and Ecuador." Paul Watson was awarded the Amazon Peace Prize for his and Sea Shepherd's work on behalf of the environment and marine species in Latin America. The award was given in July 2007 by the Latin American Association for Human Rights and the Ecuadorian vice-President. Watson also signed two agreements at this time, one for Sea Shepherd's involvement in the protection of the
Amazon river dolphin The Amazon river dolphin (''Inia geoffrensis''), also known as the boto, bufeo or pink river dolphin, is a species of toothed whale classified in the family Iniidae. Three subspecies are currently recognized: ''I. g. geoffrensis'' (Amazon river ...
and the Amazonian manatee; the other with the Ecuadorian Police to work with them to detect and destroy illegal fishing boats. In 2008, US Federal agent Scott West resigned his position and joined Sea Shepherd to work in its intelligence and investigations department. West will work in partnership with the Ecuadorian National Police and the Galápagos National Park to oppose illegal fishing in the marine reserve. In early 2010, Sea Shepherd announced that the Dutch Post Code Lottery was giving them an annual €500,000 grant, and an additional €1 million for their conservation programs in the Galápagos. Mediterranean bluefin tuna anti-poaching (2010, 2011) In 2010, Sea Shepherd launched Operation Blue Rage to protect bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean Sea. They found a ship after the fishing season with a net full of 800 bluefin tuna. They cut the net, freeing all of the tuna. Sea Shepherd later faced a lawsuit from Fish And FIsh, the company that owned the vessel. The lawsuit was settled in March 2015 in favor of Sea Shepherd. In 2011, Sea Shepherd launched "Operation Blue Rage 2011." They found a fleet of fishing boats containing thousands of illegally caught bluefin tuna. They attempted to cut the nets, but several Sea Shepherd crew members were injured when a fisherman threw a steel chain at one of the delta boats. A French naval jet flew over to document the incident. Eventually, a plane from ICCAT, the group responsible for bluefin management, ordered Sea Shepherd to leave. Both incidents appeared on the Whale Wars special called Operation Bluefin.


Operation Icefish (2014–2016)

From December 2014 to April 2015 two Sea Shepherd vessels, The Bob Barker and the Sam Simon, as part of "Operation Icefish", pursued the renegade trawler ''
Thunder Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
'' for 10,000 miles from Antarctic waters where it was illegally fishing for
Patagonian toothfish The Patagonian toothfish (''Dissostichus eleginoides'') is a species of notothen found in cold waters () between depths of in the southern Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and Southern Ocean on seamounts and continental shelves around most ...
to where ''Thunder'' was scuttled in the waters of São Tomé and Príncipe at . The ship was first intercepted on December 17, 2014, at , inside the CCAMLR (
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, also known as the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, and CCAMLR, is part of the Antarctic Treaty System. The convention was opened for s ...
) region of management while deploying illegal gillnets. Several other ships fishing illegally for toothfish were also put out of action by Operation Icefish. The ships were part of the group of toothfish poachers known as the " Bandit 6". Actions by Sea Shepherd and national governments led to the detention or sinking of all six ships. The last of these was captured toothfish poacher ''Viking'', which was sunken by the Indonesian government in 2016.


African IUU fishing (2017–present)

In 2017, established at the United Nations Ocean Conference, Sea Shepherd Global's ''Voluntary Commitment for the Ocean'' to eradicate Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing founded ''Operation Sola Stella'', to partner with Liberia and other west African Coastal States, ''Operation Albacore'', in
Gabon Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the nort ...
, and
São Tomé São Tomé is the capital and largest city of the Central African island country of São Tomé and Príncipe. Its name is Portuguese for " Saint Thomas". Founded in the 15th century, it is one of Africa's oldest colonial cities. History Álvar ...
, and
Príncipe Príncipe is the smaller, northern major island of the country of São Tomé and Príncipe lying off the west coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea. It has an area of (including offshore islets) and a population of 7,324 at the 2012 Census;
, and ''Operation Jodari'', in
Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
.


Sealing (1979–2015)

Canadian sealing (1979–2008) The first direct action undertaken by Sea Shepherd was against Canadian seal hunting in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In March 1979, 32 crew aboard the ''Sea Shepherd'' protested the hunt and eight members were arrested after going on the ice to spray the pups with colored organic dye so as to render the pelts worthless to traders. About 1,000 seals were sprayed with the dye. In 1980, Sea Shepherd severely damaged the sealing ship ''Martin Karlsen'' in port, smashing its navigational equipment. They attempted to sink it, but were unsuccessful as the owners arrived before the vessel went underwater. The incident is featured in Paul Watson's book ''Seal Wars''. In 1981, so as to avoid easy detection, Sea Shepherd travelled to the Canadian ice floes in ocean kayaks instead of a ship. They were protesting the announcement of the Canadian government to have a hunt occur at Prince Edward Island, because inexperienced sealers would mean more cruelty for the seals. They managed to spray hundreds of seals with organic blue dye before being arrested. The Canadian government was furious, as they had promised to not allow the Sea Shepherds to return to the ice. Sea Shepherd did not face any major jail time over the incident. Sea Shepherd protested a Canadian seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence off the north coast of Nova Scotia in March 1983. The arrival of the group led to a one-day suspension of the hunt. On March 25, the ''Sea Shepherd II'' was ordered back by Canadian authorities after the vessel came within one half-mile of seal hunters. Watson promised to scuttle the ship if they attempted to board it. While in St. John's, Newfoundland, they blockaded a dozen sealing ships in harbor, threatening to ram any ship that left. The ''Sea Shepherd II'' was fortified with barbed wire and a water cannon. Sea Shepherd began to harass sealers by chasing half a dozen sealing ships out of the area. On March 27, the vessel was stuck in ice and Watson and three others walked across the ice to Chéticamp where they were later arrested for viewing the seal hunt without a permit. 15 officers boarded the ship from a Canadian Coast Guard vessel with the use of tear gas and smoke bombs. The crew was arrested without any resistance or injuries. They were charged with conspiracy to commit mischief and conspiracy to commit extortion. Watson was bailed out by actor
Mike Farrell Michael Joseph Farrell Jr. (born February 6, 1939) is an American actor, best known for his role as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the television series ''M*A*S*H'' (1975–83). Farrell was a producer of ''Patch Adams'' (1998) starring Robin Willi ...
and was acquitted upon appeal of the charges. The campaign saved the lives of 76,000 seals. In March 1995, the group protested the seal hunt in the
Magdalen Islands The Magdalen Islands (french: Îles de la Madeleine ) are a small archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence with a land area of . While part of the Province of Quebec, the islands are in fact closer to the Maritime provinces and Newfoundland th ...
. While staying in the town of Cap-aux-Meules, witnesses reported that 200 club-wielding fishermen stormed the hotel where the group was staying. The group, including
Martin Sheen Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez (born August 3, 1940), known professionally as Martin Sheen, is an American actor. He first became known for his roles in the films ''The Subject Was Roses'' (1968) and ''Badlands'' (1973), and later achieved wid ...
, was escorted to the airport under a heavy police guard. The attackers trashed the room in a two-hour rampage while Watson and Sheen caught a flight to another island. In 1996, Sea Shepherd proposed brushing the fur off of molting seals instead of killing them. Using a research permit, they discovered that seals enjoyed having molting fur brushed off of them, and that the fur could be used to make filling, as for mattresses. A mattress company in Germany had expressed interest in cruelty-free seal products, and about 70 bags of seal fur were collected. In 1998, Sea Shepherd warded sealers from the main seal nursing grounds by bringing celebrities on the ice to take photos with the seals. Celebrities included Farley Mowat, John Paul Dejoria, and Pierce Brosnan. While on the ice, the Sea Shepherds were under constant watch by the Canadian Coast Guard, whom Paul Watson criticized after Sea Shepherd documented the icebreakers running down seal pups. While there, the government set up a trap to get the Sea Shepherd ship arrested by sending a fake sealing ship to daw in the Sea Shepherds. They did not fall for the trap, and the incident brought the seal hunt to public attention. In March 2003, Captain Paul Watson led a helicopter investigation of escalated sealing activities on the ice floes of eastern Canada. In 2005, Sea Shepherd campaigned against that year's
seal hunt Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals. Seal hunting is currently practiced in ten countries: United States (above the Arctic Circle in Alaska), Canada, Namibia, Denmark (in self-governing Greenland only), I ...
in Canada, which includes a boycott of Canadian seafood products. Sea Shepherd crew went onto the ice to document the sealing and noted they were soon confronted by a group of sealers who verbally abused and punched the group of crew, as well as threatened them with spiked clubs called
hakapik A hakapik ( no, gaff) is a club, of Norwegian design, used for killing seals. The hakapik is a multipurpose hunting tool—a heavy wooden club, with a hammer head (used to crush a seal's skull), and a hook (used to drag away the carcass) on th ...
s. Ten of the protestors were arrested for being too close to sealing without a permit. Sea Shepherd recorded the incident and sent the video to police, but say the sealers were not charged. The MV ''Farley Mowat'' operated during Canadian seal hunting in March and April 2008. The group contends it was in international waters observing Canada's seal hunt, while Canadian authorities allege the vessel was harassing the seal hunters. On March 29, 2008, the MV ''Farley Mowat'' and a
Canadian Coast Guard The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; french: links=no, Garde côtière canadienne, GCC) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue (SAR), communication, navigation, and transportation issues ...
ship collided. The coast guard icebreaker had put itself between the ''Farley Mowat'' and a smaller seal hunter's boat. The group says their vessel was rammed while the Canadian Fisheries and Oceans department says the coast guard ship was grazed by the ''Farley Mowat''. The captain and first officer were arrested for bringing their vessel to within one-half nautical mile of seal hunters on March 30, April 11, and April 12. The location of the ship at the time of the seizure is disputed. Sea Shepherd claims the boat was seized illegally in international waters,. On July 2, 2008, they entered a plea of not guilty. The lawyer set to defend the Captain and First Mate withdrew from the case. They did not want to be represented by a Sydney lawyer and were not represented during their four-day trial. On June 30, they were convicted of endangering lives by bringing the ''Farley Mowat'' to within one-half nautical mile from sealing activities without an official permit. The judge found that they had been warned to back away from the sealers but ignored the radioed commands. The ''Farley Mowat'' was forfeited and eventually sold by the Canadian government to Green Ship LLC. According to Paul Watson, the arrests were intentional, as the media coverage in Europe would get citizens to support a ban on seal products. Seal products were banned in the European Union in 2009. British Isles sealing (1982, 2014–2015) In 1982, Sea Shepherd interfered with the hunting of grey seals in Ireland. They prevented boats from landing and took clubs and rifles away from the sealers. The media attention garnered from the campaign led to Ireland banning sealing in October of that year. In 1982, Sea Shepherd interfered with the hunting of grey seals in the Scottish Orkney Islands. They once again snatched rifles and stopped boats, and also slept among the seals. Later that year, the Sea Shepherd Islands Trust was set up and purchased the Orkney Island of Little Green Holm as a Seal Sanctuary. In 2014, Sea Shepherd once again worked to end the slaughter of seals in Scotland, this time by salmon farming companies who claimed the seals ate their fish. They filmed violations by fishermen shooting seals who ate fish. The violations included shooting seals not considered threatening, dumping trash, and burying dead seabirds. Sea Shepherd volunteers were assaulted, and both sides were arrested. Scotland gave the seals full protection in 2015, the end of Sea Shepherd's second year there. Pribilof Islands sealing (1987) In 1987, while returning from anti-driftnetting activity in the North Pacific, Sea Shepherd documented the state of the northern fur seal, requesting that the commercial harvest of them be stopped. Namibia sealing (2011, 2012) In 2011, Sea Shepherd launched Operation Desert Seal to oppose the Namibian seal cull. Their safety was violated when their house was broken into. They relocated and found that the Namibian navy was guarding the culling. Sea Shepherd suspected police involvement, and were forced to flee the country when a raid was about to take place. They managed to capture footage of dead seals being unloaded for processing. The footage was used in the Whale Wars special Seal Wars. In 2012, Sea Shepherd launched Operation Desert Seal II. Using a drone, they managed to film the cull for around 15 minutes, and have stated that the wish to return to Namibia. South African sealing (2000) In 2000, Sea Shepherd donated an inflatable zodiac to the group Seal Alert South Africa to assist in the rescue and rehabilitation of fur seals shot illegally by fishermen in South Africa.


Whaling (1979–present)

Sea Shepherd has protested against
whaling Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution. It was practiced as an organized industr ...
throughout the world. Some of its first actions were against whalers. The group has also acted against whaling by countries who they feel have not followed the 1986 internationally recognized nonbinding moratorium on commercial whaling. Dr. Sidney Holt, formerly of the International Whaling Commission and a chief architect of the moratorium, has called Watson's involvement in anti-whaling an "absolute disaster" for the cause. He referenced "blowback" for those who want to see an end to whaling by "playing piracy on the ocean. Dr. Sidney Holt joined the Sea Shepherd Advisory Board in 2012 and served on the Board until his death in 2018.


Spain and Portugal-area whaling (1979–1980)

Sea Shepherd spent part of 1979 hunting for the whaling ship ''Sierra'' which was notorious for having undetermined ownership, ignoring whaling agreements, hunting indiscriminately, and using non-explosive harpoons. To increase the effect of a ramming, the bow of the ''Sea Shepherd'' was filled with approximately 100 tonnes of cement. In July, the ''Sierra'' was found off the port of
Oporto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropo ...
, Portugal. Sea Shepherd put non-essential crew ashore and manned by three crew (
Paul Watson Paul Franklin Watson (born December 2, 1950) is a Canadian-American conservation and environmental activist, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine conservation activism. Th ...
, Peter Woof, and Jerry Doran), returned to ram and cripple the ''Sierra''. The ''Sea Shepherd'' then attempted to reach the United Kingdom, but was intercepted by the
Portuguese Navy The Portuguese Navy ( pt, Marinha Portuguesa, also known as ''Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa'' or as ''Armada Portuguesa'') is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Port ...
and escorted back to Oporto. The ship and crew were not arrested but the ship was held for what was called an "informal inquiry." The ''Sierra'' was able to make it back to port for extensive repairs. In Oporto, Watson learned that one of the ''Sea Shepherd'' crew, Richard Morrison, had been beaten and left severely concussed by members of the ''Sierra'' crew. In December, Watson and Peter Woof returned to Portugal intending to steal the seized ship. They found the ship had been stripped of equipment and the Portuguese police advised them to leave, as they could not guarantee their safety. Watson decided to scuttle the ship rather than have it be sold for scrap and potentially used to compensate the owners of the ''Sierra''. While in Lisbon in February 1980, the ''Sierra'' was sunk with
limpet mines A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver ...
. The ''Sierra's'' chief engineer, Luis Mendes, told reporters that he believed "the blast was set by crew members of the Sea Shepherd." In a 2004 interview Paul Watson said, "Meanwhile, the Sierra had been repaired and was ready to return to sea. It never did so: on February 6, 1980, my crew blew the bottom out of her and permanently ended her career. We traded a ship for a ship, but it was a great trade because we also traded our ship for the lives of hundreds of whales." In April 1980, explosives were used to sink the whalers ''Isba I'' and ''Isba II'' in Vigo, Spain. Watson said that the boats were "victims of magnetic mines, one of them homemade, which had been planted by the same trio that destroyed the ''Sierra''." Sea Shepherd does show these vessels on the tally of vessels "sunk" on the side of the ''Farley Mowat'' and the back of some Sea Shepherd shirts. The whalers ''Susan'' and ''Theresa ''are also shown on these tallies. No one was injured during the attacks. In 1980, Sea Shepherd agent Al Johnson posted a $25,000 reward for the sinking of the pirate whaler ''Astrid'' in the Spanish Canary Islands. The whaler was unable to trust his own crew and retired the ship.


Soviet Union-fleet whaling (1981–1982)

In July 1981, The ''Sea Shepherd II'' sailed for the Bering Sea with the intention of harassing the Soviet whaler ''Sevetny''. The IWC had authorized a Soviet take of 179 migrating whales off the Siberian coast. On August 10, the group photographed what they considered an illegal whaling operation at an onshore packing plant. The ''Sea Shepherd II'' was pursued towards American waters by Soviet helicopter gunships and a frigate. The Soviets signaled for the Sea Shepherd vessel to stop, dropped flares on the deck, and attempted to foul its propeller. The ''Sea Shepherd II'' remained in the area for several days despite the Soviet warning of "decisive action" and potential espionage charges. In the summer of 1982, Watson offered a reporter an exclusive story on the group's plan to ram a Soviet vessel. The reporter informed authorities and the ramming did not take place. On September 13, 1982, Watson dropped paint filled light bulbs from an airplane onto a Soviet vessel to protest the country's whaling. The ship was positioned off the coast of Washington state's
Cape Flattery Cape Flattery () is the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States. It is in Clallam County, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca joins the Pacific Ocean. It is also part of the Makah Reservation, and ...
and believed to have been monitoring a nearby submarine base. Watson and Sea Shepherd were charged with violations of Canada's Aeronautics Act. The charges were dismissed by a provincial court judge because they did not specify where the act had occurred.


Norwegian whaling (1992, 1994)

In late December 1992, O.R.C.A Force (Sea Shepherd) sabotaged the whaler ''Nybraena'' in response to Norway's decision to resume
commercial whaling Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution. It was practiced as an organized industry a ...
of
minke whale The minke whale (), or lesser rorqual, is a species complex of baleen whale. The two species of minke whale are the common (or northern) minke whale and the Antarctic (or southern) minke whale. The minke whale was first described by the Danish na ...
s in 1993. Police found the vessel's engine room nearly full of water at her moorings in the
Lofoten Lofoten () is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Lofoten has distinctive scenery with dramatic mountains and peaks, open sea and sheltered bays, beaches and untouched lands. There are two towns, Svolv ...
Islands but were able to keep it afloat. The crew was at a Christmas party during the attempted sinking, which Watson described as a "Christmas gift to the Atlantic and to the children of the world, so that they can have whales in the future." Watson and Lisa Distefano were charged with gross destruction of property. Five years later Norway sentenced Watson and DiStefano, ''
in absentia is Latin for absence. , a legal term, is Latin for "in the absence" or "while absent". may also refer to: * Award in absentia * Declared death in absentia, or simply, death in absentia, legally declared death without a body * Election in ab ...
'', to four months in prison. Watson was held in the Netherlands on a Norwegian-issued
Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...
extradition notice, but after 80 days in detention the notice was denied. In July 1994, Sea Shepherd operated the ship ''Whales Forever'' off the coast of Norway to protest the renewed commercial whaling of
minke whale The minke whale (), or lesser rorqual, is a species complex of baleen whale. The two species of minke whale are the common (or northern) minke whale and the Antarctic (or southern) minke whale. The minke whale was first described by the Danish na ...
s. The ship was intercepted by the
Norwegian Coast Guard The Norwegian Coast Guard ( no, Kystvakten) is a maritime military force which is part of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The coast guard's responsibility are for fisheries inspection, customs enforcement, border control, law enforcement, shipping ...
patrol ship ''Andenes''. The ''Whales Forever'' and the ''Andenes'', collided in disputed circumstances. The ''Andenes'' fired two warning shots, claimed to be non-explosive. The Norwegian Coast Guard warned that they would follow the Sea Shepherd vessel to the Shetland Islands if necessary to arrest the activists. The next day, the Foreign Ministry issued a communique calling Watson a "terrorist." Sea Shepherd claimed the vessel was attacked and rammed in international waters while the Coast Guard claimed that ''Whales Forever'' had rammed their vessel in the
Vestfjorden Vestfjorden is a long fjord or oceanic sea in Nordland county, Norway. The name literally means "the west fjord", although it is called a fjord, it could best be described as a firth or an open bight of sea. The "fjord" lies between the Lofo ...
. Both ships were slightly damaged but injuries were not reported. (The ''Whales Forever'' was later sold due to the extensive repair costs.) In 1994, the Sea Shepherd unsuccessfully attempted to scuttle another Norwegian whaling vessel called the ''Senet'' at its wharf in Gressvik.


Faroe Islands whaling (1985–1986, 2000, 2010–2011, 2014–2015)

The slaughter of pilot whales in the Faroe Islands is allowed and has been practiced for providing food for free to the local communities of the Faroe Islands as far back as 1298, as regulations for slaughtering of whales was mentioned in the Sheep Letter. In 1985, Sea Shepherd diverted several pods of pilot whales away from the hunting grounds. The authorities told Sea Shepherd that the killing would be halted for the remainder of the season if Sea Shepherd left, saving 500 pilot whales. In 1986, Sea Shepherd went to document and obstruct
whaling in the Faroe Islands Whaling in the Faroe Islands, or (from the Faroese terms , meaning pilot whale, and , meaning killing), is a type of drive hunting that involves herding various species of whales and dolphins, but primarily pilot whales, into shallow bays ...
. In a hunt known as the
Grindadráp Whaling in the Faroe Islands, or (from the Faroese terms , meaning pilot whale, and , meaning killing), is a type of drive hunting that involves herding various species of whales and dolphins, but primarily pilot whales, into shallow bays ...
, islanders drive
pilot whales Pilot whales are cetaceans belonging to the genus ''Globicephala''. The two extant species are the long-finned pilot whale (''G. melas'') and the short-finned pilot whale (''G. macrorhynchus''). The two are not readily distinguishable at sea, ...
ashore and kill them with knives. The Faroese Coast Guard claim the vessel defied orders to leave territorial waters. The Faroese Coast Guard claimed that they were fired upon with pistols while attempting to board, while Sea Shepherd claimed that they had been repelled by cannons firing chocolate and banana cream pie. The police responded with tear gas canisters. A spokesman for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said they were driven away when the police fired machine guns and tear gas, and denied that there were any weapons on board.Police Thwart Anti-Whaling Protesters
nbsp;– ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'', July 13, 1986. Accessed 090805
In 2000, Sea Shepherd put pressure on the Faroe Islands to stop the hunting of
pilot whale Pilot whales are cetaceans belonging to the genus ''Globicephala''. The two extant species are the long-finned pilot whale (''G. melas'') and the short-finned pilot whale (''G. macrorhynchus''). The two are not readily distinguishable at sea, ...
s by patrolling the Faroe Islands for 3 weeks and convincing food giants Unilever and Aldi to boycott Faroese fish products. In 2010, Sea Shepherd member Peter Hammarstedt posed as a film student in order to film the pilot whale hunt. He counted 236 dead whales before fearing recognition and fleeing. Hammarstedt released the graphic images that documented the nature of the event. In 2011, Sea Shepherd sailed to the Faroe Islands to stop the whaling there. The Steve Irwin and the Brigitte Bardot took part in the "Operation Ferocious Isles" and claimed to have stopped the harvest as long as they were there. This was publicized in the TV show "Whale Wars: Viking Shores". In 2014, Sea Shepherd launched a campaign which they call GrindStop 2014. Several of their members travelled to the Faroe Island, where they keep watch near all the bays around the islands which are approved for whale killing by the Faroese authorities. There are 23 bays in the Faroes which are approved for whale killing (grindadráp), Around 500 Sea Shepherd members keep watch and they say that they will prevent Faroese people from killing whales as long as they are there. They have said that they will be in the islands from mid June 2014 until October 2014. On 1 August the American actress and animal activist
Pamela Anderson Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series ''Baywatch'' (1992–1997). Anders ...
arrived to the Faroe Islands to show her support to Sea Shepherd. At noon local Faroese time she attended a press conference on Hotel Føroyar in Tórshavn together with other Sea Shepherd members. Other well known people who took part in the GrindStop campaign in 2014 include the French sailor
Florence Arthaud Florence Arthaud (28 October 1957 – 9 March 2015) was a French sailor from Boulogne-Billancourt. She was the daughter of Jacques Arthaud, director of the Arthaud publishing house. Biography At age 17, she was in a serious car accident, which ...
, and the ballet dancer
Sylvie Guillem Sylvie Guillem (; born 23 February 1965) is a French ballet dancer. Guillem was the top-ranking female dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet from 1984 to 1989, before becoming a principal guest artist with the Royal Ballet in London. She has ...
also from France. In 2015, Sea Shepherd launched the "Sleppið Grindini 2015" campaign in the Faroe Islands. The organization made videos and photos during a whale hunt, drive and slaughtering of 111 pilot whales in the village
Bøur Bøur ( da, Bø) is a village in the Sørvágur Municipality of the Faroe Islands, 4 km west of Sørvágur, with a population of 75 (2012). Sea Shepherd urged people to send protest mails to all 179 members of the Danish Parliament. The Danish MP's received half a million more eths than normal the following week in the end of July 2015, and some of the politicians received death threats. As part of the Faroe Islands
home rule Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wit ...
law from 1948, all fishing and hunting activities (including whaling) in the islands are governed by the
Faroese Parliament Faroese ( ) or Faroish ( ) may refer to anything pertaining to the Faroe Islands, e.g.: *the Faroese language * the Faroese people Faroese people or Faroe Islanders ( fo, føroyingar; da, færinger) are a North Germanic peoples, North Germanic ...
, not the Danish. On 30 July 2015 the Danish television
DR2 DR2 (DR To) is the second television channel operated by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) in Denmark. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more "highbrow" programmes than the more mainstream and popular DR1. Like ...
with Martin Krasnik had an interview with the vice president of Sea Shepherd Denmark, Valentina Crast. Crast admitted that the slaughtering of pilot whales in the Faroe Islands was not more brutal than other kinds of slaughtering of animals for food, and that it was not illegal.


Icelandic whaling (1986)

In November 1986, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society claimed responsibility for actions against a whaling station in
Hvalfjörður Hvalfjörður (, "whale fjord") is situated in the west of Iceland between Mosfellsbær and Akranes. The fjord is approximately 30 km long and 5 km wide. The origin of the name Hvalfjörður is uncertain. Certainly today there is no pr ...
, Iceland. Computers were destroyed with sledgehammers and records were doused with acid. The ''Hvalur 6'' and ''Hvalur 7'', two of the nation's four whaling ships, were sunk by opening their
seacock A seacock is a valve on the hull of a boat or a ship, permitting water to flow into the vessel, such as for cooling an engine or for a salt water faucet; or out of the boat, such as for a sink drain or a toilet. Seacocks are often a Kingston val ...
s while they were moored in
Reykjavík Reykjavík ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay. Its latitude is 64°08' N, making it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. With a po ...
harbor. The Icelandic National Police did not arrive until the agents had left, and allowed them to pass through a routine traffic stop en route to an airport, after officers found nothing suspicious. Both ships were later raised by a salvaging company and returned to service. Watson was deported from Iceland after having turned himself in to the police for the incident. Kristjan Loftsson of Iceland's largest whaling company told ''The New Yorker'' that Watson is '' persona non grata'' in the country.


Makah tribe whaling (1998–1999)

In 1998, the group and other activists protested the
Makah The Makah (; Klallam: ''màq̓áʔa'')Renker, Ann M., and Gunther, Erna (1990). "Makah". In "Northwest Coast", ed. Wayne Suttles. Vol. 7 of '' Handbook of North American Indians'', ed. William C. Sturtevant. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Instit ...
Native American tribe's reestablished traditional hunt of gray whales off the coast of the
Olympic Peninsula The Olympic Peninsula is a large arm of land in western Washington that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle, and contains Olympic National Park. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and th ...
. Government documents showed that the Makah bought a whale processing plant and planned to sell whale meat to Norway and Japan. Under a quota trade deal between the US and Russia the tribe were allowed to take 20 whales over the course of five years for 'cultural whaling'. The hunts had not occurred in 70 years due to the diminishment of the whale population by commercial whaling. In an attempt to scare the whales from the area, the group originally intended to use underwater speakers blasting the sounds of
killer whale The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white ...
s as well as a small submarine painted to look like a killer whale. On November 2, Makah Tribal Police arrested four protesters who entered the reservation during the demonstration. All four were later released. Angry Makah seized an inflatable boat belonging to the group and threw rocks at the Sea Shepherd's 95-foot former Coast Guard vessel ''Sirenian''. Sea Shepherd had two ships involved in a standoff that lasted 57 days before agreeing to withdraw on November 26. Sea Shepherd returned to Neah Bay in 1999. They gathered locals and formed a blockade to prevent the whalers from leaving. However, the U.S. Coast Guard arrested Paul Watson's wife when she trespassed on the reservation, and eventually the Makah managed to kill one whale in May 1999. The event was well covered, and, due to public pressure garnered by Sea Shepherd's campaign, the Makah never resumed commercial whaling. St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines whaling (2001, 2003) In 2001, corresponding with the meeting of the IWC in St. Lucia, Sea Shepherd proved that St. Lucia killed whales on the same day the government denied it by photographing a slain juvenile pilot whale. Despite death threats, Sea Shepherd released the images. As a result, about 400 vacation bookings to St. Lucia were cancelled. Sea Shepherd later led an email campaign against the country's whaling. In 2003, Sea Shepherd posted a reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people who murdered St. Lucian whale and dolphin conservationist Jane Tipson.


Japanese whaling (2003–2017)

In its anti-whaling efforts, Sea Shepherd attempts to deter
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
ships that hunt minke and
fin A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fin ...
whales in the
Southern Ocean The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is regarded as the second-small ...
. In 2005, Japan decided to double its quota from the previous year to 935 minke whales and ten
endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...
fin whales The fin whale (''Balaenoptera physalus''), also known as finback whale or common rorqual and formerly known as herring whale or razorback whale, is a cetacean belonging to the parvorder of baleen whales. It is the second-longest species of ceta ...
. In 2007, they planned a take of 50 fin whales and 50 humpback whales. Sea Shepherd claims that its activities reduced catches to a level where the Japanese had not been able to make a profit from the whaling for three years running as of 2010. The Japanese fleet of the
Institute of Cetacean Research The is a Japanese entity that claims to be a research organization specializing in the "biological and social sciences related to whales". In the past, it killing several hundred whales per year in the name of its 'research', the validity and ...
consists of a factory ship, two spotter vessels, and three harpoon boats. The whalers say that lethal research is needed to accurately measure the whale population, health, and response to global warming and is essential for the sustainable management of the world's cetacean stocks. Australia and New Zealand have started a non-lethal whale research program to show that the Japanese lethal research program is no longer necessary. Sea Shepherd and other environmental groups dispute the Japanese statement of research "as a disguise for commercial whaling, which is banned." Article III.2 of the ICRW, however, requires that no meat from caught whales is wasted, and in order to meet this requirement as well as fund their efforts, the whalers sell the meat on the open market. Among other places, it can be found at Tokyo's famed
Tsukiji fish market is a major tourist attraction for both domestic and overseas visitors in Tokyo. The area contains retail markets, restaurants, and associated restaurant supply stores. Before 2018, it was the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the wor ...
and Japanese restaurants. Sea Shepherd has stated that one of the main aims of their operations is to make commercial whaling financially unviable. In his 2009 book, ''Whaling in Japan'', Jun Morikawa states that Sea Shepherd's confrontational tactics have actually strengthened Japan's resolve to continue with its whaling program. According to Morikawa, Sea Shepherd's activities against Japan's whaling ships have allowed the Japanese government to rally domestic support for the program from Japanese who were otherwise ambivalent about the practice of hunting and eating whales. August 2017, Sea Shepherd announced that they would suspend their anti-whaling activism. They cited the fleets inability to compete against the evolution of the whaling fleet supported with high tech military resources such as 'real time satellite' surveillance and increased funding. However Paul Watson claimed the organization will devise alternative undisclosed strategies to adapt in the future. He has criticized the Australian government for not providing logistical support to the organization such as satellite surveillance.


Japanese dolphin hunts (1982, 2003, 2010–present)

In 1982, Sea Shepherd negotiated an end to the dolphin slaughter in Iki Island, Japan. The agreement was broken twice by the Japanese fishermen, in 1993 and 1996, but has otherwise been respected. In October 2003, Sea Shepherd documented the method used to kill dolphins in the Japanese historic whaling town of
Taiji Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. T ...
. They say that Japanese fishermen use unnecessarily brutal methods to hunt dolphins. In November, two members, including Watson's wife, were arrested for trying to free whales penned in a bay. It was also unclear exactly what species was involved. Watson stated they were dolphins, and Japanese officials said they were probably
pilot whales Pilot whales are cetaceans belonging to the genus ''Globicephala''. The two extant species are the long-finned pilot whale (''G. melas'') and the short-finned pilot whale (''G. macrorhynchus''). The two are not readily distinguishable at sea, ...
, which are dolphins, as much as killer whales are dolphins. In 2004, The Cetacean Society International claimed that the Sea Shepherd's release of captured dolphins "played into the hands of the authorities" and prevented other groups from documenting the activities at Taiji. In 2009, Ian Campbell, a Sea Shepherd board member, called for a boycott of Japan's 2016 Olympic bid because of the reported 23,000 dolphins killed each year at Taiji. Later that year, Sea Shepherd was featured in the documentary film The Cove, which brought the dolphin hunt in Taiji to international news. In 2010, Sea Shepherd returned to Taiji to document the slaughter, beginning Operation Infinite Patience. The first year saw the quota cut in half, and Sea Shepherd has returned to Taiji every year since. In 2015, Operation Infinite Patience turned into Operation Henkaku, with a stronger focus on the captive dolphin industry.


Southern Ocean (2005–2006)

Between December 2005 and January 2006, a crew of 43 aboard the ''Farley Mowat'' attempted to stop the Japanese whaling fleet in the
Southern Ocean The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is regarded as the second-small ...
. During the campaign, the ''Farley Mowat'' 'sideswiped' a Japanese supply ship called the '' Oriental Bluebird''. No damage or injuries were reported. New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter criticized Sea Shepherd as irresponsible for using tactics such as running into the other vessel with a "can opener" device, a seven-foot steel blade on the starboard bow designed to damage the hull of an enemy ship. Ian Campbell, Australia's environment minister, said Watson's threats to attack the Japanese fleet reflected poorly on legitimate anti-whaling groups and risked "setting back the cause of whale conservation many years." After Watson called the New Zealand government "contemptible" for allowing Japan to continue killing whales, Campbell called Watson a "lunatic" and "rogue pirate on the seas." Watson dispatched a press release that he would stop his attacks if the governments of New Zealand and Australia would initiate legal action to stop the whaling. On January 16, the organization declared that its fuel supplies had run out and that they were heading to shore. They claimed credit for chasing the whalers from whaling grounds and hindering operations for over 15 days. The vessel covered more than 4000 km over a six-week period. The Japanese fell 83 whales short of their quota.


Operation Leviathan (2006–2007)

Between December 2006 and February 2007, the ''Robert Hunter'' and ''Farley Mowat'' participated in "Operation Leviathan" against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean. On February 9, 2007, Sea Shepherd was able to intercept the ''Nisshin Maru'' and engaged it, but later had to stop and search for one of their missing small boats. On February 12, 2007, the group stated it had spotted the Japanese vessel ''Kaiko Maru'' as it pursued a pod of minke whales and moved its vessels to intercept the hunt. The Institute for Cetacean Research in Tokyo said the ''Robert Hunter'' rammed the ''Kaiko Maru'' and that afterwards, both Sea Shepherd ships came to either side of the Kaiko Maru, stopping her from continuing. The Japanese stated that they then threw smoke pots on to the deck and released ropes and nets. The Japanese had already put out several distress calls due to a propeller they say was damaged during the attacks. Watson told the press that the ''Farley Mowat'' chased the whaler into the ice and that the ''Kaiko Maru'' then sideswiped the ''Robert Hunter'' to push the ship into the ice. He also said that shortly after that, the ''Kaiko Maru'' reversed and collided deliberately into the port stern section of the ''Robert Hunter'' causing a metre-long gash in the starboard bow region. This campaign was featured in the documentary '' At the Edge of the World''.


Operation Migaloo (2007–2008)

The 2007–08 Antarctic campaign was named Operation Migaloo, after the only known albino humpback in the world. This campaign was the focus of the first season of
Animal Planet Animal Planet (stylized in all lowercase since 2018) is an American multinational pay television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. First established on June 1, 1996, the network is primarily ...
's reality TV series ''
Whale Wars ''Whale Wars'' is a weekly American documentary-style reality television series that premiered on November 7, 2008 on the Animal Planet cable channel. The program followed Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, as he and ...
'', which premiered on November 7, 2008. On January 15, 2008, after attempting to entangle the whaling vessel's propeller and throwing containers of butyric acid onto the decks,Japan to release whaling activists
International Herald Tribune/
Asahi Asahi (朝日, 旭, or あさひ) means "morning sun" in Japanese and may refer to: Cities * Asahi, Chiba (旭市; ''Asahi-shi'') Wards * Asahi-ku, Osaka (旭区; ''Asahi-ku'') * Asahi-ku, Yokohama (旭; ''Asahi-ku'') Towns * Asahi, Aichi (旭 ...
, January 17, 2008
two Sea Shepherd members, Benjamin Potts and Giles Lane, from the Sea Shepherd vessel boarded the Japanese whaling vessel '' Yushin Maru No. 2'' from a rigid-hulled inflatable boat. The pair were delivering a letter advising the Japanese that they were "whaling illegally" with the hope of creating an international incident. The Japanese responded by saying that the men would be held until Sea Shepherd stopped what they called "dangerous and illegal activities." The crew of the ''Yushin Maru No. 2'' detained the men for two days, before turning them over to the Australian customs vessel MV ''Oceanic Viking'' on the orders of Japanese authorities; subsequently, the ''Steve Irwin'' rendezvoused with the ''Oceanic Viking'' and the two crewmembers were returned to Sea Shepherd. On April 9, first mate Peter Brown was described in a newspaper article as saying that the incident only became a hostage situation because the Sea Shepherd vessel left the scene, so the Japanese would be forced to hold the two crewmen longer. He was quoted as saying, "It's all giant street theater." On March 3, Sea Shepherd members threw bottles of butyric acid and packages of slippery
methyl cellulose Methyl cellulose (or methylcellulose) is a compound derived from cellulose. It is sold under a variety of trade names and is used as a thickener and emulsifier in various food and cosmetic products, and also as a bulk-forming laxative. Like cellu ...
powder onto the Japanese vessel ''
Nisshin Maru The is the primary vessel of the Japanese whaling fleet and is the world's only whaler factory ship. It was the research base ship for the Institute of Cetacean Research for 2002 to 2007. It has a tonnage of and is the largest member and flagshi ...
''. Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith condemned Sea Shepherd's actions for potentially causing injury The Japanese Government called in the Australian and Netherlands ambassadors to protest the actions and urge those countries to prevent any violence. Watson said: "They are so full of crap. We filmed and photographed the entire thing. Not a single thing landed anywhere near their crew ... It is their way of trying to get sympathy." The International Whaling Commission issued a statement on March 8, 2008, that "called upon the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to refrain from dangerous actions that jeopardise safety at sea, and on vessels and crews concerned to exercise restraint." The statement also reiterated earlier IWC resolutions from May and July 2007 that read in part, "The commission and its contracting governments do not condone and in fact condemn any actions that are a risk to human life and property in relation to the activities of vessels at sea." The Australian Government also called for all parties to "exercise restraint" and "responsible behaviour" in the Southern Ocean. On March 17, 2008, Paul Watson claimed that he was shot by the Japanese crew or coast guard personnel during the campaign. The incident is heavily documented during the show in the final episode, and the first six episodes are covered as a buildup to what is portrayed as the major incident during the campaign. The footage in "Whale Wars" shows Watson standing on the deck of the ''Steve Irwin'' while Sea Shepherd crew throws glass bottles filled with butyric acid at the ''Nisshin Maru'' whaling vessel. The Japanese respond by throwing flashbang devices. Watson is then shown reaching inside his jacket and bullet-proof vest and remarking "I've been hit." Back inside the bridge of the ''Steve Irwin'', a metal fragment is found inside the vest. The Institute of Cetacean Research has dismissed Sea Shepherd's statements as lies. The Institute and Coast Guard said that they used seven flashbang devices designed to flash and make noise in the air without causing harm. Neither of the two conflicting accounts have been independently verified. The Australian Foreign Affairs Department had condemned "actions by crew members of any vessel that cause injury." Two media releases were made on the same day from the office. One said that the Australian Embassy in Tokyo had been informed by the Japanese that the whalers had "fired warning shots" while the updated version used the phrase "'warning balls' – also known as 'flashbangs' – had been fired", and that no gunshots had occurred. The
Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department The serves as the prefectural police department of Tokyo Metropolis. Founded in 1874, it is headed by a Superintendent-General, who is appointed by the National Public Safety Commission, and approved by the Prime Minister. The Tokyo Met ...
obtained arrest warrants for three Sea Shepherd crew (Daniel Bebawi, Jon Batchelor and Ralph Koo), for allegedly attempting to foul the propeller of the ''Keiko Maru'' and throwing smoke bombs. Japanese authorities also requested to have the men placed on the
Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...
'
red notice An Interpol notice is an international alert circulated by Interpol to communicate information about crimes, criminals, and threats by police in a member state (or an authorised international entity) to their counterparts around the world. The in ...
' list.


Operation Sparrow and Sparrow II

:fr:Sea Shepherd Conservation Society#Opérations Sparrow et Sparrow II These operations were intended to continue Thunder, a poaching vessel fishing for Patagonian toothfish in the Southern Ocean. It was chased for 110 days by the organization and was scuttled by his captain in the Gulf of Guinea in April 2015. In October 2015, the São Tomé and Príncipe justice system imposed penalties on a Chilean captain and two Spanish mechanics up to three years in prison and several million euros fine for "use of false fishing permits", "pollution of the sea" and "dangerous driving". In August 2017, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries sentenced to fines totaling more than 5.2 million euros, six citizens and six Spanish companies involved in this case. Subsequently, in 2015, Sea Shepherd joined forces with the Gabonese government to create an intervention force controlling fishing boats during the season, which became operational the following year.


Operation Musashi (2008–2009)

The 2008–2009 Antarctic campaign was named Operation Musashi after the 17th-century Japanese strategist
Miyamoto Musashi , also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman, philosopher, strategist, writer and rōnin, who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship a ...
. On December 4, 2008, actress
Daryl Hannah Daryl Christine Hannah (born December 3, 1960) is an American actress and environmental activist. She made her screen debut in Brian De Palma's supernatural horror film '' The Fury'' (1978). She has starred in various movies across the years, i ...
joined Sea Shepherd's crew aboard the ''Steve Irwin'' to take part in this season's operation. On February 6, 2009, Watson reported that the ''Steve Irwin'' had collided with the ''Yushin Maru 2'' as the ''Steve Irwin'' tried to block its attempt to prevent the transfer of a dead whale up the slipway of the factory ship ''Nisshin Maru''. As Watson explained the incident, "We were in the process of blocking the transfer from the ''Yushin Maru 2'' when the ''Yushin Maru 1'' moved directly in front of the bow to block us. I could not turn to starboard without hitting the ''Yushin Maru 1''. I tried to back down but the movement of the ''Yushin Maru 2'' made the collision unavoidable." The Japanese whalers blamed Sea Shepherd for the crash, characterizing the incident as a "deliberate ramming." The collision was filmed by cameramen for the ''
Whale Wars ''Whale Wars'' is a weekly American documentary-style reality television series that premiered on November 7, 2008 on the Animal Planet cable channel. The program followed Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, as he and ...
'' reality series, and formed part of a multi-day conflict during which Sea Shepherd attempted to prevent the Japanese fleet from harpooning whales, respectively tried to block whales from being transferred to the factory ship for processing by blockading the Japanese' vessel's
slipway A slipway, also known as boat ramp or launch or boat deployer, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats, and for launching and retrieving small ...
. The Japanese made extensive use of
LRAD A long-range acoustic device (LRAD) is an acoustic hailing device (AHD), sound cannon and sonic weapon developed by Genasys. It has been used as a method of crowd control, which has caused permanent hearing damage, having an extremely high ...
s to deter Sea Shepherd. They were also accused of aiming the device at the ''Steve Irwin's'' helicopter while in flight, something the group especially condemned, seeing that the helicopter was only engaged in filming, and could have crashed if the pilot had lost control. Also in February, the president of the company overseeing the whale hunt used a media release to call upon the government of Australia to prevent what he considered violations of the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea Treaty, is an international agreement that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. , 167 c ...
. He expressed concerns over what he called "deliberately ramming vessels and trying to disable their propellers." When the ''Steve Irwin'' returned to Hobart, Australian Federal Police seized film footage and the ships logs.


Operation Waltzing Matilda (2009–2010)

In June 2009, Sea Shepherd announced its 2009–10 Antarctic campaign, called Operation
Waltzing Matilda "Waltzing Matilda" is a song developed in the Australian style of poetry and folk music called a bush ballad. It has been described as the country's "unofficial national anthem". The title was Australian slang for travelling on foot (waltzing) ...
. The campaign would include the record-breaking ''
Earthrace MY ''Ady Gil'' (formerly ''Earthrace'') was a , wave-piercing trimaran originally created as part of a project to break the world record for circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat. Powered by biodiesel fuel, the vessel was also capable of ...
'' vessel, now renamed ''Ady Gil'' in honor of the benefactor who helped acquire the vessel for Sea Shepherd. The ''Ady Gil'' was a futuristic styled ship that held the world record for circumnavigation of the globe by a motorized vessel. The eco-friendly vessel usually ran on a low emission fuel "derived mainly from animal fat, soybeans or other forms of bio-diesel" but was forced by operational reasons to switch to a more polluting petroleum diesel.
Pete Bethune Captain Peter James Bethune (born 4 April 1965) is a New Zealand ship's captain with 500 ton master licence, published author, producer of ''The Operatives'' TV show, and public speaker. He is the founder of ''Earthrace Conservation''. He work ...
, the operator, said that an agreement was reached with Sea Shepherd for the boat to adopt a support role. Watson indicated that the ''Ady Gil'' would be used to intercept and block harpoons. It was also reported that the MV ''Steve Irwin'' was equipped with a new water cannon for this operation. On January 5, 2010, Sea Shepherd announced that TV personality Bob Barker had earlier donated $5 million to Sea Shepherd to buy in secret an ex-Norwegian whaling vessel, now named '' Bob Barker'' after the donor, and that the ship located the ''
Nisshin Maru The is the primary vessel of the Japanese whaling fleet and is the world's only whaler factory ship. It was the research base ship for the Institute of Cetacean Research for 2002 to 2007. It has a tonnage of and is the largest member and flagshi ...
'' Japanese whaling vessel. The ''Bob Barker'' reportedly flew the Norwegian flag when within range of the Nisshin Maru. The Norwegian flag was then lowered and the '
Jolly Roger Jolly Roger is the traditional English name for the flags flown to identify a pirate ship preceding or during an attack, during the early 18th century (the later part of the Golden Age of Piracy). The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly ...
' Sea Shepherd flag raised. The ''Bob Barkers search for the whaling fleet was aided by a tip sent in from the MV ''Orion'', which happened upon the whaling fleet while on a cruise to Antarctica. In December 2009 and early 2010, New Zealand representatives of the
Institute of Cetacean Research The is a Japanese entity that claims to be a research organization specializing in the "biological and social sciences related to whales". In the past, it killing several hundred whales per year in the name of its 'research', the validity and ...
, including PR specialist Glenn Inwood, chartered Australian planes to search for the other Sea Shepherd ship, MV ''Steve Irwin''. Sea Shepherd claims that while doing so, they fraudulently posed as New Zealand government agents—but in any case failed to find the vessel. The plane hire by the Institute sparked protest from conservation groups and rival political parties of the Australian Government. While the Australian Government itself criticised the hire after it became known, the incident was still seen as failure of the current Labor government of Prime Minister Rudd to follow up on their election promises to strongly oppose Japanese whaling. The incident led to the introduction by
Rachel Siewert Rachel Mary Siewert (born 4 November 1961) is an Australian politician. She was a senator for Western Australia from 2005 to 2021, representing the Australian Greens, and served as the party's co-deputy leader from 2017 to 2018. She previously w ...
of a Parliament bill to ban Japanese whalers from using Australian planes to spy on protesters. Sea Shepherd reported that in this last season, the group had increasingly received information from private persons about the whereabouts of the Japanese fleet, such as by ship passengers on an Antarctic cruise who noted the fleet refueling. Japan's Fisheries Agency announced on April 12, 2010, that the whaling fleet had caught about half of the 985 whales it has hoped to catch during the 2009–2010 whaling research season as a result of obstruction by Sea Shepherd operations. The whalers harvested 506 southern minke whales and one finback whale.


=Ady Gil collision (2010)

= On January 6, 2010, the ''Ady Gil'' was severely damaged in the Antarctic Ocean after the Japanese security vessel the '' Shōnan Maru 2'' collided with it; both sides blamed each other for the incident. One of the six crewmen was injured. Sea Shepherd attempted to tow the stricken vessel to an Antarctic research base where it could have been lifted aboard a larger ship, but the boat took on too much water and became too heavy on the tow. The ''Ady Gil'' was abandoned on January 7, 2010, at 17:20 GMT.ABC News, January 8, 2010
''Ady Gil'' sinks after whaling skirmish
/ref> The
Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...
, and the New Zealand Government called for restraint and expressed concern at the risk of human lives in the hostile environment. The New Zealand government also repeated its opposition to whaling in the sanctuary. However, New Zealand's Foreign Minister
Murray McCully Murray Stuart McCully (born 19 February 1953) is a former New Zealand politician. He is a member of the National Party, and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2017. Early life Born in Whangārei, McCully was educated at Ar ...
later stated that: : ''"If people'' eferring to Sea Shepherd''are determined to break the law and determined to kill other people on the high seas, then it is not the responsibility of the New Zealand Government or any other Government to send armed vessels down there or something of that sort to stop them."'' This brought a heated response by
Paul Watson Paul Franklin Watson (born December 2, 1950) is a Canadian-American conservation and environmental activist, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine conservation activism. Th ...
, who accused the "know-nothing politician" McCully of ignoring the fact that Sea Shepherd had not killed anyone in over three decades of direct action—and stated that McCully's comments were instead giving Japanese whalers a green light to endanger the lives of Sea Shepherd crews. A New Zealand spokesman for the Institute of Cetacean Research noted that Japan would continue to protect their operations "in whatever way it can" and that further clashes would be likely unless Sea Shepherd stopped its operations. On January 9, 2010, Sea Shepherd lodged a piracy complaint against the captain and the crew of the ''Shōnan Maru 2'' in the Dutch courts. It has also asked Australia and New Zealand to investigate charges against the Japanese, including for attempted murder, and proclaimed that had the situation been reversed, the Australian Navy would now be sending a ship to arrest him. After requests from the Australian Government, the
Government of Japan The Government of Japan consists of legislative, executive and judiciary branches and is based on popular sovereignty. The Government runs under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan, adopted in 1947. It is a unitary stat ...
has stated that it would undertake "appropriate inquiries" into how the collision occurred, but accused Sea Shepherd of intentionally endangering the lives of crew. However, they also protested against the call for restraint on both sides, as they consider Sea Shepherd to blame for the "unlawful rampage." Sea Shepherd noted that after the loss of the vessel, a flood of donations had arrived for the group, with $170,000 being given in the first few hours after the collision. On February 15, 2010, it was reported that
Pete Bethune Captain Peter James Bethune (born 4 April 1965) is a New Zealand ship's captain with 500 ton master licence, published author, producer of ''The Operatives'' TV show, and public speaker. He is the founder of ''Earthrace Conservation''. He work ...
, the former captain of the ''Ady Gil'', boarded the ''Shonan Maru'' at night for the purpose of making a
citizen's arrest A citizen's arrest is an arrest made by a private citizen – that is, a person who is not acting as a sworn law-enforcement official. In common law jurisdictions, the practice dates back to medieval England and the English common law, in which ...
of its captain for attempted murder of his own crew and the destruction of the ''Ady Gil''. Bethune, who reportedly had to overcome spikes and anti-boarding nets to board the Japanese vessel, was also to present the captain with a bill for US$3 million and a letter outlining the findings of maritime experts who found that the Japanese vessel was at fault for the collision as it was the overtaking vessel and did not have right of way. According to the crew of the Shonan Maru, Bethune had thrown butyric acid onto the ship, giving a chemical burn to one sailor. Paul Watson, group founder and captain of the ''Steve Irwin'', said that the mission was intended as a message to the New Zealand government which the SSCS accuses of hypocrisy and failure to represent the interests of the ''Ady Gil'' and its captain. In an interview, Watson said, "If we had sunk a Japanese vessel we would now be under arrest by the Australian navy." Meanwhile, New Zealand's government was being criticised by the main opposition party of "washing their hands" of Mr. Bethune's fate (despite the government offering consular assistance), after Foreign Minister McCully declared that Bethune must have been well aware of the consequences of his actions. Japan's foreign minister,
Katsuya Okada is a Japanese politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Japan from January to December 2012. A member of the House of Representatives of Japan, he was the President of the Democratic Party, and previously of the Democratic Party of Japan. He ...
, announced that Bethune was being detained under international maritime law and would be transported to Japan, where he would face charges, possibly of piracy. Bethune arrived in Japan approximately a month after his boarding. Bethune was interrogated, then brought to trial at the
Tokyo District Court is a district court located at 1-1-4 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the ...
, where he was charged with trespassing, causing injuries, obstructing commercial activities, vandalism, and carrying a weapon. Sea Shepherd called these charges "bogus", and described Bethune as a "political prisoner." In a statement, it said "Shame on Japan for blowing Captain Bethune's case out of proportion, and shame on the Japanese maritime authorities for failing to investigate the serious criminal actions of the ''Shonan Maru 2''." On July 7, 2010, Bethune was given a two-year suspended sentence and banned from Japan for five years. On January 7, 2013, Watson was sued in Los Angeles County by the owner of the boat for $5 million. Gil says his vessel was rammed by a Japanese whaling ship in 2010 and suffered damage to the nose but the damage was repairable. According to Gil, Watson saw the collision as an opportunity to spin the incident into a major publicity and money maker for his organization so instead of towing the boat to port for repairs, he secretly gave an order to sink the ship "under the cover of darkness" and blamed the Japanese. Gil claims Watson knew that blaming the whalers for the destruction of his ship would garner sympathy for his cause and spark outrage against the whalers inspiring more people to donate to his anti-whaling organization. In September 2015, an arbitrator ruled that Sea Shepherd intentionally and wrongfully scuttled the MV Ady Gil, intending to capitalize on the publicity the sinking would bring. Sea Shepherd fought to have the ruling and award kept from the public, but was ultimately unsuccessful. In January 2016, it accepted the arbitrator's ruling, which once finalized will see the arbitration award made public.


Operation No Compromise (2010–2011)

* :fr:Sea Shepherd Conservation Society#Opération BlueRage * :fr:Sea Shepherd Conservation Society#Opération Grind Stop et Ferocious Isles Sea Shepherd's 2010–2011 campaign, dubbed "Operation No Compromise", consisted of 90 Sea Shepherd crew. Sea Shepherd also revealed a new interceptor ship, the ''
MV Gojira MV ''Brigitte Bardot'' (formerly MV ''Gojira'', ''Rat Race Media Adventurer'', ''Ocean 7 Adventurer'' and ''Cable and Wireless Adventurer'') is a unique high-tech stabilized monohull twin diesel engine powered vessel designed by Nigel Irens. C ...
''. Japan decided to end the hunt early after catching only 172 whales from its quota of up to 985. The Institute of Cetacean Research called Sea Shepherd's activities "eco-terrorism", and the Japanese IWC Commissioner said the government made the decision to protect human lives. The Institute later announced that the total catch was 195 whales.


Operation Divine Wind (2011–2012)

* :fr:Sea Shepherd Conservation Society#Opération Requiem * :fr:Sea Shepherd Conservation Society#Opération Icefish * :fr:Sea Shepherd Conservation Society#L'Opération Sola Stella After Operation No Compromise, Watson said the group was seeking a fourth vessel for the following summer's campaign, "Divine Wind". On September 30, 2011, Japan based Asahi News announced Japan would return to the Southern Ocean, despite rumours that in the wake of the March 2011 tsunami the Japanese government may not justify the research program's continuation. The Japanese whaling fleet departed Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture for the southern oceans on December 6, 2011, with an announced goal of hunting 935 minke whales, 50 fin whales and 50 humpback whales. The fleet also carried an augmented security team of coast guard personnel. The hunt was funded, in part, by ¥2.3 billion from the Japanese government's
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami The occurred at 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region, and lasted approximately six mi ...
relief budget. The Japanese government explained that the use of its money to support the whaling program was justified as one of the whaling ships was home-ported in Tōhoku. To contest the hunt, the ''Bob Barker'' departed Hobart, Tasmania on December 15. The ''Steve Irwin'' was to follow from Albany, Australia on December 16 and the ''Brigitte Bardot'' from Fremantle, Australia on December 17. Using remote-controlled, pilotless aerial drones, Watson said that they had made contact with the ''Nisshin Maru'' west of Perth on December 24, 2011. Watson stated that Japanese security vessels were tailing the ''Steve Irwin'' and reporting its location so that the ''Nisshin Maru'' would be able to stay away from Watson's ship. According to Watson, however, the ''Bob Barker'' and ''Brigitte Bardot'', were free to continue the pursuit of ''Nisshin Maru''. On December 29, 2011, the ''Brigitte Bardot'' was severely damaged by a 6-meter swell while following the ''Nisshin Maru''. The ''Steve Irwin'' temporarily abandoned its pursuit of the whalers to escort the ''Brigitte Bardot'' back to Australia. The ''Bob Barker'' continued to follow the whaling fleet, and on January 4 found and began to follow the harpoon ship ''Yushin Maru'', with help from the aerial tracking drones. While in port, the ''Steve Irwin'' defied an order by the Fremantle
harbourmaster A harbourmaster (or harbormaster, see spelling differences) is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct opera ...
to lower her
Jolly Roger Jolly Roger is the traditional English name for the flags flown to identify a pirate ship preceding or during an attack, during the early 18th century (the later part of the Golden Age of Piracy). The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly ...
-styled flag after docking in Fremantle. After departing the port, a team from environmentalist group "Forest Rescue Australia" approached and illegally boarded the ''Shōnan Maru #2'' in
international waters The terms international waters or transboundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water (or their drainage basins) transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed region ...
off the coast of
Bunbury, Western Australia Bunbury is a coastal city in the Australian state of Western Australia, approximately south of the state capital, Perth. It is the state's third most populous city after Perth and Mandurah, with a population of approximately 75,000. Located a ...
with the assistance of small boat crews from the ''Steve Irwin''. While Japan agreed to release the activists, the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard deemed the action "unacceptable" and warned that others who carry out similar protests would be "charged and convicted". The activists were retrieved by an Australian customs service ship and returned to port on January 16, 2012. Gillard stated that the cost of retrieving the activists would be borne by the Australian taxpayers. There were several incidents in January. Along with receiving attacks consisting of bottles filled with butyric acid and paint, the Institute of Cetacean Research reported that Sea Shepherd had renewed attempts to entangle the propellers of the ''Shonan Maru 2'' and that the activists had attempted to fix hooks and lines to the vessel's rails. On January 17, three crew on a Sea Shepherd inflatable boat received minor injuries from bamboo poles and iron hooks while attempting to hinder the ''Yushin Maru No.2''. Similar confrontations continued throughout the week. There have been no injuries to the crews aboard the Japanese ships. On February 12, 2012, Sea Shepherd activists succeeded in wrapping a rope around the ''Yushin Maru No. 2's'' propeller, slowing the ship. The activists also pelted the whaler's crew with butyric acid and enveloped the ship in smoke. The whalers responded by spraying the activists with water. The clash lasted about two hours. On March 5, 2012, the ''Bob Barker'' tracked down the ''Nisshin Maru''. On March 8, Japan announced that it was ending its whale hunt, which was scheduled to end in late March. The Sea Shepherd Society places the number of whales it saved during Operation Divine Wind as 768. 266 minkes and 1 fin were killed.


Operation Zero Tolerance (2012–2013)

Operation Zero Tolerance was launched in November 2012. The campaign included a new ship called the ''Sam Simon''. On December 17, 2012, the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an injunction against Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd and any party acting in concert with them from physically attacking any person or vessel of the Institute of Cetacean Research and requiring them to stay at least from their vessels. Sea Shepherd appealed to the
US Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point of ...
to have the injunction set aside, but the appeal was rejected. On 5 January 2013, the MV Steve Irwin docked in
Timaru Timaru (; mi, Te Tihi-o-Maru) is a port city in the southern Canterbury Region of New Zealand, located southwest of Christchurch and about northeast of Dunedin on the eastern Pacific coast of the South Island. The Timaru urban area is home to ...
,
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and was met by customs officers who searched the vessel for Paul Watson. Watson, however, had transferred to another vessel in international waters to avoid arrest in relation to two Interpol Red Notices. Also on that day in Timaru, a distress call was issued in relation to the MV Brigitte Bardot after an observer mistook the vessel for an overturned yacht. While several vessels nearby responded to the call, the MV ''Brigitte Bardot'' did not respond and instead turned away at high speed upon the arrival of a rescue helicopter. The South Canterbury Coastguard and Maritime New Zealand criticized Sea Shepherd over the incident, stating "There was no need for Sea Shepherd to behave like this". It was reported that Watson was on board the MV Brigitte Bardot after transferring from the MV Steve Irwin to avoid possible arrest. On 7 January 2013, Watson stepped down as Captain of the ''Steve Irwin'', which will now be captained by Siddharth Chakravarty of India. In response to an order by the
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * District ...
, Watson also resigned as President of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in the United States and Australia. He also resigned his position on the Executive Director of the Society in the United States. He also stepped down as the campaign leader for the operation and handed it over to former Greens Party leader and former Australian Senator,
Bob Brown Robert James Brown (born 27 December 1944) is a former Australian politician, medical doctor and environmentalist. He was a senator and the parliamentary leader of the Australian Greens. Brown was elected to the Australian Senate on the Tasma ...
. In January 2013, legal representatives of the ICR wrote to Sea Shepherd alleging a breach of the terms of the injunction due to the MV ''Brigitte Bardot'' having approached within 18.5m of the ''Yushin Maru 3'' on 29 January 2013. A motion was subsequently filed in America's 9th Circuit court seeking to find Sea Shepherd in contempt of court over the incident. In response, Sea Shepherd argued that the ''Brigitte Bardot'' is not subject to the U.S. law, being an Australian-flagged vessel operating in international waters. On 20 February 2013, the ''Nisshin Maru'' collided with multiple vessels after its attempt to refuel met with interference from Sea Shepherd vessels. While Sea Shepherd claimed that the ''Steve Irwin'' and ''Bob Barker'' were rammed by the ''Nisshin Maru'', Japan's Fisheries Agency attributed blame to Sea Shepherd claiming they had taken the offensive and had hit the ''Nisshin Maru'' at least four times during refueling despite verbal warnings. During the incident, security personnel aboard the Japanese vessels deployed non-lethal deterrence measures including stun grenades and water cannon. No injuries were reported. On 27 February 2013, the
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * District ...
declared Sea Shepherd " pirates", clearing the way for Japan to pursue further legal action against the organization. Said chief judge Alex Kozinzki, "When you ram ships, hurl glass containers of acid, drag metal-reinforced ropes in the water to damage propellers and rudders, launch smoke bombs and flares with hooks; and point high-powered lasers at other ships, you are, without a doubt, a pirate." On 2 March 2013, Sea Shepherd claimed victory and reported that the Japanese whaling fleet had departed the Southern Ocean. However, on 5 March 2013, Sea Shepherd reported the Japanese whaling fleet had turned back to the Southern Ocean to resume its whale hunt and stated that its own vessels had turned around to pursue the fleet. On 10 March 2013, Sea Shepherd announced it was ending the campaign and returning to port as adverse weather conditions were preventing any further whaling. Sea Shepherd has stated that this campaign was its most successful Antarctic campaign to date in terms of the number of whales saved. The Sea Shepherd Society places the number of whales it saved during Zero Tolerance as 932. On 20 March 2013, the Sea Shepherd fleet arrived in Williamstown without Paul Watson. Surveyors from the
Australian Maritime Safety Authority Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is an Australian statutory authority responsible for the regulation and safety oversight of Australia's shipping fleet and management of Australia's international maritime obligations. The authority ...
were scheduled to inspect the ''Sam Simon'', the only Australian-flagged ship, for any evidence of a breach of International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.


Operation Relentless (2013–2014)

The 10th campaign was named Operation Relentless. The Sea Shepherd vessel was able to locate the Japanese whaling ship ''
Nisshin Maru The is the primary vessel of the Japanese whaling fleet and is the world's only whaler factory ship. It was the research base ship for the Institute of Cetacean Research for 2002 to 2007. It has a tonnage of and is the largest member and flagshi ...
'' three days into the campaign already, but soon lost it on their radar due to problems with the turbo chargers of the ''Bob Barker'' engine. The ''Bob Barker'' then encountered the '' Yushin Maru No. 3'', a Japanese harpoon ship. The Steve Irwin ran into the '' Shonan Maru 2'', the ship that sank the in 2010. To slow the ''Shonan Maru 2'', a small boat mission intended to plug the ''Shonan'' cooling water discharge ports. This was the second time Sea Shepherd attempted this tactic. Plugging failed, but a successful prop-fouling attempt allowed the ''Steve Irwin'' to increase the distance between them and the ''Shonan Maru 2'' over 20 miles, and thereby get out of the Shonan's radar range for a short while.


Operation Nemesis (2016–2017)

The 11th campaign, to start in December 2016, was named "Operation Nemesis" after the Greek goddess of inescapable justice. In this Antarctic whale defense campaign, Sea Shepherd Global is employing the and the new , a custom-made patrol vessel capable of speeds up to 30 knots.


Operation Milagro (2015–present)

Operation Milagro is an ongoing operation to save the vaquita porpoise from extinction. The vaquita is the smallest of all the porpoises, and its ≈30 remaining individuals, inhabit the extreme northern part of the
Sea of Cortez The Gulf of California ( es, Golfo de California), also known as the Sea of Cortés (''Mar de Cortés'') or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (''Mar Bermejo''), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja C ...
(
Gulf of California The Gulf of California ( es, Golfo de California), also known as the Sea of Cortés (''Mar de Cortés'') or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (''Mar Bermejo''), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja C ...
) in Mexico. The species is being decimated as bycatch of the
totoaba The totoaba or totuava (''Totoaba macdonaldi'') is a species of marine fish, a very large member of the drum family Sciaenidae that is endemic to the Gulf of California in Mexico. It is the only species in the genus ''Totoaba''. Formerly abundan ...
fish—another critically endangered animal endemic of the Sea of Cortez—promoted in the Asian black market to have healing properties.Sea Shepherd's Operation Milagro
. Aisha Thompson, ''HoodLamb''. 24 December 2015.
Since the first year of Operation Milagro in 2015, the Mexican government partnered with Sea Shepherd and provided escorts by the
Mexican Navy The Mexican Navy is one of the two independent armed forces of Mexico. The actual naval forces are called the ''Armada de México''. The ''Secretaría de Marina'' (''SEMAR'') (English: Naval Secretariat) includes both the ''Armada'' itself and ...
and currently, twelve armed
Federal Police A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws. Jurisdiction LEAs which have their ability to apply their powers restricted in some way are said to operate within a jurisdiction. LEAs ...
, Marines, and Fisheries Officers are on board the organisation's vessels to protect its crew and perform arrests when needed.Armed Attacks on Aerial Drones Prompt Military Action Against Aquatic Poachers
''Handy Shipping Guide''. 2 March 2018.
To date, Sea Shepherd has removed over 540 pieces of illegal fishing gear from the area, generating violent conflicts with the poachers. Three fishermen were injured in a confrontation with the Mexican Navy in
San Felipe, Baja California San Felipe is a coastal city in San Felipe Municipality, Baja California, located on the Gulf of California. The population of San Felipe was reported as 17,143 inhabitants in the 2020 Mexican Census. San Felipe is historically a fishing town. To ...
on March 28, 2019. The fishermen had attacked a boat operated by "Sea Shepherd." One fisherman had to be airlifted to a hospital in
Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...
. In March 2020 the environmentalists reported that a group of fishermen had thrown lead weights at them. Later in the same year, a Sea Shepherd ship operating without lights at night crashed into a fishing boat and killed a fisherman named Gabriel. A Mexican fisherman died on January 4,
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
after his boat collided on December 31, 2020, with the ''Farley Mowat'' operated Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in the
Gulf of California The Gulf of California ( es, Golfo de California), also known as the Sea of Cortés (''Mar de Cortés'') or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (''Mar Bermejo''), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja C ...
. The family says the man's boat was rammed by the ''Farley Mowat'', and the conservationists claim their boat was attacked while removing illegal fishing nets. Fishing organizations and residents of
San Felipe, Baja California San Felipe is a coastal city in San Felipe Municipality, Baja California, located on the Gulf of California. The population of San Felipe was reported as 17,143 inhabitants in the 2020 Mexican Census. San Felipe is historically a fishing town. To ...
have demanded that the government take control of the sea both to protect the fauna as well as legitimate economic activities in the area. They noted that the version of events as claimed by the fishermen, if verifiable, would not have been the first time that Sea Shepherd had acted violently. It was announced on January 21 that the government, including the Attorney General (FGR),
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
(SEMAR), Secretariat of Rural Development (SADER),
Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (in Spanish: ''Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, SEMARNAT'') is Mexico's environment ministry. Its head, the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources, is a member ...
(SEMARNAT) will be more pro-active in protecting the
vaquita The vaquita ( ; ''Phocoena sinus'') is a species of porpoise endemic to the northern end of the Gulf of California in Baja California, Mexico. Averaging (females) or (males) in length, it is the smallest of all living cetaceans. The species i ...
and
totoaba The totoaba or totuava (''Totoaba macdonaldi'') is a species of marine fish, a very large member of the drum family Sciaenidae that is endemic to the Gulf of California in Mexico. It is the only species in the genus ''Totoaba''. Formerly abundan ...
. Families of the deceased fisherman, and another who was injured, filed suit against Sea Shepherd in Mexican and international courts on February 22, 2021.


References

{{conservation organisations Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Cetacean research and conservation Environmentalism in Ecuador