Sea Shepherd is a non-profit, marine conservation organization founded in 1977 by Captain Paul Watson. The organization works to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to defend ocean wildlife.
Since its founding, Sea Shepherd has been involved in over 200 campaigns and has saved the lives of countless animals. The organization has also been instrumental in assisting governments with the enforcement of international conservation law. Today, Sea Shepherd is one of the most effective marine conservation organizations in the world, with a growing fleet of ships and dedicated crew members who are willing to put their lives on the line to defend our oceans.
The story of Sea Shepherd begins with its founder, Captain Paul Watson. A native of Canada, Watson first became interested in animal rights when he was just a teenager. In 1972, he joined Greenpeace as a deckhand on their first voyage to protest U.S. nuclear testing in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. This experience changed his life and solidified his commitment to protecting marine wildlife.
After leaving Greenpeace, Watson founded Sea Shepherd with the goal of using direct-action tactics to defend ocean wildlife from exploitation and destruction. One of Sea Shepherd’s first campaigns was against Canadian seal hunting in the Gulf of St Lawrence. The campaign was successful in drawing attention to the issue and led to changes in Canadian sealing laws.
Since then, Sea Shepherd has been involved in over 200 campaigns around the world ranging from stopping illegal whaling operations off the coast of Antarctica to saving sharks from being slaughtered for their fins in Costa Rica. Each campaign is meticulously planned and executed with precision and care; this dedication has made Sea Shepherd one of the most effective marine conservation organizations operating today