The History of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
1977
August: Paul Watson established the Earthforce Environmental Society in Vancouver, Canada. The
co-founders of Earthforce were Starlet Lum, Ron Precious, and Jet Johnson.
1978
February: A Campaign to Protect Elephants From Poachers in East Africa. Paul Watson led the first
Earthforce campaign to East Africa to investigate the ivory trade and elephant poaching. This campaign
covered Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Uganda, and the Sudan. The crew of six including Captain Jet
Johnson, Dr. Bruce Bunting, and Cliff Ward participated in anti-poaching patrols and interviewed wardens
and rangers. Earthforce prepared and presented a report on the investigation to the United States
Congress to back legislation to ban elephant poaching.
September: Paul met with Cleveland Amory of the Fund for Animals. Cleveland agreed to sponsor the
purchase of a ship for a campaign to oppose the Canadian Seal Hunt.
November – December 1978: With financial support from the Fund for Animals and the Royal Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), Watson took possession of the British trawler Westella,
and renamed the vessel the Sea Shepherd. Paul and a small group of volunteers spent two months
repairing, outfitting, and painting the ship in preparation for a delivery voyage to the United States.
1979
January - The maiden voyage of the Sea Shepherd under the command of Paul Watson. The ship
crossed the Atlantic in two weeks and arrived at the Port of Boston in mid-January. Two fishermen who
had been hired to help deliver the ship attempted to sabotage the vessel. Both men were arrested and
escorted from the ship. The crew then began the task of preparing the ship for the first Sea Shepherd
campaign.
March - The Sea Shepherd was the first ship to go to the ice for the purpose of protecting seals. Sea
Shepherd crewmembers saved over a thousand baby seals on the Eastern coast of Canada by spraying
their white pelts with an indelible organic dye.
April - The Sea Shepherd departed from Boston to Bermuda to prepare for a campaign to hunt down the
pirate whaler Sierra.
June – The Sea Shepherd returned to Boston from Bermuda to recruit crew for the campaign to hunt
down the Sierra.
July - After infiltrating the international criminal operation bankrolling the activities of the pirate whaler
Sierra, Captain Paul Watson took the Sea Shepherd to sea to hunt down the pirate whaler Sierra. He
found the notorious whaling ship in Portuguese waters. On July 16, he rammed the pirate twice and
disabled it. The Sierra limped into dock at Leixoes, Portugal and the Sea Shepherd surrendered to the
Portuguese Navy. The story made headlines worldwide and exposed the operations of the world’s pirate
whalers and the Japanese and Norwegian connections to these illegal activities. The Port Captain ruled
that there would be no charges against Captain Watson and his crew for the attack on the pirate whaler.
November - Captain Watson traveled to Lisbon to discover that the Sierra was being repaired at
dockside. He also discovered that the Sea Shepherd had been ordered confiscated without charges, a
court hearing, or a defense allowed. This was a decision by a Portuguese judge who had been bribed by
the Sierra Trading Company. Attempts to appeal were denied.
December - Captain Watson and his crew boarded the Sea Shepherd on Christmas day and discovered
that Portuguese authorities had looted the ship. To prevent the ship from being handed over to the Sierra
Trading Company, Captain Watson and Chief Engineer Peter Woof scuttled the Sea Shepherd on New
Year’s Eve in Leixoes harbour.
1980
Sea Shepherd Crew Sank and Destroyed the Pirate Whaler Sierra in Portugal. Sea
Shepherd Crew Sank Two Spanish Whalers. Sea Shepherd Forced the Retirement of the Pirate
Whaler Astrid in the Canary Islands. The South African Government Seized and Sank Two Pirate
Whalers at Sea Shepherd’s Request. The Sea Shepherd II was Purchased and Refitted in Scotland.
February - The Sierra Trading Company spent over one million dollars to repair the Sierra. Owner
Andrew Behr made plans to resume whaling in mid-February. His plans were thwarted when ecocommandos entered the black waters of Lisbon Harbour during the dead of night of February 6. The
Sierra was scuttled without injuries to her crew and the career of the world’s most ruthless illegal whaling
ship was permanently brought to an end.
March – To prevent the Sea Shepherd crew from returning to the seal hunt in 1980, Captain Paul
Watson was ordered into prison on the first day of the seal hunt for a sentence of 10 days for violating the
Canadian Seal Hunt in 1979 by approaching a seal hunt without permission of the government. Captain
Watson was also banned from the ice fields and the sealing areas for three years.
April - On April 28th, the pirate whalers Ibsa I and Ibsa II were sunk in Vigo, Spain. The sinkings
enforced the quota violations that the Spanish whaling fleet had committed. The same month, Sea
Shepherd agent Jet Johnson posted reward posters all over the waterfront of Las Palmas in the Canary
Islands. Sea Shepherd offered a $25,000 bounty on the outlaw whaler Astrid. The Astrid's owners were
unable to trust their own crew and retired the vessel.
September - In response to the worldwide publicity of the sinkings of the pirate whalers in Spain and
Portugal, the South African Navy sank the Susan and the Theresa after seizing them from the owners of
the Sierra. All illegal whaling operations in the Atlantic cease.
October - Captain Paul Watson optioned the movie rights to the Sea Shepherd and Sierra story to
Warner Brothers and raised enough money to purchase another Yorkshire trawler in Britain. The fishing
trawler St. Giles was renamed Sea Shepherd II. The vessel was moved from Hull to Greenock, Scotland
for repairs and refit.
1981
The Sea Shepherd II Voyaged from Scotland via the Panama Canal to Siberia to Document
Evidence of Illegal Soviet Whaling. The Sea Shepherd Crew Survived a Confrontation with the
Soviet Navy
April 6, 1981 – The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was registered as a charitable organization in
the State of Oregon.
May - The Sea Shepherd II departed on her first voyage – a trans-Atlantic delivery to Alexandria,
Virginia to prepare for a campaign to Soviet Siberia to protect Gray whales.
June – The Sea Shepherd II transited the Panama Canal for the first time en route to Los Angeles and
Vancouver to publicize the illegal hunting of Gray whales.
July-August - The Sea Shepherd II documented illegal Soviet whaling activities off the coast of Siberia
and was pursued by the Soviet Navy; Captain Watson returned to the U.S. with the evidence of Soviet
violations, which was turned over to Congress.
September – December - The Sea Shepherd II was berthed at Pier 70 in Seattle for promotion and
fund-raising activities. In December the ship moved to Los Angeles.
1982
Captain Paul Watson Saved Dolphins in Japan and Sea Shepherd crew Protected Grey
Seals in Ireland and Stopped the Hunt. Paul Watson and Tate Landis Completed a Marathon Swim
for the Seals. Sea Shepherd launched an Aerial Attack on A Soviet spy ship on Behalf of the Gray
Whales. Sea Shepherd Crew in Scotland Disrupted the Killing of Grey Seals in the Orkney Islands
and Purchased one of the Islands as a Permanent Seal Sanctuary. Sea Shepherd II crew made
Preparations for the Long Voyage to the Canadian Seal hunt. W.W. Norton published Sea
Shepherd by Captain Watson
January – The Sea Shepherd departed Los Angeles for Honolulu, Hawaii to prepare for a campaign to
stop the slaughter of dolphins at Iki Island, Japan.
March – To avoid a confrontation with the Sea Shepherd II crew, the Japanese government invited
Captain Paul Watson to Iki Island to negotiate with the fishermen. Captain Watson was joined by Captain
Jet Johnson, Air France flight attendant Mina Fukuda as interpreter, and filmmaker Peter Brown. After
three days of negotiations, the Iki Island fishermen agreed to end the slaughter of dolphins at Iki Island.
May – Captain Paul Watson’s book Sea Shepherd, My Fight for Whales and Seals was published by
W.W. Norton with an introduction by Cleveland Amory.
May – Sea Shepherd crewmembers from Ireland camped on Iniskea Island in the Irish Sea to interfere
with the killing of Grey seals by Irish fishermen. The crew slept amongst the seals and successfully
disrupted all attempts to kill the seals.
June – The Sea Shepherd II returned to Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, Canada to prepare for a
campaign to protect seals on the East coast of Canada.
September – Captain Paul Watson and crewmember Tate Landis successfully swam the Georgia
Straight from Naniamo on Vancouver Island to Jericho Beach in Vancouver. The 56 kilometer swim had
never been completed before. The swim was organized to focus attention on the Canadian seal hunt.
September – Captain Jet Johnson (a former Canadian air force fighter pilot) pilots the plane for Paul
Watson and Carroll Vogel to drop sixteen large light bulbs full of red paint onto the deck of a Soviet spy
ship off the coast of Washington State. Each light bulb is attached to a message in the Russian language
protesting the illegal kill of whales by the Soviets. A U.S. fighter plane pursues the Sea Shepherd plane
but Captain Johnson eludes pursuit flying over the wave-tops back into Canadian airspace. Paul Watson
was the only one of the three arrested. He was charged with the dangerous operation of an aircraft
despite not being the pilot. The charges were dismissed when the Russians failed to appear as
witnesses.
October – The Irish seal hunt was ended. The government of Ireland ruled to shut down the grey seal
hunt in the Irish Sea. It was a clear victory for Sea Shepherd campaigners.
November – Sea Shepherd crew in Scotland completely disrupted the killing of Grey Seals in the
Scottish Orkney Islands. Sea Shepherd crew snatched rifles from the hands of the hunters and physically
prevented the landing of boats on the seal rookeries. The Sea Shepherd Islands Trust was set up to
purchase the Orkney Island of Little Green Holm. Once purchased the island was made into a permanent
sanctuary for the Grey Seals.
December – The Sea Shepherd departed from Vancouver for a voyage to Grenada to deliver library,
agricultural, and medical supplies to Grenada. The ship stopped en route at Coos Bay, Oregon, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, and Laguna Beach.
1983
The Sea Shepherd II Delivered Relief Supplies to Grenada and her Crew Liberated the
Monkeys from the St. Georges Zoo. The Sea Shepherd II Blockaded the Canadian Sealing Fleet
and Saved 76,000 Baby Harp Seals. The Sea Shepherd II Crew were Arrested and Charged for
Interfering with the Slaughter of the Seals.
January – The Sea Shepherd II transited the Panama Canal for the 2nd time en route to Grenada. The
ship delivered a cargo of relief supplies to St. George’s Grenada before the ship departed for Portland,
Maine.
January – The crew of the Sea Shepherd II, having witnessed the deplorable conditions in the St.
George’s zoo, raided the zoo at night and released all the primates. Each monkey was sedated and
released in the jungle on the island. Captain Watson responded to criticism of the release by saying Sea
Shepherd did not bring the monkeys to Grenada and his crew would not sit by and watch the animals
abused without doing what was needed to alleviate their suffering. “Besides,” he said, “these primates
cannot possibly do more damage than the primate Homo sapiens already has to this island.”
February – The Sea Shepherd II underwent final preparations for a seal campaign in Portland, Maine.
Captain Watson appeared on the Today Show and debated Jim Winters of the Canadian government.
March - The Sea Shepherd II blockaded the harbor at St. John's, Newfoundland and
prevented the Canadian sealing fleet from leaving for two weeks. The Sea Shepherd II then moved to the
Gulf of St. Lawrence and escorted four sealing ships away from the Harp seal nursery.
April - Captain Watson and nineteen crewmembers were arrested on the Sea Shepherd II and were
charged with conspiracy to violate the Seal Protection Act - i.e. approaching within a half a mile of a seal
hunt and interfering with seal-killing.
June - The Sea Shepherd crew were tried in Perce, Quebec and convicted of violating the Seal
Protection Act. The political agenda protecting the seal hunt was reflected in severity of the sentences
imposed. Captain Paul Watson was sentenced to 15 months in prison for conspiracy to violate the Seal
Protection Act and another 6 months for violating the Seal Protection Act by approaching within a half a
nautical mile of a seal hunt. In addition to a 21-month prison term, Captain Watson was fined $75,000 and
the Sea Shepherd II was ordered confiscated. Captain Watson was also ordered to not communicate
with in any manner, with any journalist, anywhere in the world, on any subject for a period of three years.
Captain Watson was also ordered banned from the five Eastern Canadian provinces for three years.
Engineer Paul Pezwick was given a 7-month prison term and fined $7,000. All other crewmembers were
fined $3,000 each.
December – Captain Paul Watson and Engineer Paul Pezwick were ordered into prison on December 20
in Quebec to begin their sentences. The Quebec Court of Appeal released both men nine days later
pending appeal of the sentences.
1984
Seal Convictions Were Overturned. Pending the Release of the Sea Shepherd II, Captain
Watson Launched an Aerial Campaign to Protect Wolves in Northern British Columbia.
In 1984, the Quebec Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Captain Paul Watson and the crew of the Sea
Shepherd II. The convictions of the lower court were reversed and the charges quashed. Unfortunately,
the government appealed the decision of the Quebec Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court of Canada.
This resulted in the continued seizure of the Sea Shepherd II. The vessel was moved from
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island to Halifax, Nova Scotia and placed under guard at the Canadian
Naval base.
February - Without a ship Captain Watson and his crew were confined to the beach. Undeterred Captain
Watson launched a land-based campaign on behalf of wolves. He founded the group Friends of the Wolf
and organized a high profile intervention against the aerial shooting of wolves in Northern British
Columbia. In Fort Nelson, Captain Watson debated four hundred hunters and trappers in heated
arguments that made the National News.
Captain Paul Watson and Robert Hunter publish Cry Wolf!. The book about the anti-wolf hunting
campaigns exposed the corruption behind the B.C. Government’s wolf eradication programs. The former
British Columbian Minister of the Environment Rafe Mair wrote the forward for the book.
The publicity generated by the Wolf campaign forced the resignation of the British Columbian Minister of
the Environment Anthony Brummett, after Captain Watson publicly denounced the Minister for corruption.
1985
Canada Lost its Appeal to Convict the Sea Shepherd. The Sea Shepherd II was Released.
Sea Shepherd Retaliated by Suing the Canadian Government. Iceland was Researched, and Sea
Shepherd Intervened in the Færoe Islands to Protect Pilot Whales. Sea Shepherd lent the Sea
Shepherd II to Band Aid to Aid Ethiopia.
April – The Canadian Supreme Court upheld the ruling of the Quebec Court of Appeal. The Court
ordered the return of the Sea Shepherd II to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Captain Watson
recruited a crew of volunteers to repair the ship and prepare her for a trans-Atlantic voyage to Europe.
May - The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society filed a damage suit against the Canadian government for
damage caused to the Sea Shepherd II while being held in "protective" custody for twenty-two months.
July – The Sea Shepherd II departed Halifax and stopped in St. Pierre & Miquelon for additional repairs
before departing for Iceland. In Iceland, the Sea Shepherd II delivered a warning to the Icelandic
government to stop illegal whaling activities and to abide by International Whaling Commission
regulations. When asked by an Icelandic newspaper what Sea Shepherd would do if Iceland did not
comply, Captain Watson said that Sea Shepherd would “sink the Icelandic fleet.” The Sea Shepherd II
was placed under police guard. The visit to Reykjavik was however a diversion, and the Sea Shepherd II
crew were engaged in mapping out the harbour, and locating the whale-processing factory at Hvalfjordur.
August – The Sea Shepherd II departed Iceland for the Danish protectorate of the Faeroe Islands to
intervene against the slaughter of pilot whales. Captain Paul Watson and his crew met with the Prime
Minister of the Faeroes and warned them that the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society would be
launching a campaign to oppose the illegal slaughter of pilot whales by the Faeroese.
September thru December - The Sea Shepherd II departed the Faeroe Islands for London, England.
The ship was prepared for a relief voyage to Ethiopia in association with Band-Aid. Captain Paul Watson
and Bob Geldof had worked together years before for the same alternative newspaper the Georgia
Straight. With permission from the Board of Trade, the Sea Shepherd II was loaded with a cargo of
barrels of diesel fuel to deliver to the relief trucks in Ethiopia.
December – After departing London, the Sea Shepherd II was ordered into the port of Brest, France by
the U.K. Board of Trade. The Board of Trade had changed its bureaucratic mind and a new ruling stated
that the Sea Shepherd II was not a registered cargo vessel and thus could not transport relief supplies.
The ship was ordered to Plymouth to discharge the cargo. When Captain Watson asked the Board of
Trade to make an exception for the purpose of providing humanitarian aid, the bureaucrat responsible
said that exceptions were never granted. Captain Watson reminded the bureaucrat that the soldiers that
were picked up at Dieppe during World War Two were taken back to Britain on vessels not registered to
carry passengers. The bureaucrat answered that if he had been in charge, they would not have been
allowed to transport passengers without the proper registration.
1986
The Sea Shepherd II Attended the IWC Meeting in Sweden and then Departed for the
Danish Færoe Islands to Disrupt the Killing of Pilot Whales for a Second Year. The Færoese
Attacked and Fired Upon the Sea Shepherd II crew. The BBC Produced an Award Winning
Documentary called Black Harvest about the Campaign. Sea Shepherd Crew Scuttled Half the
Icelandic Whaling Fleet and Destroyed the Whale Processing Factory in Iceland, shutting down all
Icelandic Whaling Operations for the Next Fifteen Years.
June – The Sea Shepherd II departed from Plymouth for Malmo, Sweden to attend the meeting of the
International Whaling Commission (IWC).
July - The Sea Shepherd II departed Malmo for the Danish Faeroe Islands to document and obstruct the
Faeroese pilot whale sport hunt. Captain Watson sent in a team of five crewmembers to meet with the
government. All five were arrested and held without charges. The Sea Shepherd II refused to depart from
Faeroese waters until the crew was released. The Faeroese responded by attacking with rifle fire and tear
gas. Captain Watson had a bullet strike the ship, an inch from his head and immediately he ordered the
crew of the Sea Shepherd II to defend the ship with water cannons and cannons loaded with chocolate
and lemon pie-filling. The Faeroese attackers were humiliatingly slimed with goo and the Sea Shepherd
II escaped with documentation of whaling activities and a dramatic confrontation. The incident was filmed
and aired in a BBC produced award-winning documentary entitled Black Harvest.
September – The Sea Shepherd II returned to Bristol, England, for repairs and maintenance.
November: Sea Shepherd activists returned to Iceland and took action against illegal Icelandic whaling
operations. Sea Shepherd engineers Rod Coronado and David Howitt engineered the sinking of two of
Iceland's four whaling ships in Reykjavik harbor. They also destroyed the whale processing station at
Hvalfjodur. This mission shut down Icelandic commercial whaling activities for the next 16 years. The
attack was a headline story worldwide.
1987
Sea Shepherd Purchased a New Ship and Launched the Divine Wind Against Japanese
Drift-Net Operations in the North Pacific.
May & June - With the Sea Shepherd II in Britain and in need of repairs, the Society needed a vessel to
oppose escalating drift net activities in the North Pacific. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
purchased a tuna seiner from a bank repo sale called the Bold Venture. The vessel was not suitable for
the campaign but the Society was able to trade the ship for a Japanese skip-jack tuna vessel called the
Gratitude. The Gratitude was renamed the Divine Wind and was made ready for a voyage to the North
Pacific.
July & August – The Divine Wind set forth to the Aleutians, stopping in Amchitka and Attu, documenting
“ghost nets”. On the return trip, the ship stopped in the Pribilofs to investigate the status of the Northern
fur seals. The expedition discovered and removed many miles of drifting net material.
1988
Iceland Refused to Charge Sea Shepherd for the Reykjavik Attack. Sea Shepherd Film Exposed
the Slaughter of Dolphins by the Tuna Industry. The Society sold the Divine Wind to Repair the
Sea Shepherd II
January - Captain Paul Watson, Dr. Joanna Forwell, and Sea Shepherd Sweden director Sten Borg
traveled to Iceland. Captain Watson demanded that Iceland lay charges against the Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society and himself for sinking half of Iceland's whaling fleet. Iceland refused. Captain
Watson announced to the Icelandic media that the actions of Sea Shepherd agents against Icelandic
whaling activities was justified as a legitimate policing action because Iceland refused to defend illegal
whaling activities by charging the Sea Shepherd for sabotage. Sea Shepherd then announced that any
accusations of criminality against Sea Shepherd were unwarranted as Sea Shepherd had not been
charged, let alone convicted of any crime in Iceland.
March – A Sea Shepherd agent documented the killing of dolphins by a United States tuna seiner named
the Sea King. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society granted the use of this footage to Sam LaBudde
of Earth Island Institute. Sea Shepherd footage was shown in addition to the film taken by Sam LaBudde
on board a Panamanian tuna seiner. The film edited by Sea Shepherd director Peter Brown was released
and scandalized the tuna industry and contributed to the ban on dolphin killing by U.S. tuna companies.
November – The Sea Shepherd ship Divine Wind was sold, the Sea Shepherd Society used the funds
from the sale and overhauled the Sea Shepherd II.
1989
The Sea Shepherd Crew Intercepted and Boarded Two Venezuelan Tuna Seiners off Costa
Rica. The Sea Shepherd II Disrupted and Chased Tuna Seiners Out of the Eastern Tropical Pacific
Area.
July - After lengthy repairs in the Netherlands and Britain, the Sea Shepherd II crossed the Atlantic to
Key West, Florida to take on crew and supplies for a transit of the Panama Canal and up to Puntarenas,
Costa Rica. In Puntarenas, the Sea Shepherd II intercepted two Venezuelan tuna seiners. The vessels
were not permitted to leave until they allowed Captain Paul Watson and his officers to inspect their
logbooks and hold for evidence of dolphin killing. In addition to the evidence obtained, the log book of the
seiner Pan Pacific revealed the locations of fishing activities where dolphins were being killed.
August – The Sea Shepherd II intercepted and chased numerous Mexican tuna boats away from pods
of dolphins in the Eastern tropical Pacific.
1990
Sea Shepherd Continued the Fight Against Drift Netting. The Sea Shepherd II was
Sabotaged and Repaired. The Sea Shepherd II Hunted Down and Rammed Two Japanese Drift
Netters and Destroyed Over Sixty Miles of Monofilament Drift Net.
March - The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society consulted with a marine biologist and a physicist to find
a method for sinking drift net without ecological damage. A successful method was found, tested and
prepared.
January thru July - The Sea Shepherd II was prepared and outfitted for a campaign to the North Pacific
to hunt for drift netters. In June, the ship’s engines were sabotaged and the campaign was delayed by
almost two months.
August – The Sea Shepherd II departed from Seattle to search for drift net fleets in the North Pacific. A
Japanese fleet was located some 1400 miles north of Hawaii. The Sea Shepherd II rammed two
Japanese drift net vessels and sank some sixty miles of monofilament drift net. The cost of damages to
the Japanese was in excess of two million dollars. Sea Shepherd video documentation of the action was
shown worldwide including Japanese television. The official Japanese response was that "nothing
happened."
1991
The Sea Shepherd II Forced a Mexican Tuna Seiner to Release Dolphins off Guatemala.
The Sea Shepherd Crew worked with the Trinidad Coast Guard to Stop Taiwanese Poachers. The
Sea Shepherd II was rammed by a Taiwanese Drift Netter and the Sea Shepherd II Retaliated by
Ramming and Damaging the Taiwanese Vessel. The Sea Shepherd Society Purchased a U.S.
Coast Guard Patrol Boat and Named it the Edward Abbey. The Sea Shepherd II Assisted Canadian
Indians in the Storming and Taking of the Columbus Replica Santa Maria. The United Nations
Passed a Resolution abolishing the Use of Drift Nets.
January – The Sea Shepherd II departs from San Diego on a voyage to Key West, Florida via the
Panama Canal. Off of Guatemala, the Sea Shepherd II discovered the Mexican tuna seiner Tungui with
her nets in the water and dolphins struggling to escape. Despite the darkness of night, Captain Watson
ordered the Mexicans to release the dolphins. When they refused, he rammed and damaged the Tungui
and turned a high-pressure hose on her onboard helicopter. The dolphins were released. Guatemala
officially thanked Sea Shepherd for the intervention.
July – The Sea Shepherd II departs for Trinidad to patrol for Taiwanese drift netters. Near Barbados, a
Taiwanese drift net boat was discovered. The Taiwanese attempted to intimidate the Sea Shepherd II by
coming alongside and colliding with her. The collision crushed the starboard gunwale of the Sea
Shepherd II. Captain Watson retaliated by falling back and coming up fast on the starboard side of the
drift netter. The Sea Shepherd II rammed the Taiwanese vessel hard on her midship section.
In Trinidad, the Sea Shepherd crew were given a wonderful reception by the Trinidad Coast
Guard. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was made an official auxiliary to the Trinidad & Tobago
Coast Guard. Sea Shepherd crew assisted the Coast Guard in investigating and exposing the bribery of
Trinidadian government officials by the Taiwanese fishing industry.
Sea Shepherd called a press conference in Trinidad and exposed Taiwanese bribes to Trinidad
government officials in exchange for fuel subsidies and non-interference with poaching in Trinidad and
Tobago waters. The politicians taking the bribes were arrested.
November – The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society purchased the former U.S. Coast Guard patrol
vessel Cape Knox. The ship was renamed the Edward Abbey. The ship was bought in Charleston,
South Carolina and moved to Norfolk, Virginia to be refitted.
December – The Sea Shepherd II departed from the Bahamas with a crew that included fourteen
members of the Gitk’san Wet’su’e’ten nation of British Columbia. For the voyage the name of the ship
was changed to Aligat meaning Warrior. Captain Paul Watson funded the campaign personally and the
objective was to intercept the quincentennial voyage of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. En Route the
crew stopped at San Salvador Island to reclaim it for the First Nations. The Columbus caravels were
found approaching Puerto Rico. The Santa Maria was seized and held until the Spanish Consul in Puerto
Rico signed a letter of apology for five hundred years of injustice to the indigenous peoples of the
Americas.
December 20th, 1991- The United Nations General Assembly approved Resolution 46/215 banning drift
net fishing worldwide as of January 1993.
1992
The Sea Shepherd II and the Edward Abbey Disrupted Poaching off of Costa Rica’s Cocos
Island. The Edward Abbey Eluded Mexican Federales in Acapulco. Sea Shepherd Crew Sank a
Taiwanese Drift Netter in Taiwan. Captain Paul Watson Delivered a Warning to the Norwegians at
the U.N. Environmental Conference in Brazil. The Sea Shepherd II and the Edward Abbey
Confronted the Japanese Drift Netters Once Again in the North Pacific.
The Sea Shepherd II was retired on Vancouver Island. Sea Shepherd Buys a Drift Netter to Serve
as a Trojan Horse. Captain Paul Watson Lead a Crew to Norway to Sink the Pirate Norwegian
Whaler Nybræna in the Lofoten Islands
February – The Sea Shepherd II and the Edward Abbey departed from Key West, Florida via the
Panama Canal and bound for Cocos Island off the coast of Costa Rica. Upon arrival at the island, a
number of poachers were discovered. The Sea Shepherd II under the command of Captain John
Huntermer and the Edward Abbey under the command of Captain Paul Watson evict the poachers with
water cannons, pie cannons, stink bombs and paintball guns. Video of the poachers was sent to the
authorities in Costa Rica.
March – The Sea Shepherd II and the Edward Abbey intervened against tuna seiners killing dolphins in
the Eastern Tropical Pacific and chased them from the area. The Edward Abbey was forced into
Acapulco for repairs. Because of the attack on the Tungui the previous year, the Mexican authorities
would have seized the ship. Captain Watson entered without a declaration on a Sunday. The repairs were
done over the next three days without Mexican detection. Upon discovery by the authorities, the Edward
Abbey let the lines go and sped from the harbour faster than any of the Mexican Navy pursuit vessels.
May – A Sea Shepherd crewmember boarded the illegal drift-netting vessel Jiang Hai in Kaohsiung,
Taiwan. The ship was scuttled at dockside for violating the U.N. Resolution banning drift netting.
June - Captain Paul Watson attended the meeting of the United Nations Conference on the Environment
and Development in Brazil. Captain Watson informed the Scandinavian media that the Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society would target any whaling operations by any nation that did not abide by the
regulations of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
July - The Sea Shepherd II and the Edward Abbey departed from Santa Cruz, California for a voyage to
the mid-Northern Pacific Ocean. Both ships encountered a Japanese driftnet fleet off Hawaii. The crew
cut and confiscated the nets, rammed one of the vessels and chased the others away from the area. The
abandoned nets were confiscated. The Japanese government officially complained to the U.S. State
Department. Returning to the mainland, the Edward Abbey was boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Captain Paul Watson welcomed the investigation and gave the coast guard officers complete video
documentation of the action. Japan withdrew the official complaint.
September – The Sea Shepherd II was retired at Ucluelet on Vancouver Island. After 12 years of
service, the ship had to many mechanical and structural problems and became too costly to maintain.
The Sea Shepherd II was not retired meekly however. The ship became a center of debate after the
Canadian Pilotage Association attempted to extort excessive fees to harass the Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society. Captain Watson stripped the Sea Shepherd II of all valuable gear and equipment
and then sold her.
September – Sea Shepherd crew continued to monitor and document illegal drift netting operations out
of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Sea Shepherd discovered that 43 new vessels were being outfitted with over
65,000 miles of drift net. The documentation was forwarded to the United Nations as evidence to support
the proposed ban on drift nets.
October – The United States government passed Bill H.R. 2152 that authorizes U.S. government
intervention against high seas drift netting.
November – The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society purchased a Japanese built, Taiwanese registered
drift netter from a United States Marshall’s sale in Honolulu. The ship was purchased to be outfitted as a
decoy to infiltrate drift-netting fleets.
December 26th - After months of surveillance, Captain Paul Watson lead a team to Northern Norway to
search for illegal Norwegian whaling vessels. Dwight Worker engineered the scuttling of the Norwegian
whaler Nybræna in Reine on the Lofoten Islands at dockside the day after Christmas. Sea Shepherd
issued a press release describing the sinking as a "Christmas gift to the Whales."
1993
Sea Shepherd Exposed Orca Kill by a U.S. Trawler. The Sirenian Opened a Summer of
Controversy on Vancouver Island. The Sea Shepherd Purchased a Canadian Coast Guard Ship
and Named it The Cleveland Amory. The Cleveland Amory Disrupted Illegal Fishing Activities on
the Grand Banks. Captain Paul Watson was Arrested for Saving Fish.
January – The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society challenged the government of Norway to prosecute
the Sea Shepherd crew responsible for sinking the Norwegian whaler Nybræna. Norway refused to
respond.
March – A Sea Shepherd supporter documented the illegal killing of an Orca whale in the Bering Sea by
the U.S. registered fishing factory vessel the Northern Hawk. The documentation was turned over to U.S.
authorities.
March – the Edward Abbey was re-registered as a Canadian research vessel and given the name
Sirenian.
April – The Sirenian traveled to Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island to open a summer of
controversial protest against the clear-cutting of the magnificent Clayoquot valley.
May – Captain Paul Watson purchased the retired Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker the Thomas
Carleton in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The ship was renamed the Cleveland Amory. The ship required three
months to make ready for sea.
July – The Cleveland Amory departed Halifax for a voyage to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland for the
purpose of obstructing illegal fishing activities. Upon arrival on the Tail of the Banks outside of Canadian
waters, the Cleveland Amory was met by Canadian government vessels and police and shadowed
closely. Captain Watson was very much aware that he and his crew were under surveillance when he
ordered the Cuban drag trawler Rio Las Casas to pull up her nets and return to Havana. The Cuban
complied but was then informed by the Canadian Department of Fisheries that the Cleveland Amory had
no authority to give such an order. Captain Watson retaliated by pulling alongside the Cuban trawler and
instructing his crew to toss stink bombs onto the deck of the Rio Las Casas. Captain Watson then cut the
trawl. The Cubans retreated from the Banks. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police informed Captain
Watson that he was under arrest. He ignored the order and made a course to the Nose of the Banks
where he ordered a Spanish dragger off the Banks. The political controversy resulted in ten Cuban drag
trawlers departing the Banks and returning to Cuban. Their reported losses exceeded thirty five million
dollars. The Mounted Police responded by boarding the Cleveland Amory and arresting Captain Watson
outside the two hundred mile limit. Captain Watson was charged with three counts of criminal mischief
and the Cleveland Amory was brought into St. John’s Newfoundland under guard.
August – To avoid the harassment and bureaucratic obstacles involved in getting the Cleveland Amory
released, Captain Watson sold the ship to a private buyer. In this manner, the Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society avoided the payment of $30,000 in fines imposed by the Canadian government and
walked away with more money than originally invested.
1994
A Sea Shepherd Crew Scuttled the Norwegian Whaler Senet. The Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society Purchased the Whales Forever. Captain Paul Watson Lead a Campaign to
the Ice Floes of Eastern Canada to Create a Non-Lethal Cruelty Free Alternative to Sealing. The
Whales Forever was Sabotaged. The Whales Forever Was Rammed by a Norwegian Naval Vessel
and Fired Upon. The Whales Forever Successfully Eluded Capture by the Norwegians.
January – A Sea Shepherd team scuttled the illegally operated Norwegian whaling vessel Senet in
southern Norway. The vessel had just returned from smuggling a new engine in from Denmark. The
investigation of the sinking revealed the smuggled engine to Norwegian authorities. There were no
charges brought against Sea Shepherd by Norway for the sinking. The Owner of the Senet was fined for
smuggling.
January – The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s office in Santa Monica received extensive damage
from the Northridge earthquake.
March – The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society purchased the British ship Switzer Mercator and
renamed the vessel the Whales Forever. The ship was moved to the Netherlands for repairs and
refitting.
March - Captain Paul Watson lead an expedition onto the ice floes off the Magdalen Islands and
successfully proved the practicality of creating an alternative industry for non-lethal utilization of Harp
seals by collecting their hair fibers while they are molting. He proposed that the hairs could be spun into
yarn to be used for making sweaters or fill for sleeping bags or bed comforters – an alternative to
eiderdown. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society proposed the creation of an industry that could
replace the cruel, lethal, and wasteful seal hunt. Captain Watson recruited two Magdalen Island sealers to
participate in the seal brushing.
June – Two sabotage attacks were directed against the Sea Shepherd ship Whales Forever. Both were
arsonist attacks. The first attack caused minor damage. The second attack deliberately caused an
explosion and fire in the ship’s engine room that caused substantial damage. Repairs took a month.
July – The Whales Forever departed the Netherlands to confront illegal whaling operations off the
Northern coast of Norway. The voyage provoked extensive media coverage in Europe. The Icelandic
Naval vessel Andenes intercepted the Whales Forever. The Andenes attempted to foul the propellers
of the Whales Forever but Captain Watson outmaneuvered the Norwegians each time. Frustrated, the
Captain of the Andenes misjudged his next attempt and rammed the Whales Forever. The impact
shattered the bow of the Whales Forever and burst the gasoline holding tank, spilling a hundred gallon of
gasoline onto the deck of the Whales Forever and soaking three of her crew. The collision also caused
the prop to be fouled with the rope towed by the Andenes. The Sea Shepherd crew acted fast to remove
the gasoline and the threat of explosion. At the same time, Sea Shepherd divers went over the side to cut
the line from the propeller. Despite the Andenes firing twice at the Whales Forever with her deck-gun
and detonating four depth charges beneath her hull, the Whales Forever successfully prevented
boarding by the Norwegian Navy and returned to the Scottish Shetland Islands.
September – The Whales Forever did a successful fund-raising tour of Germany and received
extensive media coverage for the whales. Captain Paul Watson debated the Norwegian Ambassador on
German television. The Whales Forever was dry-docked in Bremerhaven and was discovered to have
received extensive damage by the Norwegian depth charges.
October – The Whales Forever crossed the Atlantic to Bermuda and onto Florida where Captain Watson
sold the ship a few months later, for more than Sea Shepherd had paid for her. The funds were set aside
for the purchase of a new ship
1995
Sea Shepherd Saved Sea Lions in Seattle. Captain Paul Watson Was Beaten in the
Magdalen Islands by Sealers. Martin Sheen Brought Media Attention to the Seal Hunt. The Sea
Shepherd Ship Sirenian Intervened Against the Over Fishing of Salmon in British Columbia. Sea
Shepherd Began Campaign Against Makah Whaling. Captain Watson was Put on Trial in
Newfoundland for Saving Fish and Was Acquitted.
January - The National Marine Fisheries Service announced its decision to exterminate the California
sea lions that frequent the Ballard Locks of Seattle, Washington, to feed on steelhead trout. Sea
Shepherd negotiated an agreement with the City of San Francisco to capture the sea lions and release
them into the San Francisco Bay. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society also presented a plan to
construct a hydraulic barrier to prevent Sea Lions from preying upon fish entering the fish ladder at
Ballard locks.
March - The German bedding company Kirchhoff Bettwarenfabrik expressed to Sea Shepherd their
interest in the possibility of marketing cruelty-free baby Harp seal products. Actor/activist Martin Sheen
agreed to support Sea Shepherd efforts in seal conservation. Captain Paul Watson, Martin Sheen and
the crew traveled to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Before they could fly out to the seals, a mob of angry
sealers invaded the Magdalen Islands hotel where they are staying and beat Captain Watson. The Police
intervened only to forcibly expel Captain Watson from the Magdalens. The campaigned received
international media coverage.
July - The Sea Shepherd vessel Sirenian went to British Columbia to document the opening of the
salmon fishing season, the lack of fish, and ongoing dispute between commercial, sport, and native
fishing interests over who was at fault. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police followed the Sirenian with
two fast catamaran patrol boats for the entire campaign. Captain Paul Watson warned that the coho
salmon was in imminent danger of extinction and called for an immediate shutdown of the fishery. The
Canadian government declared a salmon fishing moratorium in B.C. but reversed the moratorium after
receiving pressure from the fishing industry.
August - The Makah Indian tribe of Neah Bay, Washington, claimed the right to hunt California Gray
whales under an 1855 treaty with the U.S., which they wanted revived in the name of "cultural and
spiritual values." The Makah also said they believed they had the right to resume a commercial whale
hunt. Over a dozen tribes along the coast of British Columbia asserted that they would press for an
extension of their fishing rights to include whales should the Makah's petition be approved. Thanks to two
visits from the Sirenian in Neah Bay, Sea Shepherd's ongoing presence, media campaign, and work with
US Congressman Jack Metcalf (R-WA), the U.S. Administration withdrew its support of the Makah's
formal petition before the International Whaling Commission meeting in Scotland.
August - Sea Shepherd field agents met with Irish government representatives and presented reasons to
disallow drift netting in Irish waters. The government of Ireland ruled to ban drift netting.
September and October - Captain Paul Watson was put on trial before the Newfoundland Supreme
Court on three counts of criminal mischief brought by the government in retaliation for the 1993 cod
protection campaign off the Grand Banks. Before a judge and jury, Captain Watson cited the World
Charter for Nature as his authority to intervene. The jury accepted the argument, and Captain Watson
was acquitted on all the felony mischief charges by reason of colour of right. He was convicted of the
minor charge of aiding and abetting an act of mischief by crewmember Brad Ryan, who had not been
identified or charged. Captain Watson was sentenced to thirty days. He was released after one week
pending the appeal.
October - Paul Watson was voted the 1995 Eugene Rogers Award by the United Nations Association of
Canada for his work in defense of the salmon in British Columbia. The Award was denied after the
Western Canada Wilderness Society protested. Captain Watson replied that, “It appears we have not lost
our capacity to generate controversy. It is difficult to receive awards when you are actually doing
something to deserve one.”
1996
The Sea Shepherd Demonstrated an Alternative to Sealing. A New Ship Was Purchased
and Named the Sea Shepherd III.
March - Sea Shepherd returned to the Gulf of St. Lawrence along with company principals of Kirchoff
Bettwarenfabrik, one year after the sealer riot. Baby Harp seal fur was successfully gathered without
incident. The company made plans to hire people to gather enough seal hair for commercial production in
1997. That year Canada killed 250,000 seals.
July – The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society purchased a British registered, Norwegian built trawler
named the Skandi Ocean. The ship was renamed the Sea Shepherd III and repairs and refit work began
in Edinburgh, Scotland.
December – The British Ministry of Fisheries Hired Sea Shepherd crew to guard their patrol boats over
the holidays
1997
Captain Paul Watson Was Arrested in German and Released, Arrested in the Netherlands
and Acquitted. Sea Shepherd Sent Michael Kundu to Siberia to Document Whaling Activities. The
Sea Shepherd III Went to the Mediterranean to Investigate Drift Netting and to Attend the IWC
Meeting in Monaco. The Sea Shepherd III Weathered a Hurricane to Reach Florida
March – The Sea Shepherd III made a test run from Scotland to Bremerhaven, Germany. In
Bremerhaven, the ship was berthed for further repairs.
March - Captain Paul Watson was arrested in Bremerhaven by German police on a Norwegian Interpol
warrant. He was held for one day and released by the Bremen prosecutor who ruled that the warrant
contained contradictory information. Captain Watson was free to travel in Germany.
April thru June – Concerned that the Norwegian warrant would hinder his travel in Europe, Captain Paul
Watson had himself arrested in the Netherlands on April 2. The warrant issued by Norway, demanded
that Captain Watson to serve jail time for a conviction in absentia for the sinking of the outlaw whaler
Nybraena in 1992. An international storm of protest followed, including protests at Norwegian and Dutch
embassies worldwide. Following a hearing, Norway's extradition request was denied, and Watson was
freed.
September – Sea Shepherd Pacific Northwest director Michael Kundu covertly entered Siberia with a
media crew to document the killing of whales by Siberian natives. Although his life was threatened, he
returned to report to the International Whaling Commission meeting in Monaco. The film crew had
brought back evidence of the illegal commercial whale hunt, including footage of butchered whales being
processed into feed for fox fur farms. Russia continued to claim the slaughter as a "subsistence" hunt,
exempt from the moratorium whaling.
October: The Sea Shepherd III made her maiden voyage to the Mediterranean, announcing the
Society's intention to intervene against ongoing illegal drift netting there. Italy's drift netters, the primary
offenders, immediately announced they would halt the practice. The Sea Shepherd III brought U.S.
Congressman Jack Metcalf (R-WA) and a delegation of Makah tribal elders to the meeting of the
International Whaling Commission in Monaco to give voice to the strong opposition to the Makah's
request for permission to start hunting Gray whales. The Sea Shepherd III was given a free berth in
Monte Carlo harbour and Prince Albert presented Captain Watson with an invitation to the official
reception for the delegates of the International Whaling Commission. When Captain Watson walked into
the reception, the Icelandic, Norwegian, Japanese and Caribbean delegations walked out of the reception
in protest. Captain Watson said to Rune Frovik of the Norwegian High North Alliance as he left, “hey
Rune, this means, more drinks for the rest of us.”
November & December – The Sea Shepherd III departed France stopping at Gibraltar and Madeira en
route to Key West, Florida. Between Gibraltar and Madeira, the ship weathered a hurricane without any ill
effect.
1998
The Sea Shepherd III Went to the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Protect Harp Seals. Sea Shepherd
Sent the Sea Shepherd III and the Sirenian to Neah Bay, Washington to Oppose Illegal Whaling.
January – The Sea Shepherd III moved to Wilmington, North Carolina to prepare the ship for a
campaign to protect harp seals in the Canadian Gulf of St. Lawrence.
January – The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society participated in a major fund-raising event in
Anchorage, Alaska hosted by Pierce Brosnan and attended by numerous celebrities including William
Shatner, Alexandra Paul, and John Paul and Eloise DeJoria.
March - With actual mortalities from the seal hunt rising to a species-threatening 500,000 a year, the
Canadian government continued to stonewall the permits necessary to initiate a non-lethal sealing
industry based on brushing the molted fur of baby Harp seals. Regardless, the Sea Shepherd III made
the voyage to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the first conservation vessel at Canada's annual wildlife slaughter
since 1983. The ship brought international journalists to the hunt, warded off sealers from the main seal
nursery. Celebrity guests brought to the seal hunt included Farley Mowat, John Paul DeJoria and his
daughter Alexis, and Bronwen Booth, the sister of British first lady Shirley Blair. Brigitte Bardot was
scheduled to come but her plane broke down en route.
March – Captain Paul Watson was awarded the Genesis Award for Lifetime Achievement in Los Angeles.
The award was presented by Pierce Brosnan and Martin Sheen.
September and November - At the urging of the commercial whaling industries of Norway and Japan,
with promises of lucrative future trade, the Makah Indian tribe claimed a right to resume whale hunting
pursuant to a guarantee in their 1855 treaty with the U.S., but in contravention of subsequent international
conservation law. To avoid a lawsuit, the U.S. aided the Makah in perpetrating the falsehood that the
Makah had been granted an exception to the worldwide moratorium on whaling, and may commence
killing Gray whales for purely "cultural" purposes. Because this would give every nation on earth a new
category for whaling, Sea Shepherd sent two ships to Neah Bay, Washington, where they are joined on
the water by local citizens, and other anti-whaling activists. Despite mob violence, arrest, and official
harassment, the coalition of activists shielded the local whales and succeeded in focusing enough media
attention to the hunt to make the Makah stand down without taking a single whale.
October: The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans introduced Regulatory Review Proposals
governing the addition of Sea Shepherd's non-lethal seal hair harvesting concept to the proposed annex
to the regulations of the Canadian seal hunt. The non-lethal harvest of seal hair gained official
declarations of support from Canadian fishing industry groups, conservation, animal rights, and academic
organizations, and the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
1999
Sea Shepherd Funded an Investigation Into the Caviar Trade in Russia. Sea Shepherd
Defended Whale Sharks in Baja, Mexico. Sea Shepherd Germany Struck an Economic Blow
Against the Færoes with a Fish Embargo. The Sirenian Intervened Against Illegal Whaling by the
Makah Indians. Instituto Sea Shepherd Brasil Was Founded. Sea Shepherd Crew Rescued Oiled
Birds From Oil Spills in France and Turkey.
February: Sea Shepherd funded international sturgeon expert Dr.Vadim Birstein and the Sturgeon
Society in a research program to determine the extent of the illegal Russian caviar trade and its effects on
endangered sturgeon in the Caspian Sea.
March: A Sea Shepherd volunteer persuaded the major dive outfitters based in La Paz, Mexico, a
primary feeding grounds for whale sharks, to adapt a "no harassment" policy for all tourists and divers
with regard to the whale sharks that feed off Baja California every summer. Tourists were no longer
allowed to grab, touch, or ride the whale sharks off La Paz.
March 20 - Captain Paul Watson received the Earth Trustee environmental award in a United Nations
Earth Day ceremony at UN Plaza.
April - Sea Shepherd in Germany persuaded Aldi's, one of the largest food distributors in Europe, to
terminate its contracts with the Faeroe Islands until the Faeroes agreed to cease the practice of
slaughtering pilot whales in the name of "tradition."
May - Sea Shepherd returned to Neah Bay, Washington with the Sirenian, as the Gray whales returned
to the Bering Sea on their northward migration. Due to numerous arrests of our activists and vessel
seizures by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Makah were able to kill a whale on May 17. Sea Shepherd
continued to work with citizens' groups in Washington state to persuade the U.S. Administration to
withdraw its unilateral permission for the Makah to take whales, modify the whaling clause in the Makah
treaty, or both, and prevail upon the International Whaling Commission to formally vote on the Makah's
qualifications or lack thereof for an aboriginal exemption to the global ban on whaling.
June - Sea Shepherd Brasil (ISSB) was founded in Porto Alegre, Brazil, dedicated to the protection of the
marine ecosystem in South America's largest country.
December - The oil tanker Erika broke up in heavy seas off the coast of France, and the Russian tanker
Volgoneft 247 broke up in the Bosporus Strait off Turkey. Sea Shepherd Europe volunteers went to both
countries and assembled international volunteer teams to rescue and transport oiled seabirds from the
Erika spill to care centers. Cooperative training programs were established with Pieterburen Wildlife
Rescue Center in the Netherlands. The Turkish government agreed to work with Sea Shepherd on oil spill
disaster response issues.
2000
The Sea Shepherd III Became the Ocean Warrior. The Ocean Warrior Arrived in the
Galapagos to Arrange an Agreement with the Galapagos National Park to Protect the Marine
Reserve. Captain Paul Watson Signed and Agreement with the State of Rio Grande Dol Sol’s
Ministry of the Environment to Patrol for Poachers. The Ocean Warrior Went to the Danish Færoe
Islands to Intervene Against the Killing of Pilot Whales. The Sirenian was Delivered to the
Galapagos to Begin a Five Year Agreement to Intervene Against Poachers.
January - A Petrobras Oil Co. pipeline ruptured near Rio de Janeiro and spilled over 300,000 gallons of
crude oil into the bay and marshes. Sea Shepherd volunteers coordinated wildlife rescue efforts. The Rio
Grande dol Sol state government contracted with Sea Shepherd Brasil to develop an oiled wildlife rescue
plan.
February – The Sea Shepherd III was struck from Belize registry after Captain Watson refused to pay a
bribe to Belize officials. The ship was re-registered under the Cayman Islands and renamed the Ocean
Warrior.
March – The Ocean Warrior sailed to the Galapagos Islands. Sea Shepherd entered into negotiations
with park authorities to provide a conservation vessel and crew for joint conservation patrols to afford
greater protection for the biologically unique Galapagos National Park. The Ocean Warrior then transited
the Panama Canal to Miami, Florida.
April - Paul Watson signed an agreement with the State of Rio Grande dol Sol in Brazil, giving Instituto
Sea Shepherd Brasil authority to conduct anti-poaching patrols along the nation's southern coast. Captain
Watson accompanied Sea Shepherd Brazil President Alexander Castro on the first flight to patrol the
coastline.
June - The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society joined the coalition supporting the establishment of the
Gulf of Maine International Ocean Wilderness. The Ocean Wilderness protects a unique part of the
ecological heritage of North America, starting about 12 miles offshore and extending to the end of the
Exclusive Economic Zone of 200 miles, encompassing ten miles on each side of the United States and
Canadian borders. By extending this protected area perpendicular from the coast to the boundary all the
way to the Atlantic Abyss, a wide diversity of habitats and marine life would be protected.
July – The Ocean Warrior crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the Netherlands to prepare for a campaign to
the Danish Færoe islands to protect pilot whales.
July – The Ocean Warrior sailed to the Færoe Islands to intervene against the annual slaughter of pilot
whales. Once again, the issue of the hunt was brought to the front pages of the European media. Sea
Shepherd brought economic pressure to bear against those companies still purchasing seafood from the
Faroes --representing 90% of their economy -- most prominently Dutch-based giant Unilever. Over 20,000
European retail outlets terminated their Færoese fish contracts at Sea Shepherd's request.
September - Work began to prepare the Sirenian for delivery to the Galapagos Islands under the terms
of a five-year agreement with the Ecuadorian National Park Service and Navy, responsible for patrolling a
50,000-acre marine reserve but currently with only one boat dedicated to patrols. The Darwin Research
Center was also actively involved in this cooperative effort. The Sirenian was contracted to conduct
conservation patrols of the Galapagos Islands Marine Reserve-- the first ever to be permitted in the
waters of the UNESCO World Heritage Site by a foreign registered vessel -- to clamp down on
commercial fishing operations undertaken within 40 miles of the baseline of the biologically unique
islands. The Galapagos are a prime target for Asian vessels poaching shark fins and pulling in illegal
hauls of the abundant but fragile sea life around the archipelago.
November - Sea Shepherd sponsored the work of the Sea Lion Rescue Centre in South Africa, helping
to purchase an inflatable for their work in saving and rehabilitating Cape fur seals.
December – The Sea Shepherd Conservation filed suit in Washington State Superior Court charging that
the state has ignored its own environmental regulations by failing to protect a small, local aggregation of
Eastern Pacific gray whales whose numbers were dramatically less than the oft-cited 22,000+ of the main
gray whale population. Sea Shepherd demanded that the state fulfill its legal obligation to restrict and
regulate the Makah whale hunt in order to protect the local whale population.
December – Captain Paul Watson delivered the Sirenian to the Galapagos from Seattle. Actor Aiden
Quinn joined the crew from Costa Rica to the Galapagos.
2001
The Sirenian Assisted in the Bird and Iguana Rescue From the Jessica Oil Spill in the
Galapagos. The Sirenian Seized Four Poachers in the Galapagos. The Ocean Warrior Crew
Exposed Illegal Whaling in St. Lucia. Sea Shepherd Crew Guarded the Leatherback Nests on
Tobago. The Ocean Warrior Arrested an Ecuadorian Long Liner in the Waters of the Cocos Island
National Park.
January - The oil tanker Jessica ran aground off San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos, spilling 160,000
gallons of diesel and 80,000 gallons of bunker fuel. Sirenian was the first vessel on the scene, and
proceeded to spend 3 weeks assisting the Galapagos National Park and a special U.S. Coast Guard
team in oil spill clean up and wildlife rescue.
February - The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society testified at a public hearing in Seattle, Washington
on the Environmental Assessment of the Makah whale hunt by the U.S. government, and delivered
comments to the National Marine Fisheries Service finding the process by which the EA was produced to
be deficient, tainted, and thoroughly biased in favor of a hunt. The release of the Final EA was postponed.
March – The Sea Shepherd patrol vessel Sirenian seized four long liners caught inside the Galapagos
Marine Reserve. Incidents of poaching began to decline in the area of Sirenian's patrols.
March – The Sirenian secured evidence of corruption in the Ecuadorian Navy and released it to the
public.
July - During the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission, the Ocean Warrior went to
St. Lucia in the West Indies and filmed a fisherman bringing in a slain pilot whale on the same day the
government denied that St. Lucia hunts whales. Sea Shepherd coordinated an international e-mail
campaign against the Caribbean nations voting with Japan at the IWC in exchange for "fisheries aid." St.
Lucia received more than 400 cancellations of resort bookings as a result.
July and August – The Ocean Warrior crew patrolled threatened nesting beaches of endangered sea
turtles in Tobago and supported a local conservation group in calling for stricter enforcement of turtle
conservation laws.
July and August – The Sirenian apprehended two more commercial shark-finning boats inside the
Galapagos Marine Reserve, and closed down a sea cucumber poaching camp. Sea Shepherd posted a
reward for the arrest of those responsible for the sexual mutilation slaying of 15 Galapagos sea lions. The
fishermen were identified but fled to the mainland.
August - With Cocos National Park rangers on board, Ocean Warrior apprehended the large Ecuadorian
long-liner San Jose caught poaching off Cocos Island, Costa Rica, and confiscated 30 miles of long line
and their illegal catch of sharks, turtles, sailfish, and dolphins.
August – The Ocean Warrior stopped in the Galapagos to re-supply the Sirenian. Because of the
exposure of Naval corruption in March, the Ecuadorian Navy places the Ocean Warrior under guard and
then orders the ship to depart from the Galapagos and to take Sea Shepherd Galapagos director Sean
O’Hearn on board. Sean refused to leave the Galapagos and was arrested by the Navy. The Mayor of
Puerto Ayora secured Sean’s release. Sean went to Ecuador to speak with the media and to appeal the
navy’s decision to deport him.
September: The Ocean Warrior entered dry-dock in Seattle, Washington for major repairs, re-fitting, and
paint job.
2002
The San Jose was Confiscated by Costa Rica. The Sirenian Crew Raided the Sea
Cucumber Poachers. The Ocean Warrior Intercepted Costa Rican Poachers in Guatemalan Waters.
The Ocean Warrior Changed its Name to the Farley Mowat. The Farley Mowat Seized Illegal Long
lines in the Galapagos. The Farley Mowat Arrived in New Zealand to Prepare for a Campaign
Against the Japanese Whaling Fleet.
January 31 - The Ecuadorian long-liner San Jose I, arrested by the Ocean Warrior in August of 2001
was found guilty of illegally fishing inside the boundaries of the Cocos Island National Park Marine
Reserve. The ship was ordered confiscated by the courts.
February - The Sea Shepherd patrol boat, Sirenian intercepted poachers in the Galapagos National
Park Marine Reserve. Sea Shepherd crew on the Sirenian along with the Park Rangers raided an illegal
sea cucumber poaching camp and seized 8,850 sea cucumbers.
March - The Ocean Warrior departed Seattle, Washington for Costa Rica to sign an agreement with the
government of Costa Rica and the Cocos Island Foundation, giving Sea Shepherd the authority to
intervene in all illegal fishing operations around the Cocos Island.
April and May – The Ocean Warrior caught the Costa Rican long liner Varadero I poaching off the coast
of Guatemala. Captain Watson contacted the Guatemalan authorities and asked for advice. He was given
permission to escort the poacher into San Jose, Guatemala. The long liner was ordered to pull in over
twenty miles of long line and to release any sharks and fish on the hooks. The Varadero I agreed to
comply but attempted to flee. The Ocean Warrior deployed fire hoses to force the poacher to comply.
The Varadero I accidentally struck the hull of the Ocean Warrior causing some damage to the poacher
and none to the Ocean Warrior. The next morning, the Ocean Warrior was still escorting the Varadero I
when the Port Captain of San Jose informed Captain Watson that he would be arresting the Ocean
Warrior for using force against the Varadero I. The owner of the Costa Rican vessel had bribed the San
Jose Port Captain. Captain Watson released the Varadero I and proceeded on to Costa Rica. When the
Ocean Warrior arrived in Costa Rica, Captain Watson was charged with attempted murder and
destruction of property based on accusations from the crew of the Varadero I. Captain Watson presented
video evidence of the confrontation with the Varadero I to prove that there had been no violence directed
at the crew of the poacher and that the Ocean Warrior had been acting on instructions from the
Guatemalan government. The charges were dropped and Captain Watson was released. The Ocean
Warrior then proceeded to Cocos Island National Park to deliver a donation of a generator, a radar
surveillance system and other equipment to the park rangers. Ten days later the Ocean Warrior returned
to the mainland to discover that another prosecutor and another judge had reopened the case after
pressure came from the Costa Rican fishing industry. There were no charges because of insufficient
evidence but the court ordered that Captain Watson be arrested and held indefinitely without bail until a
determination on charges could be made. Captain Watson replied that he would not comply with any
arrest order unless there were official charges. Captain Watson then eluded the police and returned to his
ship and departed Costa Rican waters bound for Panama City.
April 19 - The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society changed the name of the Ocean Warrior to Farley
Mowat in honour of Canadian writer and Sea Shepherd international chairman Farley Mowat. The
Cayman Island Registry had been struck and replaced with the Canadian flag. The Farley Mowat
refueled in Panama and departed on May 31 to cooperate with a request by the Galapagos National Park
to hunt for the escaped Costa Rican poacher Maria Canella II.
June – The Farley Mowat searched for two weeks for the Maria Canella II but failed to locate the
poacher. The ship then anchored at Santa Cruz island in the Galapagos to deliver supplies to the Sea
Shepherd patrol vessel Sirenian.
July – The Farley Mowat seized twelve miles of illegally set long line in the Galapagos National Park and
turned it over to the rangers and crew on the Sirenian to bring back to the Galapagos National Park
headquarters.
July & August - The Farley Mowat crosses the South Pacific from the Galapagos to refuel in Tahiti en
route to Auckland, New Zealand to prepare for a campaign to oppose the Japanese whaling fleet in
Antarctica.