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Category: Captain Paul Watson Commentary

Jeff Hansen Says, “Let them eat fish.”

Jeff Hansen Says, “Let them eat fish.”

April 28, 2023 Of all of the betrayals that we have experienced over the last year, the absolute worst was Jeff Hansen, the Australian Director for Sea Shepherd Australia, engaging in a partnership with Austral Fisheries and the Japanese company Marua Daichiro. I never ever imagined that Sea Shepherd, the movement that I created in 1977, would ever partner with a fishing company. And not just any fishing company, but a company that targets Antarctic Toothfish, an endangered species. And…

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What a Colossally Stupid Idea

What a Colossally Stupid Idea

May 1, 2023 When this ridiculous and absurd deployment of hooked concrete blocks was first proposed, I told both Sea Pretenders and the Mexican government it was a really stupid idea. The hooks designed to snare nets render the nets into ghost nets, posing a real danger to the Vaquita and other marine life. There is only one solution to this problem, and that is to search out and confiscate illegally set nets, something we were doing very efficiently up…

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MOVING FORWARD

MOVING FORWARD

April 30, 2023 Some people are asking me how I still feel about being ousted from Sea Shepherd. Strangely, I feel relieved, motivated, and inspired. The past is the past, our eyes are now on the present, and what we do in the present will define what the future will be. Those who betrayed us took the ships, the name, and the logos, but they did not take the truly important things – the loyalty of so many supporters and…

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WHY WE MUST GO TO ICELAND

WHY WE MUST GO TO ICELAND

April 29, 2023 I have been receiving criticisms from some of my former colleagues at Sea Shepherd that it will be counter-productive for us to confront Icelandic whalers this summer. Their argument is that Iceland intends to not renew permits for Kristján Loftsson in 2024 and Icelandic whaling will be ended after this year. They are also saying that engaging in a campaign in Iceland will cause them problems with the government partnerships they have developed in African nations. The…

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MEANWHILE 

MEANWHILE 

April 28, 2023 Over the past few months, Sea Shepherd France ended the killing of dolphins by the French fishing fleet and intercepted sea turtle poachers on the island of Mayotte. Sea Shepherd Brazil has a boat on the Amazon protecting river dolphins. Sea Shepherd UK is sending crew to the Faro Islands and Iceland and recovering tons of underwater marine debris. Meanwhile, Sea Shepherd Global is taking pictures of krill trawlers without interfering. Sea Shepherd USA is watching poachers…

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Unforgivable Betrayal

Unforgivable Betrayal

April 24, 2023 Sea Shepherd France achieved one of the greatest victories ever for dolphins at the same time that Sea Shepherd Global is suing Sea Shepherd France. Not a word of congratulations to Sea Shepherd France President Lamya Essemlali from Sea Shepherd USA, Sea Shepherd Global, Sea Shepherd Australia, New Zealand and Italy for all the hard work and courage it took to realize this victory. Instead Sea Shepherd Global is suing Sea Shepherd France to stop Sea Shepherd…

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Et Tu Peter

Et Tu Peter

April 20, 2023 I sometimes wonder how do they feel, these people who betrayed me? Have they simply justified their betrayal? Is job security their motive? Does it bother them that they betrayed me, and more importantly, does it bother them that they betrayed the principles that Sea Shepherd was built upon? I try to put myself in their shoes and when I do, it makes me feel sick to my stomach.  Let’s start with Peter Hammarstedt. He was 18…

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An Unbelievable Betrayal of Sea Shepherd Principles by Sea Shepherd Australia and Sea Shepherd Global.

An Unbelievable Betrayal of Sea Shepherd Principles by Sea Shepherd Australia and Sea Shepherd Global.

Captain Paul Watson resigned from the Board of Directors of Sea Shepherd Australia in December 2022 because Sea Shepherd Director Jeff Hansen refused to answer his questions about the partnership between Sea Shepherd Australia and the Austral Fisheries Corporation. Captain Watson said he was astounded that any Sea Shepherd group would partner with a Fishing company, especially a fishing company connected to commercial whaling operations. Sea Shepherd Australia received donations from Austral Fisheries, bought a ship at a discount from…

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On the Status of the Endangered Vaquita

On the Status of the Endangered Vaquita

Question: CITES has sanctioned Mexico over the status of the Vaquita. This means Mexican fish products will be sanctioned because of Mexico’s inaction on protecting the endangered Vaquita. Do you support sanctions? Captain Paul Watson: CITES has no choice. Mexico has been dragging its feet on any real action to protect the endangered Vaquita. Unless Mexico decides to get tough with the poachers the world will lose the Vaquita. Question: Sea Shepherd, the organization you founded, began working on the Vaquita issue in…

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We Have Work To Do

We Have Work To Do

I have made a serious mistake. An understandable mistake, considering my unexpected dismissal from my life’s work, but a mistake nonetheless. The mistake that I made was trying to hold on to something which no longer has any intrinsic meaning or value to me. The Sea Shepherd name that I created, the Sea Shepherd logos that I designed have been stolen, and we can’t afford the time and the energy to get back what is rightfully ours.  And we don’t…

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