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. The Sea Shepherd captain then boarded the Japanese ship "to confront the whaler who just destroyed his boat" and was summarily arrested. I have been working in the marine research and conservation sector for 35 years as a vessel master, researcher leader and operations leader. [36] In January 2013, Watson relinquished captaincy of the Steve Irwin. ATime Magazine profile from 1989advised that around Pritam Singh, " one sometimes needs to stop, press rewind and take it all in once more, slowly": "One is unsure which jarring and inapposite piece of his biography best begins to explain him: That he is a former [Students for a Democratic Society]organiser who is building a Ritz-Carlton hotel? Interview with Captain Paul Watson, Founder of the Sea Shepherd Watson defends his actions as falling within international law, in particular Sea Shepherd's right to enforce maritime regulations against illegal whalers and sealers. "That's music to my ears. [20][21][22] Watson married his fourth wife Yana Rusinovich on February 14, 2015, in Paris. I left with so many new skills and most importantly great friendships. The pursuit, the longest in maritime history, ended with the scuttling of the trawler and the arrest of its captain." The Institute and Coast Guard said that they used seven stun grenades designed to temporarily debilitate a target by rendering them blind and deaf for a period of time. For many, he's the face of Sea Shepherd: Paul Watson, now silver-haired in his early 70s, co-founded the controversial direct action group in 1977 after an acrimonious split with Greenpeace. The motivation to destroy life in our oceans is fueled by material greed. Public figure. "What's more important than the name, what's more important than the logo, is the cause. Want more science plus health, environment, tech and more? Instead, they were to inform the Mexican navyof the net locations. With Paul Watson. [17], Watson has one daughter, Lilliolani (born 1980), with his first wife, Starlet Lum,[18] who was a founding director of Greenpeace Quebec,[19] Earthforce!, Project Wolf, and Sea Shepherd. To be able to bring a species back from extinction, how amazing is that? [5] That same year, he formed the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. He proclaimed Sea Shepherd to be the "navy" of Earth First! Quick Answer: Where Is Captain Paul Watson Now - BikeHike On August 7, 2012, Interpol renewed the Red Notice for Watson on the charges of "causing a danger of drowning or of an air disaster" laid by Costa Rica. The red notice has the charges issued by Japan as, "Breaking into the Vessel, Damage to Property, Forcible Obstruction of Business, Injury". Watson took a huge step back from the organization in 2014 after the 9th U.S. "But he's a property developer from Florida.". In 2014, he travelled to one of the few countries he was free to France where he married in 2015 before returning to the US with his wife soon after. We work to defend all marine wildlife, from whales and dolphins, to sharks and rays, to fish and krill, without exception. An editorial by Captain Paul Watson", "Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson on Conservation and How Travelers Can Give Back", Captain Paul Watson Foundation official website, Paul Watson's archived page on the Sea Shepherd official website, Animal rights in Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, List of international animal welfare conventions, Moral status of animals in the ancient world, University of California, Riverside 1985 laboratory raid, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Animal Defence and Anti-Vivisection Society, Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals, Moral Inquiries on the Situation of Man and of Brutes, An Introduction to Animals and Political Theory, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Watson&oldid=1150753014, Green Party of British Columbia politicians, Articles with dead external links from August 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from March 2023, Articles with dead external links from March 2018, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Environmental, conservational and animal rights activism, This page was last edited on 19 April 2023, at 23:54. Sea Shepherd and Age of Union's vessel M/Y Age of Union started its first mission off the coast of France, where Sea Shepherd media crew captured shocking footage of over 100,000 dead fish carpeting France's Bay of Biscay, sparking international outrage. He's walked the plank, but ousted Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson says he's building a 'navy', Qantas leaders speak after announcingAlan Joyce's successor as chief executive, Follow our live blog for the latest from the Met Gala, Keep up with the latest ASX and business news. 186K views 7 years ago Watch renowned Australian actor David Field play out the #UltimateDeathScene. 144K followers. [92] Watson rejoined the crew of the Steve Irwin in the South Pacific in late November 2012. [28][34] Sea Shepherd soon established itself as one of the more controversial environmental groups, known for provocative direct action tactics. What Happened to 'Whale Wars'? Update - Distractify In a 2013 civil case brought by Japanese whalers, a US court described Sea Shepherd as"pirates" over their efforts to hamper whaling ships. [1] His third wife, Allison Lance, is an animal rights activist and a volunteer crew member of Sea Shepherd. Whale Wars: With Chris Aultman, Paul Watson, Peter Hammarstedt, Benjamin Potts. [81][82] The conflict took place during filming for the documentary Sharkwater and the charges were dropped by prosecutors after video of the incident made by the documentary film makers was shown. Taking place in February 1942, Greyhound happens towards the beginning of U.S. involvement in World War II. Watson claims the captain "made a deal" with the. Front line compliance operations need to enforce the regulations and treaties. Born Paul Lombard Jr, Singh's Sea Shepherd bio describes him as " an American businessman, environmentalist, and philanthropist [and] the Founder of the Singh Group of companies, having overseen the design, development, building, and management of properties, with a current value of over $5 billion.". [2], At an animal rights convention in 2002, Paul Watson was also quoted as saying, "There's nothing wrong with being a terrorist, as long as you win. One particular video shows a Sea Shepherd USA vessel working with the Mexican Navy to have fishing nets removed from a designated zero tolerance area (ZTA) a fishing exclusion zone. PIRATES! Captain Paul Watson goes down with the sinking Sea Shepherds A Mexican fisherman has died after his boat collided with a larger vessel used by US conservationist group Sea Shepherd, reports say. An Earth Warrior's Guide to Strategy, Watson expressed disdain for the truthfulness of mainstream media: The nature of the mass media today is such that the truth is irrelevant. [63], During an interview in 1978 with CBC Radio, Watson spoke out against Greenpeace (as well as other organizations) and their role and motives for the anti-sealing campaigns. For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! These crew members are brave and selfless and are willing to stand in the face of adversity, in order to protect and save the marine animals that are so precious to all of us. My name is Jasmin and I recently joined Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as Chief Cook on one of their vessels. Not once.". The Bris was registered in Oslo, Norway, and manifested for the Indian Ocean and Pacific trade. Life On The Sea Shepherd Ship As A Raw Vegan | 40BelowFruity The reason he says he was givenwas that the Red Notice meant they were unable to obtain directors' insurance in the United States. He says a number of Sea Shepherd's Hollywood backers are now giving him financial support. "[72] He was deported without being charged and is considered a persona non grata by Iceland.[73][74]. Justin Tennison, a deckhand on Deadliest Catch 's Time Bandit, was found dead in a Homer, Alaska, hotel room on Feb. 22, 2011 four days after he returned from the sea. Watson said "the reason I called it that is because it's pretty hard for anyone to infiltrate and take over an organisation that included my name". 715 posts. [83] On May 21, Watson was released on bail of 250,000 but required to report to police in Frankfurt on a daily basis. [39], Watson was a field correspondent for Defenders of Wildlife from 1976 to 1980 and a field representative for the Fund for Animals from 1978 to 1981. [131], A biographical documentary on Paul Watson's early life and background entitled Pirate for the Sea was produced by Ron Colby in 2008. Canadian Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn accused Watson of trivializing the memory of the lost sealers. Captain deliberately sank illegal fishing vessel, claim Sea Shepherd Burnt out and with COVID lockdowns biting, she went to ground for a few years. I was reduced to being a paid figurehead, denied the freedom to organize campaigns and the freedom to express the strong opinions that I have held for decades, opinions and campaigns that have shaped what Sea Shepherd has become and continues to be outside the borders of the United States.. [111] Neither of the two conflicting accounts have been independently verified. [93] In March 2019, Costa Rica dropped all charges against Watson and has removed the Interpol red notice. [11] Although the United States is a signatory member of Interpol, Watson has not been detained for extradition to Japan or Costa Rica. [97], In April 2008, Watson stated that, while the deaths of three Canadian seal hunters (a fourth one is still missing) in a marine accident involving a Canadian Coast Guard vessel and a fishing boat during the 2008 Canadian Commercial Seal Hunt were a tragedy, he felt that the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of seals is an even greater tragedy. Sea Shepherds sole mission is to protect and conserve the worlds oceans and marine wildlife. It has always been part of the deal, but that's also what made people feel so passionate about Sea Shepherd. Despite previous successes, Sea Shepherd says it can no longer frustrate Japan's whalers because their boats now carry hardware supplied from military sources, making the fleet highly elusive. Whale Wars captain accused of 'secretly sabotaging boat and blaming Sea Shepherd permanently abandons Antarctic whale wars with Japanese Being active in nature conservation is very meaningful work and I am honored to be a part of it! Support Sea Shepherd's life-saving campaigns around the world by donating now. Learn All About Rice Balls and Then Try These 5 Recipes! Our obstacles are immense. Addressing the tragedy of the death of Joe Howlett by Sea Shepherd Advisory Board member Dr. Roger Payne. Watson denied this, saying, "No one ordered him to scuttle it. Join Sea Shepherd Captain Thomas Le Coz of the M/Y Age of Union to discover the first . Those who are responsible and completely dedicated to the responsibility which is actually a very small percentage of humans. This effort was denounced by another candidate in the election, Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center, as a "hostile takeover" attempt by "radical anti-immigrant activists. The true story of the Thunder, the world's most notorious poaching ship, and its history-making bid to evade capture. The atmosphere aboard his vessels has been compared to an "anarchy run by God". "This guy was a donor and he was very helpful," Watson says. Sea Shepherd | Age of Union He's referring toPritam Singh,a one-time friend and real-estate mogul who's had a long association with Sea Shepherd. He was arrested by the Costa Rican government and claimed he endangered fishing vessel crews in 2002. He states that the Australian government was attempting to sabotage the upcoming 2010 Sea Shepherd campaign by denying him entry into the country. Paul Watson quits Sea Shepherd over U.S. court order I left a few weeks early. It was at this time that Watson says Singh started taking a more active role in management of the organisation. 2 is dragged through the ocean in Mackenzie Bay, Antarctica, in this picture provided by Sea Shepherd Australia and taken . They are due to apepar in court on 25th September. Your generosity keeps us out on the ocean, protecting. Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. After the resolution of legal issues involving the Japanese Institute for Cetacean Research, Watson returned as President of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Commander of the Sea Shepherd fleet. [91] It was reported that Watson would come out of hiding to join Sea Shepherd in the 201213 campaign against Japanese whaling. [66] In 1997, Watson was convicted in absentia[67] and sentenced to serve 120 days in jail by a court in Lofoten, Norway, on charges of attempting to sink the small scale Norwegian fishing and whaling vessel Nybrnna on December 26, 1992. According to The New Yorker, Watson revived the 19th-century practice of tree spiking. [12][13] He was residing in Paris as of July 1, 2014, but has since returned to the United States. Joining Sea Shepherd was a natural fit for me and now having been the master of most of the Sea Shepherd vessels on a range of campaigns, I feel the need and importance of our work continues to increase. Watson says he's building a new movement that will be true to his original vision for Sea Shepherd. "What Paul has been doing over the past decades, this is the reason why Sea Shepherd exists today.". An Interpol red notice was issued on September 14, 2012, at the request of Japan and Costa Rica. [110], The Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research disputes Sea Shepherd's statements. We work to defend all marine wildlife, from whales and dolphins, to sharks and rays, to fish and krill, without exception. [135] The documentary Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson from 2011 features interviews and footage with early Greenpeace members Rex Weyler and Patrick Moore. [Video], Vintage Pineapple Upside-Down Cake [Vegan], Blueberry Hand Pies With a Flaky Crust [Vegan]. Standing up for direct action: Paul Watson v. Sea Shepherds Two Sea Shepherd members were spoken to on background. All are needed to achieve change. [65] Watson was arrested in 1993 in Canada on charges stemming from actions against Cuban and Spanish fishing boats off the coast of Newfoundland. [2], Watson was sentenced to 10 days in prison and fined $8,000 for his actions during a Canadian seal hunt protest in 1980, after being convicted of assaulting a fisheries officer. Now, Watson will completely remove himself from all affiliations with the organization. Saving the oceans is possible but we need your help. HMS Captain | War Imperial War Museums Warrior: Marine conservationist and Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson is being sued for $5million in an LA court after claims that he intentionally sabotaged a ship during an anti-whaling trip However, in a shock to many Sea Shepherd followers, Watson says he's been thrown overboard amid rumours the organisation is taking a turn away from its controversial past. Essemlali says this is the reason given for his removal from the Sea Shepherd Global board: "Paul [was]a Global director, and he wasbeing public about what he thinks Sea Shepherd [US] is becoming. . But most illegal. 255 likes, 2 comments - Sea Shepherd Store (@seashepherdstore) on Instagram: "#saveoursharks #Shopusa - Did you know that on conservative estimates, an average of 3.17 sharks ." Sea Shepherd Store on Instagram: "#saveoursharks #Shopusa - Did you know that on conservative estimates, an average of 3.17 sharks are killed every single second! The charge stemmed from an altercation at sea in 2002 in which Sea Shepherd said that the other vessel was illegally shark finning in Guatemalan waters. I first heard about the organization a few years ago and the great work they do. Since then, Watson says he's had his social media page taken down for flying the Sea Shepherd logo, and that Sea Shepherd Conservation Society hadapplied for copyright control of a suite of the Sea Shepherd intellectual property. Sea Shepherd has allowed me to reconnect with individuals who understand what we are losing, what is at stake, and that once lost will be forever gone. Be sure to ask them why, as a member of the anti-whaling European Union, they are . An activist for Sea Shepherd claimed that fisheries were killed 10,000 dolphins off the French coast each year as by-catch: fish that accidentally got caught in their nets. We can all work together to change the tide. [44], Watson published Earthforce!, a guide to strategy for environmental activists in 1993. Check out our must-buy plant-based cookbooks! The group Sea Shepherd estimates it held some 100,000 dead fish. GreenPeace Co-Founder (1972) - Views are my own Non-Governmental & Nonprofit Organization On Planet Ocean paulwatsonfoundation.org Joined May 2009 405 Following 126K Followers Replies Media Pinned Tweet Captain Paul Watson 10. In 2010, long time friend and filmmaker Peter Brown released the documentary Confessions of an Eco-Terrorist, a satirical look back at the last 30 years of actions. The new direction that the present Board of Sea Shepherd USA has decided upon is not a path that I can in good conscience support nor participate in, Watson said. He was not, having transferred to another ship in international waters, aware New Zealand was required to notify Interpol if he entered the country. I am a Canadian. [34], His leadership style has variously been called arrogant, as well as pushing himself too much "front and center", which was cited as one of the reasons for expulsion from Greenpeace. If the humorless whale killers and the bank rollers of the dolphin killers did not like the show, then that's all I need to applaud it."[140]. As a child he was a member of the Kindness Club, which he has credited with teaching him to "respect and defend animals". Chocolate Pudding with Strawberries [Vegan]. But Sea Shepherd Captain Peter Hammarstedt claimed they were still having an impact. The film also aired on Animal Planet on December 22, 2019.[142][143]. If you can't head out to sea and participate directly, then change your habits, change your diets. [54], Paul Watson continued as a crew member, officer, and skipper (in 1972) aboard several Greenpeace voyages throughout the mid-1970s. The description accompanying the video is "direct action on the frontlines". Watson responded to the South Park episode by stating; "My understanding is that the Japanese Prime Minister was not amused and the whalers and dolphin killers are enraged at the way they were portrayed," Watson said. ", "South Park puts spotlight on Paul Watson and his "Whale Wars", "Japan obtains arrest warrant for anti-whaling group leader", "N20120514 / 2012 / News / News and media / Internet / Home INTERPOL", "N20120914 / 2012 / News / News and media / Internet / Home INTERPOL", "Paul Watson Arrested: Sea Shepherd Says Founder Arrested In Germany", "Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson arrested for ramming boat 10 years ago", "Germany Detains Activist "Whale Wars" Captain", "Sea Shepherd appeals to German gov't over arrest", "Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson released on bail after arrest in Germany", "Paul Watson Urges Costa Rica to Drop Charges", "Foreign Ministry to send Paul Watson extradition request to German authorities Tuesday", "Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson skips bail in Germany for 'unknown destination' | National Post", "Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson 'flees Germany', "Sea Shepherd founder skips bail | World", "Interpol alert says Paul Watson has escaped from Germany / News Briefs / Current Edition / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times", "N20120807Bis / 2012 / News / News and media / Internet / Home INTERPOL", "Sea Shepherd seeks to intercept whalers closer to Japan", "Sea Shepherd Australia:: Statement from Captain Paul Watson", "Immigration dispute spawns factions, anger in Sierra Club]", "Questions and Answers About the Sierra Club Elections: An Interview with Sierra Club Director Paul Watson", "Sea Shepherd I'm Not Ready To Make Nice", http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2008/04/april-15-2008.html, "Sealing activists bailed out with bag of toonies", "Sea Shepherd undeterred by US court order", "Whale wars saga begins with Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson under investigation | Outposts | Los Angeles Times", "Sea Shepherd's frustrated Capt. [43], In January 2008, Paul Watson was named by The Guardian as one of its "50 people who could save the planet" for the work of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. I wasn't counting on going to a campaign, but then Sea Shepherd gave me that opportunity. The INTERPOL Red Notice is for serial killers, war criminals, major drug traffickers.". [15], In 1999, Watson ran unsuccessfully for election to the national Sierra Club Board of Directors, with the backing of the anti-immigration faction Sierrans for US Population Stabilization (SUSPS). "[51][52] In a subsequent book, Ocean Warrior, Watson expanded on this view, saying: "Survival in a media culture meant developing the skills to understand and manipulate media to achieve strategic objectives."[53]. Top Daily Recipes: Black Tahini Toast to Greek Jackfruit Kebab! 47 Sea Shepherd & Whaling Facts No One Is Telling You Captain Paul Watson is a Canadian-American marine conservation activist who founded the direct action group the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in 1977 and was more recently featured in Animal Planet 's popular television series ' Whale Wars' and the documentary, ' Watson '. [23] Watson and Rusinovich have two sons. Whalers in Japan sued Sea Shepherd to prevent them from interfering with their annual hunt. - Sea Shepherd", "Animal rights activist arrested in Seattle grand jury probe", "Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson Gets Married on Valentine's Day", "Whale Wars' Captain Paul Watson Welcomes Son Tiger", "Paul Watson: the man behind Sea Shepherd", "Greenpeace Attempts to Make Captain Paul Watson "Disappear", Resistance: Journal of the Earth Liberation Movement, "Battle Against Whaling, Groups Split on Strategy", "Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace: some facts", "Sea Shepherd International: Paul Watson and Greenpeace", "Paul Watson quits Sea Shepherd over U.S. court order World CBC News", "1996 Local General Election Results- Mayor", "Paul Watson is elected to the Sierra Club Board of Directors in April, 2003", "Sierra Club Director Paul Watson Resigns to Protest Hunting Prize", "The Beginning of the End for Life as We Know it on Planet Earth? In 2007 Watson explained his view of needed population control and the future for humans given their role in the Holocene extinction, which he refers to as the "Holocenic hominid collective suicide event": Today, escalating human populations have vastly exceeded global carrying capacity and now produce massive quantities of solid, liquid, and gaseous waste [] No human community should be larger than 20,000 people and separated from other communities by wilderness areas [] We need to radically and intelligently reduce human populations to fewer than one billion [] Curing a body of cancer requires radical and invasive therapy, and therefore, curing the biosphere of the human virus will also require a radical and invasive approach [] Who should have children? Watson himself doesn't shy away from the label of an 'Eco-Terrorist' and stated on national television that "There's nothing wrong with being a terrorist, as long as you win. Sea Shepherd Loses 9-Hour Fight in the Antarctic, Whale Dies - gCaptain "That's what made this organisation so unique.". 'Steve wanted to join one of our Antarctica campaigns but sadly he died before he was able to come with us so in his honour, we named the ship after him. [108], On March 17, 2008, Watson said that he was shot by the Japanese crew or coast guard personnel during the Operation Migaloo anti-whaling campaign in the Southern Ocean. He said: "One of the most shocking things that most people don't realise is that the greatest threat to. He was 33. issued at the request of Japan. I can't support it'. Over the years, Singh was a generous donor to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society the US chapter of the organisation and reportedly helped Watson personally, allowing him to live in houses owned or part-owned by himself or his wife. The gut-wrenching . The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's recently appointed director of science, John Payne, told Science magazine he wouldn't have taken on the role with the organisation if Watson was still in charge. Along with Paul Watson, we support the work of all Sea Shepherd Global efforts around the world.. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the organization to stay at least 457 meters away from Japanese whaling vessels off Antarctica. Follow. "[130] In 2007 Watson received the Amazon Peace Prize presented by the Vice President of Ecuador Lenin Moreno. Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd says Japan's use of military-grade technology to track its ships has ended its attempts to stop the Southern Ocean whale hunt.