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Whale Wars' Star Paul Watson Discusses Sea Shepherd, Libya, And Bluefin Tuna

2011-06-04T07:05:00.001-07:00

'Whale Wars' Star Paul Watson Discusses Sea Shepherd, Libya, And Bluefin Tuna

Posted: 06/ 3/11 08:06 AM ET

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Hidden in the intimate upstairs room of a posh vegan restaurant in New York sat a man deemed an "eco-terrorist." He prefers "eco-terraist."

Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, early member of Greenpeace, and current captain and star of "Whale Wars," spent an evening discussing the premiere of season four of his reality show with a small group of journalists, including The Huffington Post. He spoke with a boyish grin, initially shy and yet subtly self-assured.

Animal Planet's "Whale Wars" follows Sea Shepherd's attempts to end Japanese whaling through aggressive intervention techniques on the Antarctic high seas. Sea Shepherd's actions and the show have faced praise and extreme scrutiny. After swapping his pistachio-encrusted tofu for a reporter's vegan lasagna, Watson announced, "They either love us or they hate us."

Martin Fackler of The New York Times explains that critics call Sea Shepherd "an anachronism, because private fishing companies have dropped out under international pressure and the demand for whale meat is declining. Few Japanese eat whale anymore, and the meat from the hunt has piled up in freezers, or been given to children for school lunches."

Greenpeace has spoken out against Sea Shepherd, denying Watson's claim that he co-founded Greenpeace and denouncing his aggressive methods. The environmental organization's website states, "We believe that throwing butryic [sic] acid at the whalers, dropping cables to foul their props, and threatening to ram them in the freezing waters of the Antarctic constitutes violence because of the potential consequences."

The newest subject of controversy? Two of Sea Shepherd's boats just began a campaign inLibyan waters, in an attempt to protect bluefin tuna from poachers.

This is the second year that Sea Shepherd will venture to Libya for that purpose, and Watson believes "this year is going to be a lot easier." While the bluefin tuna did not make the endangered species list last year, the European Union recently warned against fishing for bluefin tuna in Libya's waters. "Bluefin tuna caught by the Libyan fleet will be well on track to be deemed illegal," E.U. fisheries commissioner Maria Damanaki said. Watson believes it is therefore "fair game" to go after fishing boats in the area.

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That is not to say he doesn't anticipate confrontations from fishing boats -- motivated, for the most part, by money. Watson estimates that one bluefin tuna can be worth at least $70,000. Earlier this year, a bluefin tuna sold for a record $396,000. "That kind of motivation is why there's so much corruption," Watson said. "Billions of dollars of profits are being made by this."

Watson cited Mitsubishi as a prime example of a big buyer. According to The Independent, the conglomerate has been freezing fish for years, and has cornered a significant share of the world's bluefin tuna market. "The bluefin they take out of the ocean and pack into warehouses translates into scarcity in the sea," Watson said. "Scarcity translates into higher prices for the fish. If you can wipe them out, and there's no more bluefin in the ocean, the only bluefin left is in those warehouses, you've got a million dollar fish."

"There are very few fishermen left today," he added. "These are corporations that look on fishing as a short term investment for a short term gain. They don't give a sh*t about the people. And so they'll wipe out anything."

Sea Shepherd's return to Libya is rife with controversy. Gawker's Jeff Neumann recently wrote, "Maybe Sea Shepherd's energies would be better used somewhere else, for the time being at least? There are a few more pressing issues to deal with in Libya these days (war, refugees, shortages of basic supplies, stuff like that). And really, what do they expect to accomplish by having some grouchy old white dude yell at fishermen through a megaphone?"

"It's really not a distraction from anything," Watson argued, in response to critics. He blames poachers for "taking advantage of the war to go in and illegally fish. NATO isn't going to be concerned about fishing. And the European Union is quite concerned about it, but they're not going to send their inspectors, and so we're the only people that are willing to go in there ... Everybody's afraid of it."

It is not all dangerous encounters on the high seas. In their downtime, the crew plays poker and watches DVDs of "Dexter," "Nip/Tuck," and "The Tudors." There is often free time on the ship -- especially for Watson, who sleeps only four hours a night.

Finishing off his tofu ice-cream, Watson politely asked to taste his neighbor's vegan lavender creme brulee. He was very clear that Sea Shepherd is not a vegan or animal rights organization of any kind -- rather, it is a "marine wildlife conservation organization" -- but nonetheless, he requires that only vegan food is served on his vessel. This is because a staggering percentage of fish caught from the ocean is fed to livestock. Therefore, if humans eat farm animals, Watson believes they are, by extension, eating fish.

Watson doesn't think humans should eat fish at all. Having been raised in a fishing village, he has witnessed firsthand the declining number of fish in the sea. "The importance of fish maintaining the ecological integrity of our oceanic ecosystems -- it is far more important there than being on anybody's plate." Citing a report based on U.N. data which found that global fisheries could collapse by 2048, Watson said, "If we wipe out the fish, the oceans are going to die. If the oceans die, we die. We can't live on this planet with a dead ocean. So it's really a question of self-preservation."

Despite Watson's beliefs, he doesn't resent meat-loving "Whale Wars" fans. Asked if he thought some of his viewers were hypocritical, Watson declared, "Everybody is a hypocrite. You can't live on this planet without being a hypocrite."

As the night wore on, the controversy and drama surrounding the man and the show ebbed into a more casual conversation: A reporter asked if he ever gets lonely, and Watson quickly -- perhaps too quickly -- snapped "no." He changed the subject, entertaining the table with tales of bizarre crewmembers and the nautical origin of words. By the end of the evening, Watson had offered a simple explanation of his outlook on the world, declaring, "You've got one life. Well hell, enjoy it."

"Whale Wars" Season 4 premieres Friday, June 3rd on Animal Planet.

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Latest News Seasheperd

2011-02-17T21:33:00.000-08:00

VSO Day - Victory in the Southern Ocean Day for the Whales - It’s official – the Japanese whaling fleet has called it quits in the Southern Ocean, at least for this season. And if they return next season, Sea Shepherd will be ready to resume their efforts to obstruct and disable illegal Japanese whaling operations. ....read more

The Whalers Have Stopped Running East and are now Returning West - After heading eastward at full speed for 2,000 miles, and just before entering Drake’s Passage into the Southern Ocean, the illegal Japanese whaling factory ship the Nisshin Maru recently made a complete u-turn and is now heading due west back the way it has travelled over the last week. ....read more

Chile Seeks to Intervene Against Japanese Whaling - Japan’s factory whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru, continues to run in shame from Sea Shepherd's vessel, the Bob Barker. Both ships are currently south of Chile's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), in international waters declared a sanctuary—where whaling is prohibited. ....read more

The Whalers Have Been Shut Down! - Commentary by Captain Paul Watson - The Japanese Fisheries Agency is saying that the whale hunt has been suspended due to the interventions of Sea Shepherd. I think it is premature to see this as a victory for the whales yet. There has been no mention of how long this suspension will be. ... read more

2010-2011 Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign

7th expedition to oppose the illegal activities of the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean

During the past six campaigns, we have saved the lives of over 1900 whales and exposed illegal Japanese whaling activities to the entire world. Last season, we were able to save more whales than the Japanese whalers were able to kill. Five hundred and twenty-eight (528) whales are alive and swimming in the sea because you enabled us to intervene by supporting our ships and crews.
We hope it will be our last season because we put an end to this annual atrocity. Please be part of this monumental effort to protect these precious, sentient whales – we need you!

What is a Sanctuary and Why Defend It?

2011-02-17T21:32:00.001-08:00

What is a Sanctuary and Why Defend It?

sanc·tu·ar·y (from dictionary.com)
–noun, plural -ar·ies.

a sacred or holy place
Judaism
1. the Biblical tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem
2. the holy of holies of these places of worship
an especially holy place in a temple or church
the part of a church around the altar; the chancel
a church or other sacred place where fugitives were formerly entitled to immunity from arrest
immunity afforded by refuge in such a place
any place of refuge; asylum
a tract of land where birds and wildlife, esp. those hunted for sport, can breed and take refuge in safety from hunters

Sea Shepherd ships and crew will return to the Southern Ocean in December 2010 to once again intervene against illegal Japanese whaling activities in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
The Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is an internationally established whale sanctuary, as in S-A-N-C-T-U-A-R-Y. We want to know just what it is about this word “sanctuary” that people don’t understand. Sanctuary means no killing, it means protection, it means refuge, it means asylum, and we intend to protect the whales within the sanctuary with all the resources available to us.
We are not interested in any compromise deal with Japan that will legalize the slaughter of whales in the Southern Ocean – hence, the mission name: Operation No Compromise. Giving the whalers a kill quota will not make it legal because you cannot legalize a kill quota in an established whale sanctuary. You cannot legalize commercial whaling in the waters south of sixty degrees without violating the Antarctic Treaty that prohibits commercial activity in the waters around the continent of Antarctic. The only way to legalize commercial whaling in the Southern Ocean is to dismantle the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and to negate the Antarctic Treaty.
Therefore, Sea Shepherd ships will return to the Southern Ocean Sanctuary unless a kill quota of zero whale kills is established.
The killing of even one whale is a violation of international conservation law. In addition to protecting the lives of individual whales we are also defending the integrity of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Whaling ships from Japan or anywhere else have no legal right to kill whales within the Sanctuary.
We reject the compromise being brokered by nations like New Zealand and the United States with Japan. “I am amazed that these nations are negotiating with poachers,” said Captain Watson. “They don’t negotiate with elephant poachers, shark finners, and drug traffickers, so why do the Japanese whalers get special consideration? The answer of course is that Japan is an economic power and makes demands backed up by economic pressure.”

The Killers

The Japanese whaling fleet, under the Institute of Cetacean Research’s JARPAII plan, is targeting 935 piked (Minke) whales and another 50 fin whales, and has threatened to add humpbacks to their quota as well.
JARPAII stands for “Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Antarctic.”JARPAII states that, “Full-scale research will commence from the 2007/08 season and a period of six years (including two years of feasibility study) has been established as the research phase.” Sea Shepherd wants to make is clear that “research” means “slaughtering whales.”
Australia has publicly stated that there is no need for Japan to kill whales to do research, and it is understood worldwide that Japan only conducts this “research” so that they can commercially sell the whale meat. In May of 2010, Australia announced that it was going to “…initiate legal action in the International Court of Justice in The Hague against Japanese ‘scientific’ whaling in the Southern Ocean. The decision underlines the Government’s commitment to bring to an end Japan’s program of so-called ‘scientific’ whaling in the Southern Ocean. It also demonstrates our commitment to do what it takes to end whaling globally.”
Japan's government is directly responsible for the continued slaughter because after reviewing the original JARPA, it called for the launch of a “comprehensive study”…“combining lethal and non-lethal methods” – that study is the JARPAII. This annual slaughter is carried out in contravention to the 1986 international moratorium against whaling.

Our Expeditions

Operation No Compromise will be our 7th campaign by Sea Shepherd to intervene against the poaching of whales by the Japanese fleet in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.

2009-10: Operation Waltzing Matilda – 528 whales saved
2008-9: Operation Musashi – 305 whales saved
2007-8: Operation Migaloo – 500 whales saved
2006-7: Operation Leviathan – 500 whales saved
2005 and 2002: These campaigns were foundational to our subsequent efforts

Because of Sea Shepherd interventions, the Japanese whalers have suffered losses for years and they are now in debt to the Japanese government for subsidies of over US$100 million dollars. We are making steady progress towards our objective of sinking the entire Japanese whaling fleet – economically.

Countdown to Departure

Our ships, the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker, are currently being prepared to depart in early December. We have recruited the best crew we can assemble. Our only challenge now is to raise the funds to replace the Ady Gil, the vessel that the Japanese whaling vessel the Shonan Maru No. 2 deliberately rammed and destroyed on January 6th of 2010.

We have found a faster, larger and stronger vessel. We just need to raise US $1 million to secure it. Help us in this effort!

News Sea Shepherd

2011-02-17T21:31:00.000-08:00

Operation No Compromise-related News Releases and Editorials by Sea Shepherd

To read articles as reported by the media (published in newspapers, magazines, and online) about Sea Shepherd and our 2010-11 Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign please visit In the Media.

Feb 16, 2011 - Chile Seeks to Intervene Against Japanese Whaling
Feb 16, 2011 - The Whalers Have Been Shut Down! (editorial)
Feb 12, 2011 - Where Oh Where Are the Whalers Going? (editorial)
Feb 11, 2011 - Japanese Whalers Escorted out of the Whaling Grounds
Feb 10, 2011 - The Yushin Maru No. 3 Backs Down from the Bob Barker
Feb 09, 2011 - Sea Shepherd Interrupts Illegal Whale Slaughter
Feb 08, 2011 - The Steve Irwin Departs Wellington for the Southern Ocean
Feb 05, 2011 - Japanese Whalers Issue a False Distress Signal
Feb 04, 2011 - Narrow Escape for the Gojira
Feb 02, 2011 - Sea Shepherd Flagship Steve Irwin Needs Your Help!
Jan 30, 2011 - Operation No Compromise Campaign Progress Report
Jan 30, 2011 - Operation No Compromise Update: Report from the Bob Barker (editorial)
Jan 28, 2011 - Hunting the Hunters Through Ice and Storms
Jan 28, 2011 - Will this be Sea Shepherd’s last Antarctic Campaign? (editorial)
Jan 27, 2011 - The Steve Irwin Disengages for Refueling
Jan 25, 2011 - Sea Shepherd Successfully Finds the Nisshin Maru
Jan 25, 2011 - The Art of Hunting Whalers (editorial)
Jan 23, 2011 - Halfway Through Operation No Compromise
Jan 15, 2011 - Riding a Storm in Pursuit of a Black-Hearted Sun
Jan 13, 2011 - Holding the Course!
Jan 13, 2011 - Greenpeace mon Amour (editorial)
Jan 12, 2011 - Japanese Supply Vessel Agrees to Leave the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary
Jan 12, 2011 - Sea Shepherd Cuts Off Supplies to the Japanese Whaling Fleet
Jan 11, 2011 - Sea Shepherd Requests the Support of a Greenpeace Ship
Jan 10, 2011 - Sea Shepherd Stands Self-sufficient in the Southern Ocean
Jan 09, 2011 - The Bob Barker Engages Poachers in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary
Jan 07, 2011 - The Gojira Deploys Balloons in the Southern Ocean’s Whale Wars
Jan 07, 2011 - The Best Damn Australian Government Japan has Ever Had (editorial)
Jan 05, 2011 - Sea Shepherd Repels Assaults from the Yushin Maru No. 2 and the Yushin Maru No. 3
Jan 05, 2011 - Romance in the Southern Ocean
Jan 05, 2011 - Japanese Whalers and Sea Shepherd Skirmish on the Date Line
Jan 05, 2011 - The Confessions of an Insensitive Coldhearted Whale Warrior (Satire)
Jan 04, 2011 - The Issue of Safety at Sea (editorial)
Jan 03, 2011 - Wikileaks Reveals Sea Shepherd is a Serious Concern to Japan’s Illegal Whaling Operations
Jan 01, 2011 - Poetry and Emotion in Ocean and Motion (editorial)
Jan 01, 2011 - Dancing with Death Machines at the Bottom of the World
Dec 31, 2010 - Sea Shepherd Hunts Down the Japanese Whalers Before a Single Whale is Killed
Dec 23, 2010 - The Bob Barker Confiscates Poaching Gear from the Southern Ocean’s Waters
Dec 22, 2010 - Should we Save Paper Whales, Virtual Whales or Real Whales? (editorial)
Dec 20, 2010 - The town of Bluff Welcomes the Steve Irwin
Dec 14, 2010 - Farewell to Wonderful Wellington
Dec 14, 2010 - Taking Three Fair Ships into Harm’s Way (editorial)
Dec 10, 2010 - Sea Shepherd Welcomes the Support of the US, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia (editorial)
Dec 09, 2010 - Where is Greenpeace? (editorial)
Dec 05, 2010 - Gojira joins the rest of her Sea Shepherd Fleet
Dec 03, 2010 - Killing Time is Better Than Whalers Killing Whales (editorial)
Dec 02, 2010 - Sea Shepherd Departs for Seventh Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign: Operation No Compromise
Nov 30, 2010 - Has the Japanese Whaling Fleet Surrendered?
Nov 30, 2010 - Whaling…it’s All About the Money! (editorial)
Nov 29, 2010 - Sea Shepherd Makes History with Gojira
Nov 26, 2010 - Sea Shepherd Challenges Pro-whaling Nations to Debate
Nov 26, 2010 - Are the Whalers Close to Throwing in the Towel? (editorial)
Nov 25, 2010 - Michelle Rodriguez Completes her Sea Shepherd Training
Nov 22, 2010 - Where in the World is the Japanese Whaling Fleet? (editorial)
Nov 16, 2010 - The Countdown is On for Operation No Compromise!
Nov 09, 2010 - Sea Shepherd to Bring the Whale Wars to the Faeroe Islands

Oct 24, 2010 - Sea Shepherd Unveils Interceptor Vessel to Target Illegal Whaling

Oct 15, 2020 - Bob Barker Completes Successful Refit

Oct 07, 2010 - Passion, Pity, Professionalism, Patience, and Perseverance (editorial)

Sep 15, 2010 - Rejecting Compromise Over Whaling (editorial)

Aug 04, 2010 - GO GREENS! A Political Solution to End Whaling in the Southern Ocean

July 15, 2010 - Bye, Bye, Rotten Butter Bombs (editorial)
Jun 16, 2010 - Sea Shepherd Dismisses the IWC as Corrupt and Irrelevant
Jun 16, 2010 - Japan Threatens to Go Renegade! (editorial)
Jun 02, 2010 - Crossing (S)words With the Goliaths of Doom (editorial)
May 28, 2010 - Finally- Australia Government Initiates Legal Action On Japanese Whaling

Photos from the Current Campaign

2011-02-17T21:30:00.000-08:00

Photos from the Current Campaign

(click for lightbox view)

The Bob Barker (photo: Sam Sielen)

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Video Campaign Seasherd

2011-02-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

Video

Here you can find video from the campaign.

February 4th, 2011
Gojira captain responds to the Yushin Maru No 3 distress call

(Length: 38 seconds)

February 4th, 2011
Bob Barker's inflatable Delta boat is attacked by a
bamboo spear thrown from the Yushin Maru No 3

(Length: 31 seconds)

January 25, 2011
The Yushin Maru No 1 and Nisshin Maru
are spotted then flee through ice fields

The Japanese whaling vessel Yushin Maru No 1 clears a path through an
ice field as the factory ship Nisshin Maru follows behind.
(1:15 with audio)

January 1, 2011
Japanese whaling fleet and Sea Shepherd’s first engagement of the campaign

Japanese harpoon vessels attempt to block Sea Shepherd from chasing the
Nisshin Maru resulting in skirmishes between Sea Shepherd's three ships
and the three Japanese harpoon vessels.
Video credit: Sea Shepherd (1 minute, no audio)

December 21, 2010Gojira, Sea Shepherd's New Vessel

Footage taken of our new vessel while near Fremantle, Western Australia
at the start of December 2010.
Video provided by http://www.birdseyeviewphotography.com.au

December 17, 2010Operation No Compromise

Video credit: Tim Watters / Sea Shepherd

December 10, 2010Captain Paul Watson speaks his mind

Captain Watson speaks about the oceans and how we can protect them
video directed by and courtesy of Chris Sims

December 4, 2010
Gojira joins the Bob Barker and Steve Irwin for
Operation No Compromise

Video credit: Sam Sielen / Sea Shepherd

November 25, 2010The Steve Irwin joins the Bob Barker in Hobart

Video credit: Sam Sielen / Sea Shepherd

November 23, 2010
Bob Barker crew ready to stop Japanese whaling

Video credit: Tim Watters / Sea Shepherd

Seashepherd Info

Whale Wars' Star Paul Watson Discusses Sea Shepherd, Libya, And Bluefin Tuna

'Whale Wars' Star Paul Watson Discusses Sea Shepherd, Libya, And Bluefin Tuna

SHARE THIS STORY

Latest News Seasheperd

2010-2011 Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign

7th expedition to oppose the illegal activities of the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean

What is a Sanctuary and Why Defend It?

What is a Sanctuary and Why Defend It?

The Killers

Our Expeditions

Countdown to Departure

News Sea Shepherd

Operation No Compromise-related News Releases and Editorials by Sea Shepherd

Photos from the Current Campaign

Photos from the Current Campaign

Video Campaign Seasherd

Video

February 4th, 2011 Gojira captain responds to the Yushin Maru No 3 distress call

February 4th, 2011 Bob Barker's inflatable Delta boat is attacked by a bamboo spear thrown from the Yushin Maru No 3

January 25, 2011 The Yushin Maru No 1 and Nisshin Maru are spotted then flee through ice fields

January 1, 2011 Japanese whaling fleet and Sea Shepherd’s first engagement of the campaign

December 21, 2010Gojira, Sea Shepherd's New Vessel

December 17, 2010Operation No Compromise

December 10, 2010Captain Paul Watson speaks his mind

December 4, 2010 Gojira joins the Bob Barker and Steve Irwin for Operation No Compromise

November 25, 2010The Steve Irwin joins the Bob Barker in Hobart

November 23, 2010 Bob Barker crew ready to stop Japanese whaling

February 4th, 2011
Gojira captain responds to the Yushin Maru No 3 distress call

February 4th, 2011
Bob Barker's inflatable Delta boat is attacked by a
bamboo spear thrown from the Yushin Maru No 3

January 25, 2011
The Yushin Maru No 1 and Nisshin Maru
are spotted then flee through ice fields

January 1, 2011
Japanese whaling fleet and Sea Shepherd’s first engagement of the campaign

December 4, 2010
Gojira joins the Bob Barker and Steve Irwin for
Operation No Compromise

November 23, 2010
Bob Barker crew ready to stop Japanese whaling