Paul Franklin Watson is a Canadian-American environmental, conservation and animal rights activist, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine conservation activism. The tactics used by Sea Shepherd have attracted opposition, with the group accused of eco-terrorism by both the Japanese government and Greenpeace. Watson is a citizen of Canada and the United States.
Watson, with the MY Steve Irwin docked in Hobart, in 2009
Paul Watson leads protest against Makah whaling, Port Angeles, Washington, 1998.
A sign calling for the dropping of charges against Watson
Paul Watson and the Farley Mowat crew in 2005
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is a non-profit, marine conservation activism organization based in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Washington, in the United States. Sea Shepherd employs direct action tactics to achieve its goals, most famously by deploying its fleet of ships to track, report on and actively impede the work of fishing vessels believed to be engaged in illegal and unregulated activities causing the unsustainable exploitation of marine life.
Sea Shepherd flag
A wildlife advocate during an education session on board RV Farley Mowat
A $5 million donation from Bob Barker facilitated the purchase of the MY Bob Barker, pictured here docked in Hobart, Tasmania.
Aerial perspective of the Sea Shepherd docked at the Victoria Harbour Promenade, Waterfront end of Enterprize Way, Docklands, February 2019