Sea Shepherd News
Captain Paul Watson Receives Jules Verne Award
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Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founder and president Captain Paul Watson has become only the second person after Captain Jacques Cousteau to be honored with the Jules Verne Award, dedicated to environmentalists and adventurers.
Bob Brown and Sea Shepherd Launch Operation Kimberley Miinimbi
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Operation Kimberley Miinimbi campaign leader Bob Brown in front of the Sea Shepherd flagship, Steve Irwin. Photo: Fair ProjectsIn wake of the Gas Hub 'go ahead', Bob Brown and Sea Shepherd today launched Operation Kimberley Miinimbi, at a press conference alongside the Steve Irwin in Williamstown, Melbourne, Australia.
The controversial Kimberley gas hub has been given conditional go-ahead from Western Australia's environmental watchdog, the EPA (Environmental Protection Authority), even though the EPA’s decision-making process has come under scrutiny after it revealed that four of the five board members stood aside due to conflicts of interest. EPA chairman Dr Vogel, the one remaining board member who made yesterday's decision, even admitted that turbidity from dredging, oil spills, industrial discharges, noise, light and vessel strikes could adversely affect whales, dolphins, turtles, dugong and fish. Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett is pushing ahead with gas factories at James Price Point, just north of Broome, on one of the world’s most unspoiled coastlines, even though whale deaths are inevitable.
Jeff Hansen, Sea Shepherd’s Australian Director stated, “Australia was once a whaling nation, however nowadays Australians are amongst the most passionate defenders of whales in the world. Sea Shepherd receives overwhelming support in Australia. We simply could not do what we do, defending the Australian Antarctic whale sanctuary, without the support of the Australian public.“
“However, the very same humpback whales that are being targeted by the Japanese whalers this summer in the Southern Ocean face a new threat in their calving grounds - Woodside's proposed gas hub in a place called James Price Point, just north of Broome, stated Mr. Hansen.”
Who is really in charge in Costa Rica?
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Dead sharks from an illegal shark finning operationAbout a month ago I was asked to fly to Costa Rica and meet with politicians and our local lawyer to see if we could find a solution for the insane court case Captain Watson is being dragged into. I met with the Minister of Environment and several of his staff and in a closed-door meeting we came to several agreements. One of which was that we would not talk to the press about this. To my surprise, two days later I read an article in a Costa Rican paper quoting word for word what I said in the meeting; so much for closed-door meetings with Costa Rican politicians.
Our strategy from the beginning of this case has been to try to work with the authorities in Costa Rica. Despite the desire of the vast majority of our supporters, we have not only kept quiet about a tourist boycott, we have even advised against the boycott believing we can find a solution that will help Costa Rica, Sea Shepherd and most importantly, the sharks. We have offered to return to Costa Rica and continue where we were stopped ten years ago. Our offer even went further, I personally promised we would fund and install an AIS network around Cocos Island; similar to what Sea Shepherd has done in the Galapagos. After all we have the knowledge and the experience to do so. Such a network would instantly improve control of Cocos Island National Park. But apparently there are things happening around Cocos Island that the Costa Rican government does not want the world to see.
We listened to the lies of the Varadero I crew, printed in the Costa Rican newspapers, took abuse from people who were quick to side with the poachers, and all this time we listened to the same argument that nobody should think they can be above the law.
Deputy Greens Leader Adam Bandt steps up for the sharks as the Brigitte Bardot becomes a Melbournian
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Deputy Greens Leader Adam Bandt visits the Brigitte Bardot and Captain Locky Maclean.
Photo: Simon AgerToday in the presence of numerous media and supporters at Seaworks Williamstown, Deputy Greens Leader Adam Bandt peeled a white cover off the stern of the Brigitte Bardot vessel uncovering the word "Melbourne" indicating the ship has a new place to call home in Australia.
Paul Watson Explaining The Corruption Behind His Arrest & The Opportunity We Have to Create Something Positive
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This is worth watching... Paul Watson explaining the corruption behind his arrest.
