SEA SHEPHERD GLOBAL

end of year
report2023

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table of contents
INTRODUCTION							3A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO					

4DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL CAMPAIGNS OVERVIEW

6OUR CAMPAIGNS 						8ILLEGAL FISHING CAMPAIGNS				11AFRICA 								12EUROPE/MEDITERRANEAN 				14OCEANIA & ANTARCTICA					18SEA SHEPHERD GLOBAL CREW IN 2023			

20

SEA SHEPHERD GLOBAL FLEET				

21

NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE 			

24

PARTNERSHIPS & SPONSORS

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introduction
In a year marked
by strategic
advancements
and significant
global impact,
Sea Shepherd has
continued to leadthe charge indirect-action ocean
conservation.

Our mission, rooted in the defense, conservation, and protection of
the world’s oceans, has never been more critical. Amidst a backdropof escalating environmental challenges, including illegal fishing, habitat destruction, and the indiscriminate depletion of marine wildlife,
Sea Shepherd stands fast on the frontlines against these threats.
Our approach goes beyond mere advocacy; with the largest independent navy dedicated to marine conservation, we actively engage indirect interventions to enforce conservation laws and protect ocean
habitats. Our passionate volunteers embark on campaigns that truly
make a difference - from confiscating illegal or abandoned fishinggear that decimates marine populations, to cracking down on poachers in collaborating with governments and law enforcement agencies
worldwide. Our presence on the seas serves as a deterrent to illegal
activities and a beacon of hope for the future of marine life.
Looking back on our accomplishments and setting our sights on the
future, our dedication as the ocean’s advocate and defender remains
unshaken. We are more than an organization; we are a movement,
galvanized by the collective efforts of our supporters, donors, anddedicated volunteers, who together make Sea Shepherd one of themost effective forces for ocean conservation.
Sea Shepherd. For the Ocean

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORTa message fromour ceoA new and most likely the biggest threat to
the whales yet, made us return to Antarctica in January 2023. Krill fishing super trawlers are vacuuming up the very foundation of
the Antarctic ecosystem, competing directly with whales for their primary food source.
Our campaign put a spotlight on this industry
that had been operating in the shadows, shying away from public exposure. We brought
the Associated Press on our ship the Allankay
and their story showed the struggle between
the whales and the trawlers. This was crucial
to put a stop to a further expansion of the krill
quotas. But this fight is far from over, in 2024
we return once again to Antarctica to keep
the pressure on the krill fishing fleet. The only
acceptable outcome for Sea Shepherd andthe whales is to get these ships out of thewhale feeding grounds.
But we did so much more in 2023:
Our ships the Age Of Union, supported by Dax
Dasilva, and the Ocean Warrior, supported by
the Dutch Postcode Lottery, continued to be

active in Africa, working with our government
partners to arrest illegal fishing vessels. We
are seeing an effect; fish populations are increasing again in all our partner countries.
In Italy we now have seven campaigns addressing illegal fishing and the protection of
species. From driftnets to turtle protection on
the beaches, patrolling protected areas andrecovering ghost nets with divers. Our cooperation with the Italian authorities continues
to be stronger every year, working side by side
to address illegal activity. We even succeeded
in becoming officially authorized fishery inspectors thanks to the hard work of our Italianstaff and volunteers. I was fortunate enoughto board our ship the Sea Eagle in July andjoined our crew in retrieving octopus traps
from the Tuscan Reserve. Thanks to the generous and ongoing support of Allianz, the Sea
Eagle continues to be a force to be reckoned
with. Also, the Conrad, thanks to the supportof Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni, is essential in
all our Italian campaigns.

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SEA SHEPHERD GLOBALIn Greece our ship the Emanuel Bronner, supported by Dr. Bronner’s, is working together
with the Greek authorities to protect the biggest Marine Park in the Mediterranean, the Alonissos National Park, a crucial habitat for theendangered Mediterranean Monk Seal.
In Germany our new ship the Triton, for the
first time, entered the campaign to protect
the porpoises in the Baltic Sea, and our divers successfully removed 11 tons of ghost
nets from shipwrecks. The ship is a real gamechanger, making 2023 the most successful
year for the Baltic Sea Campaign.
Sea Shepherd Global and Sea Shepherd US
collaborated to revamp our campaign against
the slaughter of pilot whales and dolphins in
the Faroe Islands. As part of the Stop the Grind
Coalition, they spoke at the EU Parliament inNovember to influence global political action.
In Australia our Shark Defense Campaign succeeded in getting several species removed
from the kill list of the pointless government
shark control program. The Marine Debris
team continued to remove trash to protect
precious habitats and marine life. Our remotecleanup campaigns, working with Indigenous
rangers cleaned up critical sea turtle nesting2023 END OF YEAR REPORT

sites, allowing turtles to once again comeashore and lay their eggs on a cleaned beach.
The krill campaign in Antarctica was the first
deployment of our new ship the Allankay, agreat addition that will serve us for many years
to come. We used the rest of 2023 to continue the vessel’s refit; the ship is now equippedwith two new cranes and small boats which
gives us the operating capacity needed forour various campaigns.
All around the world, our staff, crew and passionate volunteers continue to work tirelessly
protecting our ocean and creating awareness.
We are blessed to receive so much support
from our supporters and it strengthens us towork harder every year.
The fight to protect all life in the sea intensifies, but the rewards are unprecedented. The
victories we have booked are proof that dedication and passion can save the ocean.
We look forward to facing these challenges
and celebrate these victories with all of you in
the years to come.
For the Ocean,

Captain Alex Cornelissen
Chief Executive Officer
Sea Shepherd Global

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORTDIRECTOR OF GLOBAL CAMPAIGNSOVERVIEW
After a decade and a half of relentlessly pursuing the Japanese whaling fleet aroundthe frozen continent of Antarctica, we finallydrove the whalers out of the Southern Ocean
Whale Sanctuary. For the past five years, not asingle whale has been harpooned in the Antarctic.
With whaling ended, we trained our sights
on illegal fishing and shut down the six lastremaining pirate fishing vessels still setting
their nets in the southern polar realms. We
accomplished this feat in less than two years.
There is now a new threat facing the Antarctic
ecosystem.
Whales are dying even though the harpoon
canons have gone quiet. But it’s not whalers
killing whales—it’s fishermen.
Since the start of our campaigns partneringwith governments around the African continent to shut down illegal fishing, the Sea
Shepherd Global fleet of vessels has focusedon the single greatest threat to whales anddolphins: industrialized fishing.
The whaling countries of the world slaughter around 3,000 whales annually while over
300,000 whales and dolphins die every single
year entangled in fishing gear.
Industrialized fishing—and illegal fishing inparticular—kills one hundred times morecetaceans than all the whaling ships of theworld combined.
When the Age of Union assisted The Gambia
Navy to arrest five vessels for illegal fishingin August, those trawlers were operating inprotected waters frequented by the Atlantic
humpback dolphin.
As crew on the Sea Eagle spent another year
pulling up illegal nets in the Mediterranean,
they were inspired to take direct action after
the death of a young sperm whale named
Siso, who died after valiant attempts weremade by the Italian Coast Guard to free Sisofrom a net.

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Humpback whale populations that had been
decimated by whaling factories in Walvis Bay
and Swakopmund are finally returning to Namibian waters, where Ocean Warrior vigilantly patrols the Skeleton Coast together with
Namibian authorities.
And when Sea Shepherd returned to theSouthern Ocean onboard the Allankay atthe beginning of this year, it was to expose
the destructive activities of a fleet of 12 supertrawlers targeting krill, a small crustaceanthat forms the foundation of the Antarctic
food chain, and is the primary food source forbaleen whales.
From West Africa to Antarctica, Sea Shepherd has taken on an ecosystem approach tosaving whales, protecting the critical marine

2023 END OF YEAR REPORT

habitats that sustain life in the oceans.
Few marine habitats are as critical as Antarctica, and no organization has a greater trackrecord of delivering concrete wins for whalesin the Southern Ocean than Sea Shepherd.
Those victories were only possible thanks toyour generous support. Thank you.

Captain Peter Hammarstedt
Sea Shepherd Global Directorof Campaigns

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORTOUR campaigns
STOP THE GRINDFAROE ISLANDSBALTIC SEA CAMPAIGNGERMANY

GHOSTNET CAMPAIGNITALYOPERATION SISOITALY
OPERATION SIRACUSAITALY

OPERATION JAIRO MEDITALYGAMBIAN COASTAL DEFENSE CAMPAIGN
THE GAMBIAMONACHUS MONK SEAL
DEFENSE CAMPAIGNITALY AND GREECESIERRA LEONE COASTAL DEFENSE CAMPAIGN
SIERRA LEONEOPERATION SOLA STELLALIBERIAOPERATION GUEGOU
BENIN
OPERATION ALBACOREGABON AND SÃO TOMÉ &PRINCIPE

OPERATION VANGUARDNAMIBIAOPERATION ANTARCTICA DEFENSEANTARCTICA
ANTARCTICA

europe / mediterranean
africaAntarctica & oceania
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MARINE DEBRIS CAMPAIGN
AUSTRALIASHARK DEFENCE CAMPAIGN
AUSTRALIA

OPERATION PAHU
NEW ZEALAND

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our partners
Since 2016, Sea Shepherd Global has been working
with national authorities and regional partners tocombat IUU fishing, and fisheries crime, in African
waters. Successful campaigns have been conducted in partnership with authorities in Gabon, São
Tomé & Príncipe, Liberia, Benin, Namibia, Sierra
Leone, Tanzania and The Gambia. To date, theseunique partnerships have resulted in the arrest ofover 80 vessels for illegal fishing and other fisheries crimes.

our approach
The key to stopping IUU fishing is monitoring, control and surveillance - especially the enforcementof existing laws and regulations protecting marine
wildlife, people and the environment. However,many African coastal and island states do not currently have offshore patrol vessels that can cover
the entirety of their waters. Sea Shepherd is the
only organization providing civilian offshore patrol
vessels so that authorities from partner countries
can enforce fisheries and conservation laws in theirsovereign waters.

looking forward
Sea Shepherd Global continually aims to strengthen relationships with partner nations while steadilybuilding partnerships in additional African countries where IUU fishing is an ongoing problem. The
success of our campaigns in the region have provided us an opportunity to expand its area of operations to protect more marine wildlife on both thewest and east coast of the African continent.

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illegal fishing campaigns
Sea Shepherd is on the front lines, working with local authorities andregional partners to combat one of the biggest threats to marine
wildlife today: illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU)
fishing.

Why We Must End IUU Fishing?
IUU fishing isestimated to be
the sixth-largest
global crime.

▶ 1 in 5 wild ocean fish on the▶ IUU fishing not only places

market are believed to haveimmense pressure on the 93%

been caught through IUU fish-of commercial fishing popula-ing.

tions that are fully or over-exploited. It also threatens coastal
communities that depend onthese species.

▶ Marine wildlife for human con-

▶ It is estimated that, over

sumption is the world’s most

300,000 whales and dolphinsvaluablecommodity.

die from entanglement in fish-Though difficult to evaluate, it

tradeding gear every year. These en-

is believed that IUU fishing ac-

tanglements are the single larg-

counts for up to $23.5 billion

est cause of mortality for small

worth of sales each year.

cetaceans.

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africaOperation Gambian Coastal Defense
The Gambia
This renewed 5-year partnership between Sea
Shepherd Global and the government of The Gambia led to the arrest of five industrial trawlers in
Gambian waters in 2023. Law enforcement agentsfrom The Gambian Navy stationed onboard of Sea
Shepherd’s Age of Union arrested three trawlers
fishing illegally in protected waters, another one
after a scuffle between small-scale fishers and thecrew of a commercial fishing vessel, and finallya trawler named Twenty, which was using illegal
fishing gear to catch octopus, cuttlefish and falsely labeled “sustainably caught shrimp” destinedfor the European market. To date, 26 vessels havebeen arrested on this campaign since 2019.

Sierra Leone Coastal Defense
Campaign III
Sierra Leone
In 2023 Sea Shepherd Global continued our coordination with the Sierra Leone Navy to conduct
patrols at-sea on board of the Age of Union combating illegal fishing. This year, we assisted in thearrest of two trawlers as they crossed into Sierra
Leonean waters from neighboring Guinea-Con-

Operation Sola Stella VIII

akry. The arrests followed the apprehension of a

Liberia

65-meter purse seiner illegally deploying fish ag-

Sea Shepherd is currently on our eighth season

ters. Eight vessels have been arrested since theof patrolling Liberia’s waters with our partners

beginning of the campaign in 2021. The patrols

from the Liberian Coast Guard onboard the Age ofare generously funded by Age of Union, an envi-

Union. Twenty-one arrests have been made in thisronmental non-profit founded and led by philan-

campaign since 2017.

thropist and tech entrepreneur Dax Dasilva.

gregating devices (FADs) in Sierra Leonean wa-

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Operation Albacore VIII

Operation Guegou V

Gabon and São Tomé & Principe

Benin

No illegal activity was detected during our eightcampaign patrolling Africa’s largest marine protected area with Gabonese authorities. The arrestof twelve vessels for illegal fishing and other fisheries crime since 2016 has successfully deterredpoaching.

No illegal activity was detected on our fifth season
partnering with local NGO Eco-Benin and law enforcement agents on the Sea Shepherd vessel Ageof Union. Seven arrests have been made on thiscampaign since 2019.

Operation Vanguard
Namibia
In 2023, incidents of ‘border hopping’ by foreignindustrial factory trawlers that fish illegally in themost remote areas of Namibia’s sovereign waters
have largely ceased due to at-sea patrols with
Namibian fisheries inspectors and police officers
working in collaboration with Sea Shepherd crew
on board the Ocean Warrior.

Women At Sea Africa
This year, Sea Shepherd Global’s new initiative
Women At Sea Africa was backed by Lloyd’s Register Foundation to support female maritime professionals in Africa. In a male-dominated marine
industry, women of the African continent facesubstantial barriers to obtain sea time for professional qualifications. The Foundation’s grant
will cover flights, travel insurance and monthly
stipends for four cadets to join our campaigns
against illegal fishing in Africa. This way, they cancomplete their logbook to apply for their maritime qualifications. Sea Shepherd is committed toequipping underrepresented seafarers with professional seagoing experience, by upholding thehighest industry standards in safety, crew welfare,and training onboard.

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europe/mediterranean
Each year, Sea Shepherd’s European campaigns
grow stronger, expanding in scope and capabilities thanks to key partnerships with local authorities and conservation groups. From the Mediterranean to the Baltic Sea and the Faroe Islands, we
remain on the frontlines, preserving diverse marine ecosystems across Europe.

Monachus Monk Seal Defense
Campaign

ence has been a deterrent. They’ll be patrolling
the park through the winter of 2024, continuing

Italy & Greece

their vigilance and conservation efforts.

Sea Shepherd Italy and Greece continued their ef-

There have been promising signs of recovery

forts in 2023 to protect the Mediterranean Monk
Seal, the most endangered marine mammal in
the Mediterranean Sea whose populations sufferfrom habitat destruction, entanglement in fishing gear, and decline of their primary food source:

for the Mediterranean monk seals in the Tuscany archipelago in 2023. Sea Shepherd Italy crew
worked in collaboration with the Guardia di Finanza and the Tuscan Archipelago National Park
Authority to confiscate 3479 octopus traps, free-octopus.

ing 267 octopuses. Their partnership has resulted

Sea Shepherd Greece has been patrolling the Na-

a 50% reduction in octopus traps in protected ar-tional Marine Park of Alonissos and North Spo-eas, and zero illegal traps in the water during therades onboard the M/Y Emanuel Bronner, concen-

reproduction season.

in a decreased presence of illegal fishing vessels,

trating their efforts on Zone A, the most regulated
and vital habitat for the Monk Seals. Throughout
the summer, the team encountered a few casesof illegal spearfishing, which were immediately
reported to the Coast Guard. These patrols havebeen successful in reducing the number of illegalboats in Zone A to only a third of 2022’s count
The quieter environment in the marine park led toa threefold increase in sightings of dolphins, monkseals, turtles, sharks, and tuna. With the trawler season beginning in October, Sea Shepherd
Greece reported minor trawler-related incidents
to the Coast Guard, but overall their ongoing pres-

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Operation Siso VI
Italy

Ghostnet Campaign
Italy
This year the Ghostnet Campaign team successfully executed two important ghostnet recovery operations. The first took place near Genoa
at Punta Manara, where the team retrieved nets
endangering one of the rare Gold coral (Savalia
savaglia) forests in the Mediterranean. The second
In this sixth year of patrolling the Tyrrhenian Sea
onboard the M/Y Sea Eagle and the Conrad, Sea
Shepherd Italy crew covered 7072 nautical miles
over 83 days at sea, dedicating nearly 38,000 hours
to safeguarding the marine environment. Working in collaboration with Italian authorities likethe Coast Guard and Guardia di Finanza, they re-operation freed ghostnets from two WWII plane
wrecks in Augusta, Sicily, with the authorization of
the Italian Sea Authority. This not only protected
the local marine environment but also facilitatedthe identification of the wrecks, piecing together the history of the crews involved, and bringing
long-awaited closure for their families.

trieved over 60km of illegal fishing gear, including

Additionally, this year saw the Ghostnet Cam-longlines and Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs).

paign collaborate with Abyss Cleanup, using ROVs

In 2023, Sea Shepherd Italy volunteers became
the first-ever Sea Rangers, specifically trained todefend and protect marine wildlife and monitor
compliance with national laws regulating fishingin Italy. Their continuous and prolonged patrols
along the coasts of Calabria together with theto conduct comprehensive scientific surveys on
the state of waste accumulation in the Strait ofMessina at depths exceeding 600 meters. The
findings will be showcased in a documentary set
to premiere in cinemas in 2024, shedding light onthese critical underwater ecosystems.

Coast Guard and the Capitaneria di Porto, with jurisdiction over national public and private waters,
have effectively reduced Illegal, Unreported, andUnregulated (IUU) fishing by 70% in the waters
between Calabria and Sicily.
Support from Allianz has been crucial in keeping
our ship at sea for extended periods throughout
Operation Siso. They have not only provided financial backing, but also donate their time as volunteers to crew on the Sea Eagle.

SEA RANGERS ON THE HUNTERSMALL BOAT IN CALABRIA.

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORTPHOTO CREDITS: BLUE CONSERVANCY

Operation Siracusa

Operation Jairo Med

Italy

Italy

First launched in 2017, this campaign uses on-

Jairo Med is Sea Shepherd Italy’s longstanding

shore coastal patrols in collaboration with local

commitment to the defense, protection, andauthorities to stop poaching in the Plemmirio Ma-

conservation of loggerhead sea turtles (Carettarine Protected Area, a sanctuary for highly endan-

caretta) in the Mediterranean. The volunteers are

gered species. By 2023, the population of Brown

specially trained to rescue turtles injured by fish-

Grouper, which in 2014 was in danger of extinc-

ing gear entanglement or the ingestion of plastic,

tion despite being a breeding site, has grown by

and transporting them to appropriate care cen-

500%. An exceptional effect defined by marine bi-

ters. During the nesting season, they meticulously

ologists as “the Sea Shepherd effect”. Without thepatrol the beaches at dawn to spot turtle tracks

campaign it would have been difficult to reachand monitor nests daily in close collaboration withthese numbers in such a short time.

Caretta Calabria Conservation. With only one in a
thousand hatchlings estimated to reach reproductive age, each life saved is a victory against the
depletion of ocean life.

Baltic Sea Campaigns
Germany

Sea Shepherd Germany successfully carried out
three campaigns in 2023 to better protect the Baltic Sea and its inhabitants. During January andFebruary, undercover patrols for the Mission Covert Traps campaign documented illegal fishingand bycatches of protected sea ducks in Wollin
National Park, where important wildlife habitats
overlap with gillnet fishing grounds. From May to
October, the Baltic Sea Campaign deployed Sea
Shepherd Germany’s new vessel Triton, instrumental in the recovery of over 11 tonnes of ghost
nets, removal of an illegal gillnet, and documentation of numerous conservation law violations(charges have been filed). Another 2023 highlight
was the inaugural test of Marine Meadows, a campaign to restore seagrass meadows. In August,
2,500 seagrass plants were transplanted in collaboration with the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for
Ocean Research in Kiel, marking a promising start
for this ecological restoration effort.

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Stop The Grind

Ghost Network Project

Faroe Islands

EuropeIn August, Sea Shepherd Global and Sea Shep-

Sea Shepherd’s campaigns against IUU fishingherd US teamed up to reorganize the campaign

also involve the removal of abandoned, lost, andto end the slaughter of pilot whales and dolphinsdiscarded fishing gear (ALDFG) -- aka ghost nets

migrating through Faroese waters, joined by-- encountered on our patrols. To further our com-campaign lead Valentina Crast, who continues tomitment to ocean conservation, in 2023 we intro-

manage actions on the ground from May throughduced the Ghost Network project – an innovative

October. This includes the honest and reliable

B2B solution aimed at partnering with businesses

documentation of each slaughter, as well as net-

to repurpose or recycle recovered fishing gear, inworking with and supporting local anti-whaling

accordance with five core commandments: 100%

voices within the Faroe Islands. As coordinating

Repurposing, No Exclusion of Materials, Traceable

members of the Stop the Grind Coalition, Sea

through Blockchain, Part Proceeds to Sea Shep-

Shepherd remains committed to helping to unite

herd, and Mandatory Sustainable PLM (Productand amplify the efforts of international organiza-

Lifecycle Management). In its first year, the Ghost

tions, elected officials and other public figures to

Network has conducted a pilot project in partner-

influence change on a global political sphere. In

ship with #tide to collect and recycle nets in Croa-

November, the coalition hosted an event at thetian ports. In January 2024 Sea Shepherd Portugal

EU Parliament in Brussels, the first in a series ofwill launch Ghost Network Portugal in four Portu-

multi-stakeholder discussions on the Grind thatguese ports.

will continue through 2024.

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORTOCEANIA & ANTARCTICA

wildlife for food was shared across the world,
causing international outrage and calls for this legal industry to be shut down.
The AP’s subsequent in-depth investigative report into the destructive activities of the krill fishing fleet was released just before the Octobermeeting of the Commission for the Conservationof Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)– the international regulatory body responsible
for protecting Antarctica’s precious ecosystem– which finally decided not to increase the krill
catch quota. Although this is a win, Sea Shepherd
still believes a catch quota of zero is the only way
to preserve Antarctica’s biodiversity.

Operation Antarctica Defense
Antarctica
In the beginning of 2023 our newest vessel the
Allankay journeyed into Antarctica for Operation
Antarctica Defense to unveil the horrific reality ofindustrial krill fisheries. During an encounter off
the South Orkney Islands the crew – and Associated Press journalists embedded with our media
team – captured footage of several super trawlers
plowing through a megapod of over two hundred
fin whales who were feeding on krill. This documentation of industrial vessels competing withSea Shepherd Global has also teamed up with theAustralian Bob Brown Foundation, which is investigating the krill fishing companies and how krill
ends up on the shelves of Australian supermarkets and pharmacies. We will be returning to Antarctica in early 2024 to continue the campaign toprotect this critical marine environment, and thewhales, penguins, seals, krill, and other wildlifethat depend on it.

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORTMarine Debris Campaign

Shark Defence Campaign

Australia

Australia

The Marine Debris team has conducted over 100
community beach clean-ups around Australia
in 2023. More than 2000 community members
joined them to remove a staggering 4.5 tonnesof trash from Australia’s coastline. A huge milestone was achieved on their remote campaigns,
surpassing over 100 tonnes of trash removed fromremote beaches, including Mapoon and the Tiwi
Islands. They’ve formed new partnerships with
CSIRO and UNSW Smart Center to help lead theway in the fight against plastic pollution, looking
for long-term impacts and solutions for the ocean.
Sea Shepherd Australia was also awarded a federal government grant under the Ghost Nets Innovative Solutions Grant Project for remote cleanup
campaigns in the Gulf of Carpentaria into 2024.

Sea Shepherd Australia’s Shark Defence Campaign to be a leading voice for shark conservation,
resulting in many wins in 2023, including the removal of 12 shark species from the Queensland
kill list, and a commitment from the NSW Labor
government to phase out shark nets. In working with other groups, political and community
stakeholders, they have also seen rapid progress
in New South Wales (NSW), resulting in several
mayors and MPs actively calling for the removalof shark nets in their areas. Sea Shepherd Australia was also part of the University of Sydney andthe Sydney Environment Institutes Shark Safety
Panel, facilitating the largest localized public sentiment survey on sharks, showing that the community wants action now on protecting people
and sharks.

Operation Pahu

Twelve months on from Sea Shepherd’s historic
win for the Māui dolphin and the US ban is still inplace for set-net and trawl fisheries operating inMāui habitat. Recent news from the United States
fisheries agency (NMFS) that they are extending
countries time to be compliant effectively means
the ban on NZ seafood could stay in place for another two years.

New ZealandThis year, Sea Shepherd New Zealand launched
a new small patrol boat for Tāmaki Makaurau /Auckland, the Fox Fraher, which will be used tomonitor and protect Māui along with a numberof other marine conservation projects. The legendary patrol boat Loki, which has seen action in
the Faroe Islands, has now been redeployed fromSouthland to Otautahi /Christchurch. “Look out for
more great news from Aotearoa in the New Year!”says Sea Shepherd New Zealand Managing Director, Michael Lawry.

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sea shepherd global
2023 crew
total unique
crew: 300

total nations
represented: 39

196 Male, 104 Female

Age of Union
Unique Crew: 104
Nations Represented: 26

Ocean Warrior
Unique Crew: 39
Nations Represented: 18

Allankay
Unique Crew: 99
Nations Represented: 28

Sea Eagle
Unique Crew: 112
Nations Represented: 26

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sea shepherd global fleet
Since 1977, a number of vessels have served in the Sea Shepherd fleet to protect the world’s marine wildlife.
Today, Sea Shepherd vessels continue to patrol the world’s oceans performing research and carrying out
direct action tactics in order to uphold international conservation law and defend, conserve, protect theremaining biodiversity in our oceans.

Ocean Warrior
Type Patrol vessel
Launched 2016
Weight 454GT
Length 54m
Speed 25+ knots
Max Crew 16

On January 26, 2015, at the annual
Goed Geld Gala (Good Money Gala)
hosted by the Dutch Postcode Lottery in Amsterdam, Sea Shepherd
Global was awarded €8.3 million
for a “Dream Project” vessel built to“Stop Illegal Fishing in the Southern
Ocean”. It was constructed by Dutch
shipbuilder Damen in the port of An-

talya, Turkey, and christened Ocean
Warrior in September 2016. Its maiden voyage was Operation Nemesis,
Sea Shepherd’s 11th Antarctic Whale
Defense Campaign, in 2016/2017. Interesting Fact: The Ocean Warrior
is Sea Shepherd’s first custom-built
ship, and the fastest in its fleet,reaching speeds up to 30 knots.

The Allankay is a former Patagonian
toothfish longliner transformed intoa marine conservation vessel. Originally built in Norway in 1998, andlengthened by 10 meters in 2012, it
became part of the Sea Shepherd
fleet in 2022 thanks to a generous
donation by an Australian couple,

Allan and Kay. The Allankay is an
ice-strengthened vessel, well-suited
to working in polar climates. Operation Antarctica Defense, its inaugural campaign in February 2023, follows a long history of Sea Shepherd
successes protecting the Antarctic.

Allankay
Type Former Longliner
Launched 1998
Weight 1089GT
Length 55m
Speed 12+ knots
Max Crew 28

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORTAge of Union
Type Research/survey vessel
Launched 1993
Weight 720GT
Length 56m
Speed 10+ knots
Max Crew 30

The Age of Union was named after
our partners at the Age of Union
Alliance following a very significant
pledge of support at the very beginning of 2022, which also helped
fund a complete overhaul of theship. The vessel first joined the Sea
Shepherd fleet under the name Sam
Simon, after the Hollywood produc-

er and animal rights advocate whoserved on Sea Shepherd’s Board ofAdvisors until his passing in 2015. His
generous donation made it possible
to purchase the former Japanese
vessel in 2012, when it joined its first
Antarctic Whale Defense Campaignthat December, Operation Zero Tolerance.

Acquired by Sea Shepherd in 2021
through funding from Allianz SE, Allianz Technology, and Allianz Italy as
part of Sea Shepherd’s partnershipwith Allianz to address the issue ofplastic marine debris polluting theocean in the Mediterranean Sea.
Also used to combat illegal fishing,
the Sea Eagle is used to track down
and confiscate illegal long lines,
driftnets, fish aggregating devices,and octopus traps.

Sea Eagle
Type pilot ship
Launched 1986
Weight 318GT
Length 35m
Max Crew 19

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small crafts

2023 END OF YEAR REPORT

Sea Shepherd’s small craft allow close to shore direct action campaigns to be conducted, greatly increasing the organization’s
ability to protect marine wildlife.

Emanuel Bronner

ConradType Patrol Vessel

Type Patrol Vessel

Launched 1970

Launched 2006

Weight 11GT

Weight 30GT

Length 11.65 m

Length 17 m

Max Crew 4

Speed 12+ knots
Max Crew 4 bunks

Generously donated by the famous organic soap company Dr. Bronner’s, originally used by Sea Shepherd Germany for the Baltic Sea Campaign, transferred to Sea Shepherd Greece for the Monachus Monk Seal Campaign in
the Alonissos National Marine Park of Greece.

Used by Sea Shepherd Italy for their direct-action campaigns in the Mediterranean Sea’s Italian waters, including Operation Siso and the Monachus Defense Campaign.

TritonJairo Mora Sandoval

Type Patrol Vessel

Type Patrol Vessel

Launched 2013

Launched 2000

Weight 97GT

Weight 24GT

Length 23m

Length 13 m

Max Crew 12(7 sleeping berths)

Max Crew 6
TRITONTRIT
ON

SEA SHEPHERD

Acquired by Sea Shepherd Germany in 2022 from theRoyal Police of Gibraltar, the Triton will be used for theBaltic Sea campaign. It has a purpose-built room for the
diving team, seven sleeping berths, a crane and a smallboat, the Sea Lion.

Status: Granted to the Cabo Verde-based conservation
organization, Biosfera

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORTSEA SHEPHERD
NEWS FROMAROUND THE GLOBE

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORT

Sea Shepherd
Austria

Sea Shepherd
Belgium

Sea Shepherd Austria celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and welcomed both Captain Alex Cornelissen and Captain Peter Hammarstedt at three events in Graz, Salzburg
and Vienna in late November. Volunteers conducted around 15 river cleanups, one in cooperation with the Donau-Auen National Park,
retrieving a total of around 1,000 kg of trashfrom Austrian rivers. Apart from that, volunteers participated in several Sea Shepherd
campaigns internationally, including several
campaigns in Italy and the Faroe Islands. In
addition to events such as the Veganmania,
the largest vegan street food festival in Europe, they were also represented on panels at
various Austrian universities.

In December Sea Shepherd Belgium
launched the Lobster Campaign to raise public awareness about the suffering caused by
the transport and sale of live lobsters (Belgium is the fifth-largest consumer of lobster
in the world). They sold merchandise at Sea
Shepherd stands at a number of fairs and festivals throughout 2023, and have reinforced
their team by recruiting a number of new coordinators.They are also looking forward to
supporting Sea Shepherd Global’s Antarctic
Defense Campaign together with other chapters going into 2024.

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORT

Sea Shepherd
Czech Republic

Sea Shepherd
Netherlands

In 2023, Sea Shepherd Czech Republic hosted three charity concerts, and collaborated
with Italian singer Corally at a major eventin Prague. They conducted presentations at
public events highlighting the importanceof thinking globally and acting locally to protect the ocean. Sea Shepherd Czech Republic volunteers actively participated in Mediterranean campaigns against illegal fishing,including Operations Siso and Siracusa, andhelped raise funds for the Monachus Seal
Defence Campaign in Greece and Italy. Their
presence at major summer music festivals
including Fluff Fest, Basinfirefest, Obscene
Extreme, Mighty Sounds, and Brutal Assault
significantly boosted their outreach andfundraising efforts.

In 2023, Sea Shepherd Netherlands once
again contributed to the multiple direct action campaigns worldwide. In particular, they
have helped make good progress in the protection of sharks in collaboration with various
parties in Gabon, a project that was madefinancially possible by a generous contribution from long-term Sea Shepherd partner,
the Nationale Postcode Loterij. In 2024 they
will present a new approach: SEA SHEPHERD
T+E+A+M, as Tattoo, Education, Art and Music continue to play an important role in theraising of awareness as well as funds for Sea
Shepherd’s actions worldwide.

Sea Shepherd
Ireland

In 2023, Sea Shepherd Ireland doubled theirteam of volunteers to 30, and collected over
600kg of waste from the beach all around Ireland on their Marine Debris campaign. They
have partnered with GreenTech HQ to starta school-based Sustainability Course with alarge focus on helping students understandtheir impact on the environment and theocean. Introducing the wider Irish public totheir chapter has been a top goal of Sea Shepherd Ireland and this year they presented at
the Dublin Vegan Festival, some corporate
events and to a sold out crowd in a popular
store in Dublin City Center.
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2023 END OF YEAR REPORTPHOTO CREDITS: ONEWHALEORG

Sea Shepherd
NorwaySea Shepherd
Portugal

Sea Shepherd Norway is a new group createdin 2023 with the hopes of making a differencealong the coast of Norway. “We are one of few
nations still allowing whaling, we have a huge
farmed-salmon-industry where millions of individuals suffer and die horrendous deaths,
our coastline is riddled with ghostnets, we still
hunt for seals, and we are one of the largest
fisheries in the world targeting krill,” says Director Samuel Rostøl. They have also joinedwith OneWhale.org in order to protect the
now famous beluga whale, Hvaldimir.

The year began with Sea Shepherd Portugal’spresence at the Economist Ocean Summit,
highlighted by a live interview from the Antarctic featuring Captain Peter Hammarstedt.
They were present at the Formula-e event in
London, as well as the Wild Salmon Summit
in Iceland bringing together salmon conservation organizations from across the North
Atlantic. Alex Cornelissen was featured as themain guest at the Lisbon Talks in Portugal,
and the merch stand at Dona Ajuda, managed by Lasse, reported strong sales. A shortage of volunteer leaders has put their sharkawareness campaign on pause, but the beachcleaning team, led by Ljuba, achieved a newmilestone by collecting 2,500kg of debris. Sea
Shepherd Portugal also initiated the Ghost
Network campaign to collect discarded fishing nets in local ports.

Sea Shepherd
Spain

Despite a challenging year, Sea Shepherd
Spain has been active in the community, participating in events at dive centers, and givingtalks in schools and universities. They once
again partnered with the Ocean Film Tourfor events, which has helped build Sea Shepherd’s visibility in Spain. Donations continue
to come in from individual supporters, as well
as a significant donation from a Spanish TV
program. Sea Shepherd Spain Director Richard Barreno is working in parallel with different associations and entities to plan actionsfor 2024.
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Sea Shepherd
Scandinavia

Sea Shepherd
Switzerland

In 2023, volunteers in Sweden and Denmark
represented Sea Shepherd at the Swedish
Dive show and the Coldplay concert in thefall, and participated in several beach andunderwater clean-ups. In Denmark volunteer
numbers have been rising, and as every year,
they have been heavily involved in the Faroe
Islands campaign.

From Natalie Maspoli Taylor, Director Sea
Shepherd Switzerland: “Thanks to the amazing support of our supporters and the hard,passionate work of our volunteers, Sea Shepherd Switzerland was able to contribute morethan ever to Sea Shepherd Global campaigns.
Next year we are going to celebrate our 10th
anniversary, so stay tuned as we have many
events happening!”

PARTNERSHIPS &SPONSORS
Sea Shepherd Global extends heartfelt gratitude to our valued partners and sponsors,
including Allianz, Cotton On, Dr. Bronner’s,
Davines, Gotbag, Kirsch, Montegrappa, Sease,
Sebastian Vettel, Triwa, Veja, and Waterdrop,
for their unwavering support and contributions to our marine conservation initiatives.
Their dedication significantly enhances ourefforts to safeguard marine ecosystems,
showcasing the immense value of collaborative partnerships.

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2023 END OF YEAR REPORT

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