Terrorists or Heroes? Sea Shepherd Fights for Marine Life

When it comes to making positive change to the world's habitats, sometimes the waters are murky. To put it bluntly, there's nothing like a few photos of clubbed seals to get the crowd all hot and bothered -- but is this really the best way? Perhaps the organization that best personifies the fine line between activism and extremism is the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (this video interview recently released by in English by German environmental blog Ivy gives an overview)

Founded by Captain Paul Watson, one of the three Greenpeace founders, the controversial, non-profit organization claims to have sunk 11 ships in the name of animal rights. With strong-arm tactics he bills as "aggressive non violence," Watson and his team have been patrolling the seas since 1977 and several big name celebrities have joined their cause -- among them, Mick Jagger, Steve Wynn, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Penn, Aidan Quinn, William Shatner, Edward Norton, Orlando Bloom, and Uma Thurman.

Most recently, Watson was in the news after the raid of his ship the M/V Farley Mowat during the 2008 Canadian commercial seal hunt.

But when it comes to Sea Shepherd's position in relation to the law and public opinion, the jury is still out. Yes, in this battle against global warming and protecting our earth we need carrots and we need sticks. But the question is how much stick.

There are a lot of organizations out there. Who does it well and who needs to take another look at their mission? Comment below!

More From Mairi Beautyman on Huffington Post
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More on Carrots and Sticks From Huffington Post
::Carrots, Sticks and the Importance of Models

More on Sea Shepard From TreeHugger
::Monster Media, RVCA, and Sea Shepherd Sea No Evil
::Sea Shepherd Ship Captured By Canadian Coast Guard
::The New Yorker on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

More on Wildlife From TreeHugger
::Man Saves 375 lbs Black Bear from Drowning (with Photos and Video)
::Send An Origami Whale From Greenpeace

Photo: The New Yorker.

 

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Comments

[clevelandchick]

Please. Nobody else is going to help these sea animals. Not our government or any other that's for sure. We're devastating the whale and dolphin populations, hell we're devasting all life on this planet for a myriad of selfish lazy reasons.

Look at China...they've destroyed their environment and are struggling to make the air in Beijing suitable for breathing in time for the Olympics. The Ganges River Dolphin, a national treasure, went extinct from all the dumping they do in their own rivers. China is rolling in dough and can't implement technology that's been around for decades to clean their air or water. That's ridiculous.

Is Mr. Watson effective? Sure, he's one of the few taking any type of action. Our government will sanction a country for weapons but not for their effect on our environment which in the long run is more likely to kill us all. Hell, our government won't even lead by example on the environment. Bush's message to the G-8 at the end of their meeting on climate change was snotty and ignorant: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter". So yeah...out of anyone out there Paul Watson is doing something so that makes him effective.

[dac253]

Paul Watson and the volunteers on the Farley Mowat are the BOMB!!!

I love the "can opener"

There's a few causes I donate to and the Shepherds are one of them.

Somebody's gotta kick the bully's ass.