Mr. Paul Watson, President of the Sea Shepherd militant group and a self proclaimed Admiral.
Paul Watson [born December 2, 1950] is a Canadian animal rights and environmental activist, who founded and is president of the Sea Shepherd Conservation.
Sea Shepherd is an organization that enjoys tax exempt status, but appears to be involved very closely with questionable business interests. Investigation by U.S. Internal Revenue Service
The Society and its leader have been involved in everything from intentionally sinking ships to booby trapping trees which loggers must try to harvest (the practice of which is suspected of seriously injuring at least one mill worker) and they’ve been involved in generally disrupting legal business enterprises.
Paul Watson Quotes
News Clipping – Paul Watson compares killing whales to Jews of ww2 “It was this kind of attitude by Jewish leaders in the Warsaw ghetto that resulted in the holocaust”
News Clipping – Paul Watson said “Violent acts a justified if they save the whales”.
1993 Activist Handbook – Paul Watson’s S.S. encourages actives to make up media data and quoted “The nature of the mass media today is such that truth is irrelevant”
2010 The Southland Times – Paul Watson said “While the society had moral backing from much of the western world, it was on its own if anything happened”
2010 The Southland Times – Paul Watson said “They’ve shot at us, fired concussion grenades and sunk one of our ships last year.” [note: the reference to grenades meaning fire crackers]
2010 The Southland Times – Paul Watson said “We go, as we do every year, to bankrupt them, to sink them economically.”
2011 Media Probe – Paul Watson said “Right from the beginning our objective was to sink the Japanese whaling fleet economically to bankrupt them”
Note: Quotes are not taken out of context they are as said by the person in question.
His organisation has gotten a free ride in much of the western press, and many seem to think he’s a hero for harassing Japanese whalers. His motives are not necessarily so pure.
Watson has a history of dishonesty and outright criminal behavior.
Paul Watson Rap-sheet Watch the Movie
1971. Green peace was foundered by Marie and Jim Bohlen (modest couple) joined up with Dorothy and Irving Stowe, Ben and Dorothy Metcalfe, and Robert Hunter they later meet Paul Watson at anti-nuclear protests that he was also participating in.
1977. Paul Watson expelled from green peace in 1977 voted 11 to 1 reason quoted by board member “a desire to push in self front and centre, shouldering everyone else aside.” [Note: Paul Watson has denied being a part of Greenpeace at later date]
1979. An S.S. ship rams the whaling ship “Sierra”.
1980. Paul Watson attached explosives to sierra same tactic used by French agents to since rainbow warrior 1985.
1980. The “Sierra” is sunk in Lisbon harbor. S.S. claims responsibility.
1981. The S.S. claims to have sunk two whaling vessels, “Ilsa I” and “Ilsa II”.
1986. S.S. activists ordered to leave Faroese waters during whale harvest. Ignoring the order, Faroese police try to board the S.S. S.S. crew fires a line rifle and throw signal flares at police zodiac.
Petrol was poured into the water around the zodiacs and flares were used in what was perceived by the police to be an attempt to set the petrol on fire.
1986. Paul Watson claims to sunken 10 ships, but after investigation in New York this was found to be 2.
1986. Paul Watson later recants his confession.
1986. The S.S. claims responsibility for the sinking of two Icelandic vessels and damage performed against an Icelandic whaling station.
1986. Paul Watson receives life time ban from IWC committee.
1988. Paul Watson demands to be taken into custody in Iceland for the sinking which took place in
1991. A U.S. fisherman reports his vessel being rammed by an S.S. vessel.
1992. The S.S. makes three failed attempts at ramming Costa Rica fishing vessels.
1993. Paul Watson, captaining the S.S. vessel “Edward Abby”, orders his crew to open fire on a Japanese fishing vessel. The crew refuses.
The encounter can be seen in the 1993 documentary “Ocean Rider – Defenders of the Wild”.
1993. The S.S. claims to have sunk 8 vessels and rammed and/or damaged 6 others.
1997. Paul Watson convicted in Norway and imprisoned in Netherlands for scuttling of a whaling vessel and ramming of a Norwegian coast guard vessel.
1997. Paul Watson was convicted in Norway and has an outstanding warrant in Costa Rica for the attempted murder of a fisherman.
2002. Arrest warrant issued in Costa Rica for Paul Watson for attempted murder and destruction or property resulting from an altercation with a Costa Rica fishing vessel.
2002. “We should never feel like we’re going too far in breaking the law” – Paul Watson, Animal Rights convention 2002
2008. The S.S. vessel “Farley Mowat” is confiscated and two members of the crew arrested.
2008. Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson followed up the exchange by making a stunning claim to the media – “I felt an impact on my chest at one point,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“I didn’t think too much of it at the time. When I opened up my Mustang survival suit, and I have a Kevlar bulletproof vest, there was a bullet lodged in.”
2009. Two S.S. crew convicted in Canada for their 2008 crimes. (Note: this conviction was passed down AFTER Paul’s comment to Larry King)
2010. Tokyo will seek Interpol’s help to arrest Canadian Paul Watson for ordering his crew to harass whaling ships in clashes in which Japanese crew were allegedly injured by rancid butter projectiles, broadcaster NHK reported.
2010. Paul Watson put on Interpol’s wanted list.
2010. Watson, speaking in New York, said “the arrest warrant is just totally political, it’s nothing. I’m not concerned, and Interpol is not going to extradite me on a politically motivated charge.”
2011. S.S Captains of Steve Irwin and Bob Barker vessels may soon well receive a Subpoena in the Netherlands for illegal campaigns in Antarctic neutral waters that include violating ‘Laws of the sea’.
[Gojira also by Australia]
Final Note on Militant Activists
The topic of Paul Watson and Sea Shepherds tactics are by no means acceptable. They are illegal, dangerous and totally ineffective at actually bringing about any meaningful change or reducing whaling or research.
I would suggest trying IWC and International/National Maritime for the purpose of lessening the seasons and/or permitted count for the purpose of research.
Militant captains or leaders are held accountable for all individual incidents outlined with evidence and are responsible for their crew members misdoings towards other vessels including crew members that tend to go to Jail and have their vessels auctioned off for as little as $5,000 CAD.
BJ Hutton
== Articles ==
View the controversy in Photos & Articles
Icy Sea of Nations
Conservational Pirates Whaling War
Whaling War End is Near
Sea Shepherd’s Gojira Hopeless Crusade
Antarctica Capture & Retrieve
Check Mate ICR Research, Sea Shepherd Militant Group
Net Tightens on Militants S.S, Game Over
BJ Hutton
Protonumus 
Captain Paul Watson is not an actual captain. He has no qualified masters license. He has tried to write his Captain’s papers and failed every time.
Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Society is a
con-man who fleeces kind hearted suckers out of their money to help causes that he himself creates.