Paul Watson

In the past two decades, Paul Watson has made a tremendous contribution to efforts to preserve and protect wildlife and the environment. All of his work has been voluntary and without compensation.

Utilizing his Canadian Coast Guard experience, Watson suggested operating zodiacs to intervene between harpoons and whales. In 1975, he led expeditions to protect harp seals on the ice floes off Newfoundland. Watson was instrumental in elevating the issue of protecting the baby harp seals to the level of international concern.

In 1977, Watson founded the Sea Shepard Conservation Society, an organization dedicated to research, investigation and enforcement of laws, treaties, resolutions and regulations established to protect marine wildlife worldwide. From 1984-87, Watson also organized, founded, and led Friends of the Wolf in a successful effort to shut down aerial wolf hunting in British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska.

Today, as the head of the world’s most active marine environmental organization, Watson is still devoted to preserving the ocean’s natural resources. He is the author of “Cry Wolf,” “Sea Shepherd: My Fight for Whales and Seals,” “Shepherds of the Sea” and “Ocean Warrior.” Watson has been a Professor of Ecology at Pasadena College of Design since 1990.