Paul Watson, the Canadian environmental activist and founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, had an Interpol red notice against him permanently canceled in mid-2025. The decision by Interpol’s File Control Commission ended more than a decade of restricted movement for Watson, who had been sought by Japan over anti-whaling confrontations in Antarctic waters. Watson described the development as political rather than judicial, stating that authorities had used the notice to try to silence him.
Watson’s involvement in marine conservation began in the late 1960s in Vancouver, where he joined the newly formed Greenpeace organization. At the time, the group focused on peaceful civil disobedience, such as sailing toward nuclear testing zones and documenting wildlife hunting activities to build public pressure. Watson, who had prior experience on commercial ships and with the Canadian Coast Guard, was part of the organization from its early years.
His approach began to diverge from Greenpeace’s leadership during the mid-1970s. In 1975, during a campaign against the Soviet Union’s whaling fleet in the North Pacific, Watson positioned a small boat between a harpoon vessel and a wounded whale. He later said he had decided to focus his efforts on protecting marine animals rather than human interests. By 1977, during a seal protection campaign in Canada, Watson and a small group of activists used direct intervention methods, including blocking hunting activities and disrupting equipment. These tactics caused internal conflict within Greenpeace, and the organization’s board voted to expel him that same year.
Watson then established his own organization, which later became known as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The group adopted more confrontational methods than Greenpeace, including direct interference with commercial fishing and whaling operations.
In 2008, Sea Shepherd’s activities became the subject of the Animal Planet series “Whale Wars.” The show documented the organization’s campaigns in the Antarctic whale sanctuary, where it sought to disrupt Japan’s whaling fleet. The program brought widespread attention to Watson and his methods. During these campaigns, Sea Shepherd vessels used tactics such as deploying foul-smelling substances, high-pressure water cannons, lasers, and propeller-jamming devices against whaling ships.
One of the most serious incidents occurred on January 6, 2010, when Sea Shepherd’s vessel Ady Gil collided with the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru 2 in Antarctic waters. The impact severely damaged the Ady Gil, which later sank while being towed. All six crew members were rescued, though one suffered broken ribs. The two sides disputed responsibility for the collision. Japan accused Sea Shepherd of deliberately crossing the patrol vessel’s path, while Sea Shepherd said the Japanese ship had intentionally rammed its vessel.
In May 2012, Watson was arrested at Frankfurt Airport in Germany. The arrest was based on an extradition request from Costa Rica related to a 2002 incident in which a Sea Shepherd ship had interfered with a Costa Rican vessel involved in illegal shark finning. He was released on bail while German authorities reviewed the request. In August 2012, Interpol issued a red notice for Watson at Japan’s request, citing dangerous acts and property destruction during the Antarctic confrontations.
Believing the notice carried political motives and doubting the transparency of the extradition process, Watson left Germany while on bail. He spent the next decade in exile, moving between safe locations, largely in Europe. During this period, he continued to manage Sea Shepherd’s global operations but faced significant restrictions on travel.
By mid-2022, disagreements over strategy, finances, and governance between Watson and Sea Shepherd’s leadership led to his resignation from the organization he had founded. He later established the Captain Paul Watson Foundation.
On July 21, 2024, Watson was arrested by police in Nuuk, Greenland, when his ship stopped there to refuel. The arrest was based on the long-standing Japanese warrant related to the 2010 Antarctic incidents. The 74-year-old activist was held in detention for nearly five months while Danish authorities reviewed Japan’s extradition request. His case drew international attention, with environmental groups and public figures calling for his release. Danish prosecutors raised concerns about the prolonged detention relative to his age and the age of the allegations.
On December 17, 2024, the Danish Ministry of Justice refused Japan’s extradition request and ordered Watson’s release. He returned to France, where he continued efforts to clear his name. In mid-2025, Interpol’s File Control Commission permanently canceled the red notice, fully restoring his freedom of movement in most member countries.
Following the cancellation, the Captain Paul Watson Foundation announced a new campaign targeting commercial whaling in Iceland. The operation, named Operation 86, was directed at the fin whale hunting activities of Valur HF, the country’s only remaining commercial whaling company. The name referenced a 1986 campaign in which Watson participated in destroying whaling ships at Reykjavik Port.
In July 2025, the foundation’s ship Bandero entered Iceland’s exclusive economic zone. On July 30, Icelandic authorities boarded and seized the vessel. Crew members were detained and investigated on suspicion of attempting to jam the propeller of the whaling ship Ballena 9 using barrier nets and metal cables. The ship was held at Reykjavik Port, and crew members faced legal proceedings and possible deportation. Watson responded that the Icelandic government was protecting an illegal operation and that the seizure would not end the organization’s campaign.
The Bandero remained in Icelandic custody at the time of reporting. The campaign marked another chapter in Watson’s long-running efforts to end commercial whaling, which have continued despite legal challenges, detention, and organizational changes.
