Paul Watson’s Battle for Our Oceans: A Call for Justice and Release

If you follow our account on Threads, you will notice my many calls for Paul Watson's release and my requests for your signature on the petition for his release. Today, it is my turn to add my voice to an article and tribute to Paul Watson. Conservationists and environmentalists come in many shapes and forms. As many different personalities and opinions differ, so do the approaches to conserving our planet, from negotiating and political wrangling in parliamentary rooms, environmental journalism, joining activist campaigns to volunteering for local programs.

• Paul Watson, co-founder of Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd, has been a relentless advocate for marine conservation for decades. He is known for his actions against whaling and other environmental crimes.
• Watson and other's efforts have led to significant successes, including the near cessation of commercial whaling in most nations, thanks to the International Whaling Commission's moratorium.
• Despite his contributions, Paul Watson is detained in Denmark on an outdated and questionable Interpol notice from Japan. His arrest raises concerns about fairness and justice, particularly given Japan's recent actions in whaling.
• Influential figures, including Dr. Jane Goodall, Pierce Brosnan, and French President Emmanuel Macron, have called for Watson's immediate release, highlighting the global support for his cause.

Actions You Can Take:

• Read His Book: Hitman for the Kindness Club, which details Watson’s inspiring journey in environmental activism and critical global issues.
• Sign the Petition: Support Paul Watson's release and join the growing movement for his freedom.
• Contact: Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard at +45 7226 8400 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Paul Watson, co-founder of Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd, featured on Whale Wars, has been at the forefront of fighting for conservation and animal rights for decades. His book Hitman for the Kindness Club, for which I was lucky enough to interview him, documents his life journey and fight for those who cannot speak. His dedication led him to combat deforestation, the killing of seal cubs, indigenous people’s persecution, and, most notably, whaling.

Paul is no stranger to jail and acknowledges a hero and countryman of mine, Nelson Mandela, as his inspiration. “Mandela was much hated in South Africa for opposing apartheid, and back then, the idea that this man could one day be the president of South Africa was unthinkable and quite impossible. Yet the impossible became possible, and years later, this seeming dichotomy would be an inspiration for me: the answer to an impossible situation is to visualise and work toward an impossible solution.”

Nelson Mandela, an activist like Paul, was also imprisoned for his actions. Actions like those of these brave men are what justice is built on. Much of what we call conservation today can be dedicated to the work of activists and pathfinders like Paul Watson. Internationally, whale conservation has been a massive success—so much so that some researchers have called for dismantling the International Whaling Commission (IWC) due to the stability and halting of almost all global whaling. “The International Whaling Commission should transfer pending issues to other conventions and national governments and close up shop”, says Peter Bridgewater, climate researcher and Honorary Professor at the Australian National University.

Since 1985, an IWC moratorium has effectively halted nearly all commercial whaling, recognising the severe population decline of most species. Only three countries—Norway, Iceland, and Japan—continue commercial whaling today. Additionally, certain indigenous communities in the U.S., Russia, and Denmark (Greenland) have been granted permission to conduct whaling for cultural and subsistence purposes.

Notably, Denmark (Greenland) is the country that detains Paul Watson on a 15-year-old, hidden Interpol notice by Japan. After the arrest, a Danish Navy vessel tails the anti-whaling activists all the way to Canada, placing a question mark on whether the arrest was politically motivated. Japan has been embarrassed on the global stage by the publication of their whaling (under the pretence of research) in the TV series Whale Wars featuring Paul Watson. Japan, blocked by Watson before his arrest, has recently increased whaling with the launch of their newly built factory whaling ship owned by Kyodo Senpaku, Japan’s state-owned high-seas whaling company.

Less than ten days after the arrest of Paul Watson in Greenland, Japan intensified their whaling operations and harpooned its first endangered fin whale in over 50 years. The image shows a fin whale killed and hauled onto a newly built factory ship. Japan has confirmed that it will allow the catch and kill of up to 59 fin whales in its commercial hunt. Japan's commitment to whaling, Paul’s continued blockage of the hunt, and Japan’s willingness to fabricate a case and pursue it till today make it clear to me that Paul will not receive a fair trial in Japan.

The 15-year-old arrest warrant is based on a claim by a sailor on a whaling ship claiming he was injured by a stink bomb thrown on board the vessel by the crew of Paul Watson’s boat. A claim Paul’s lawyers indicate is false. Proof that it is false exists as the incident was filmed during the production of Whale Wars, and footage indicates the claimant was not on deck when the stink bomb was thrown.

Thousands of people and celebrities, including a hero of mine, Dr Jane Goodall and her foundation, Pierce Brosnan, James Cameron, Bryan Adams, Brigitte Bardot, and French President Emmanuel Macron, are calling for his immediate release. I want to add my voice to the ever-increasing voices supporting Paul Watson’s release. To help Paul, you can contact Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard at +45 7226 8400 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Support the cause at the Paul Watson Foundation.