Tara Lambourne

SOS MEDITERRANEE is a European maritime and humanitarian organization for the rescue of life in the Mediterranean. It was founded by citizens in May 2015 in response to the deaths in the Mediterranean and the failure of the European Union to prevent these deaths. Since launching the operation, SOS Mediterranee has welcomed 34.517 survivors aboard the rescue ships.

In 2016, Sea Shepherd partnered with the government of Gabon to stop illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in their coastal waters.

Gabonese marines (Marine Nationale), fisheries inspectors (ANPA), and National Parks rangers (ANPN) are stationed on-board Sea Shepherd's M/Y Bob Barker, working alongside Sea Shepherd crew to patrol Gabon's sovereign waters. These patrols provide a vehicle for law enforcement to defend, conserve and protect critical tuna habitat in Central West Africa.

An average of 6,000 dolphins are killed each year on France’s west coast by large industrial trawlers and fishing vessels. That number could be as high as 10,000 according to the Pelagis Observatory, based in La Rochelle.

These vessels target sea bass spawning grounds during the breeding season, but also catch dolphins that typically live alongside them. Most of the dolphins die in the nets or from wounds inflicted by fishermen onboard the vessels. This practice not only threatens sea bass populations, but is also deadly to dolphins trapped and drowned in the nets as bycatch.

In a joint operation in partnership with the government of Benin to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Gulf of Guinea, Sea Shepherd crew worked together with the Navy of Benin and the Ministry of Fisheries. On board the Sea Shepherd vessel Bob Barker, together they patrol to stop poaching activity in the waters of Benin.

“The presence of the Bob Barker in the waters of Benin has enabled Beninese officials to build capacity while also deterring illegal fishing activity. Evidence uncovered during the course of the patrol has provided the State Action on the Sea with critical information that will be used to strengthen existing laws and regulations protecting Benin’s biodiversity”, said Maxime Ahoyo, the Préfet Maritime (or Maritime Commissioner) of Benin who directed Operation Guegou.

The presence of armed Beninese Navy sailors on board the Bob Barker also provided merchant vessels with an added layer of protection from the maritime security risk posed by piracy in the Gulf of Guinea region.

SOS Mediterranee is committed to three missions:

Rescuing people from distress at sea and providing emergency medical treatment on board.

Medical and psychological care of the rescued on board and connecting to supporting institutions in Europe.

Give the survivors a voice. Show the many faces of the migration. Inform the European public about the situation of people seeking safety in the Mediterranean and commemorate those that never arrived.

Sea Shepherd was invited to Liberia in 2017 to assist with the patrolling of their sovereign coastal waters and help crack down on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Sea Shepherd’s M/Y Bob Barker patrolled Liberia’s coastline as a civilian offshore patrol vessel, with 20 crew under the direction of Campaign Leader Peter Hammarstedt, ten Liberian Coast Guard sailors with the authority to board, inspect and arrest ships violating Liberian law, and two Israeli maritime advisors and conservationists providing training assistance.

The Sam Simon enters a 3 week dry dock in Lisbon, Portugal, at the end of 2021.

During July and August 2018, the Sea Shepherd flagship, the M/Y Steve Irwin, travelled up the east coast of Australia to Abbot Point to oppose the Carmichael coal mine, rail link and port. Their position was made clear: we will not trade the Great Barrier Reef for one of the world's biggest and most destructive coal mines. .

Rewild was created by seven founding associations, specialising in the defence, preservation, care, rehabilitation and seizure of wildlife victims of trafficking and the protection of natural habitats.

They are committed to reintroducing all animals (including those born in captivity) into wild or reserve areas after being transferred to their country of origin. Those who cannot live in the wild will be released into reserves managed by Rewild's partners. Eventually, the zoo will become a centre for the care of wildlife seized by the French Justice administration and training courses will be organized for magistrates, healers and gendarmes.