News
2021: Another Year of Direct Action for the Ocean
Monday, 27 Dec, 2021
Join us as we look back at and reflect on all we achieved together in 2021 in defence of our precious blue planet.
With your support, we've been defending, conserving and protecting the ocean against four key threats:
Illegal Fishing
Marine Plastic Pollution
Threats to Endangered and Vulnerable Species
Click the links or scroll down to find out more and watch our 2021 recap videos.
Combatting Illegal Fishing
In 2021, we continued our fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing with campaigns right across the world including Africa, South America and the high seas.
In partnership with national marine agencies, we travelled to the frontlines to defend vulnerable marine ecosystems where it was needed the most.
The video below shows just some of the critical work we are doing to combat one of the biggest threats facing our ocean.
Stemming the Tide of Marine Plastic Pollution
Our Marine Debris Campaign has continued to drive community change, empowering individuals to realise that every piece counts.
Adapting to local COVID-19 restrictions, 3,333 passionate volunteers participated in 132 clean-ups around the country, removing over 19,000 kilograms of trash from our coastlines and waterways!
From intensive remote clean-ups on the beaches of Christmas and Cocos Keeling Islands to community clean-ups, the power of direct action and the passion of our volunteers is undeniable.
Take a look at our video celebrating the accomplishments of our unstoppable Marine Debris Campaign below.
Protecting the Ocean from Climate Change
It's no secret that climate change is threatening the health of our ocean. At Sea Shepherd, we are proud to support grassroots campaigns and actions all around the country in the fight to stop the industrialisation of our coastlines and the destructive impact of fossil fuels on our ocean.
In July, we had a huge win when oil and gas giant Santos abandoned its plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight. This beautiful ecosystem is a significant nursery for Southern right whales and we have been working to protect it since 2016.
Find out more about our fight for a healthy, flourishing ocean and liveable climate for future generations by watching the video below.
Protecting Vulnerable and Endangered Species
The extinction of species is one of the most serious, irreversible impacts we as humans have on our planet. And that's why we're standing on the frontline in defence of vulnerable and endangered marine animals, all around the world.
From protecting marine life along Australia's coastlines from cruel and indiscriminate government-run shark culling programs; to helping protect turtle hatchlings from poaching in Papua New Guinea; to stopping the killings of vulnerable animals caught as bycatch by illegal fishing vessels around the world, this year has been another huge year fighting for the survival of vulnerable marine creatures.
Watch our short video to reflect on some of the ways we helped protect marine life in 2021.
Looking for meaningful and achievable ways to take action for the ocean? Visit our Get Involved page to discover how you can make a difference in 2022.