Sea Shepherd
(Global)
Region Ocean
Protecting Marine Ecosystems and Wildlife

Covering roughly 70% of its surface and supplying half its oxygen, the ocean is our planet's life support system.

The Age of Union Ship in West African Waters
The M/Y Age of Union Ship, formerly known as the Sam Simon, is a 56-meter vessel operated by Sea Shepherd Global, dedicated to marine conservation efforts. With a crew capacity of up to 35, the ship’s team comprises both paid professionals and volunteers from around the world, maintaining a gender composition of approximately 40% female and 60% male. Primarily active along the West African coast, the M/Y Age of Union collaborates with local governments to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, conducting joint at-sea patrols to protect marine biodiversity and support sustainable fishing practices.
West African waters are vital for the livelihoods and food security of millions, yet they face significant threats that jeopardize marine biodiversity and economic stability. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing depletes fish stocks, impacts local small-scale fishery and undermines local economies.
Operation Dolphin Bycatch
At the start of our partnership, the M/Y Age of Union vessel traveled along France’s Atlantic coast to address the dolphin bycatch crisis and film a documentary on the issue.
Every year, thousands of dolphins are killed by unregulated commercial fishing practices in the Bay of Biscay. First reported by Pelagis Observatory scientists in 2018, dolphin deaths have continued to rise due to government inaction, continued fishing subsidies, and low public awareness.
Today, France’s dolphin bycatch rates are twice as high as those of other countries, with an average of 10,000 dolphins killed annually — a number that far exceeds the deaths from the notorious hunts in the Faroe Islands and Taiji, Japan.
Atlantic humpback dolphins are critically endangered due to:
- Frequent entanglement in fishing gear
- Extremely limited habitat (coastal West Africa)
- Small, fragmented populations (fewer than 3,000 individuals)
- Slow reproductive rates
On the front lines, Sea Shepherd France President Lamya Essemlali leads efforts to expose and stop these deadly fishing practices. This urgent battle is the focus of Age of Union’s documentary CAUGHT, which premiered at Wildscreen Festival 2022.
Partnership Impact
- Maintenance and operation of the 56-metre M/Y Age of Union vessel and crew.
- 1 documentary film produced – Caught.
- 1 major policy change on bycatch in France following the release of Caught.
- 8 major campaigns in collaboration with West African governments and law enforcement to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
- 51 vessels stopped and boarded, with 32 found engaged in unlawful activity and 23 brought to shore and fined.
- 30 major arrests, preventing environmental crimes and saving hundreds of thousands of marine lives.
- 65,675 nautical miles of ranger patrols to protect biologically significant areas and species.
- 2,100,000 square kilometers patrolled to safeguard marine ecosystems.
- 170 law enforcement agents trained, including 25 female African cadets through the Women in Maritime Affairs (WIMA) initiative aboard the M/Y Age of Union.

Mission
The M/Y Age of Union vessel undertakes various missions that aim to:
- Exposing Destructive Fishing Practices: Documenting and publicizing harmful activities, such as the mass fish dumping by super trawlers, to raise awareness and drive policy changes
- Collaborating with Governments: Partnering with national authorities, especially in West Africa, to enhance enforcement against illegal fishing and support sustainable marine resource management
- Training Law Enforcement Agents: Providing training to law enforcement personnel, including initiatives like the Women in Maritime Affairs (WIMA), to build local capacity in marine conservation
- Engaging with Local Communities: Collaborating with local communities to combat IUU fishing in the region, thereby protecting marine ecosystems and supporting local livelihoods.
Iconic Species
West Africa is home to the following species, all of which benefit either directly from relief of overfishing pressures or via bycatch: Atlantic humpback dolphins (critically endangered), whale sharks (endangered), hawksbill turtles (critically endangered), leatherback turtles (vulnerable), green sea turtles (endangered), olive ridley turtles (vulnerable), several shark species (including hammerhead sharks, which are critically endangered), guitarfish (critically endangered), various grouper species (many endangered), blue marlin (vulnerable), and certain tuna species (particularly bigeye tuna, which is vulnerable).

Timeline
Sea Shepherd global have partnered with five West African governments leading to various operations. The M/Y Age of Union patrolled during the following dates:
Liberia – Operation Sola Stella
- August 26 2022 – October 25 2022
- March 23 2023 – April 16 2022
- June 26 2023 – July 11 2023
- December 12 2023 – January 27 2024
- April 21 2024 – April 25 2024
Sao Tome & Principe – Operation Albacore
- June 13 2024 – July 30 2024
Sierra Leone – Operation Sierra Leone Coastal Defense
- December 1 2022 – December 24 2022
- January 5 2023 – February 8 2023
- April 14 2024 – April 18 2024
- May 4 2024 – June 4 2024
The Gambia – Operation Gambian Coastal Defense
- July 15 2023 – August 14 2023
- January 30 2024 – February 14 2024
- February 25 2024 – April 8 2024
Benin – Operation Guegou
- June 17 2022 – August 8 2022
- April 26 2023 – May 15 2023
People ()
The
change
makers
Captain Paul Watson
Founder
United States
Captain Paul Watson was born in Canada and is a marine wildlife conservation and environmental activist. Watson majored in communications and linguistics at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. Watson was one of the founding members and directors of Greenpeace. In 1977, he left Greenpeace and founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine conservation activism. A renowned speaker, accomplished author, master mariner, and lifelong environmentalist, Captain Watson has been awarded many honors for his dedication to the oceans and to the planet. Among many commendations for his work, he received the Genesis Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1998, was named as one of the Top 20 Environmental Heroes of the 20th Century by Time Magazine in 2000 and was inducted into the U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame in Washington D.C. in 2002. He was also awarded the Amazon Peace Prize by the president of Ecuador in 2007. In 2012, Captain Watson became only the second person after Captain Jacques Cousteau to be awarded the Jules Verne Award, dedicated to environmentalists and adventurers. Currently, Watson is a registered speaker with the Jodi Solomon Speakers Bureau of Boston, and regularly gives presentations at colleges and universities in the United States and at special events throughout world.
Lamya Essemlali
President of Sea Shepherd France
France
Lamya Essemlali is a French environmental activist of Moroccan origin. She's the president of Sea Shepherd France and the campaign coordinator for Sea Shepherd Global. She has a Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences and an associate degree in Business Communications. At a conference in Paris in 2005, she meets Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd. In 2006, both of them founded Sea Shepherd France, and she became the President of the association in 2008. She has led several campaigns for Sea Shepherd Global in the Mediterranean Sea, the Faroe Islands, and the Indian Ocean to defend bluefin tuna, dolphins, whales, and sharks.
Captain Alex Cornelissen
Chief Executive Officer
Amsterdam
Captain Alex Cornelissen is the Chief Executive Officer for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and is also the CEO of Sea Shepherd Global. His extensive experience and strong leadership skills are invaluable assets to the Sea Shepherd movement. Captain Cornelissen has participated in more than 25 Sea Shepherd campaigns over the years, having first joined Sea Shepherd in 2002 as Chief Cook on the Farley Mowat, the organization’s flagship vessel at that time. What was supposed to be a sabbatical turned into a life-changing experience. Over the past 18 years, he served as a crew member on multiple ships in Sea Shepherd’s fleet and worked his way up to the bridge to become the First Officer under Captain Paul Watson. In 2006, he was appointed Captain. He worked continuously on board the ships until the end of 2007 when he took on the role of Director of Operations in the Galapagos Islands. He remained in this position for seven years and ran an effective campaign to stop poaching in the Galapagos Marine Reserve. In January 2014, Captain Cornelissen became the CEO of Sea Shepherd Global. Even though his focus shifted from the ships to the general management of the Sea Shepherd movement, he still participates in campaigns when time allows it. His mission is to ensure that Sea Shepherd and its fleet continue to grow, enhancing the organization’s ability to protect marine life worldwide. He is proud to be able to fight side by side with the most inspiring and passionate people he knows.
Captain Thomas Le Coz
Captain of the M/Y Age of Union
Spain
Born in France, the ocean has been Thomas’s playground all his life. In 2010 after discovering Sea Shepherd in Australia, Thomas realized how badly treated the oceans were and how critical the situation was. First getting involved with the Sea Shepherd Melbourne chapter, raising awareness and funds and educating the public on marine conservation issues. In 2012, he joined the M/Y Sam Simon, which is now renamed the M/Y Age of Union, for Operation Zero Tolerance in Antarctica. Now a qualified Captain, Thomas has participated in 15 campaigns with Sea Shepherd, aboard the M/Y Age of Union and the M/V Farley Mowat. 5 of those campaigns have been Operation Dolphin Bycatch. When he's not at sea crewing one of Sea Shepherd's vessels, you'll find him free diving or swimming with some of the majestic animals inhabiting the oceans Sea Shepherd is trying to protect.
More projects
Africa
Re:wild
(Madagascar)
South America
Juma Institute
(Brazil)
North America
Kenauk
(Canada)
Caribbean
Nature Seekers
(Trinidad)
North America