Environmental Activists Get Aggressive in Antarctic Waters

Earlier this week the M/V Bandero, a vessel operated by the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, attempted to disrupt the Antarctic Sea, a Norwegian fishing vessel operated by Aker Qrill, in the Southern Ocean between Antarctica and the tip of South America by ramming it.

An assessment of the severity of the aggressive tactic depends on point of view. Representatives from Aker Qrill called it a “terrorist attack” and said the ramming vehicle had come perilously close to hitting a diesel tank, risking a spill in a habitat populated by whales, seals, and seabirds. However, there were no injuries and damage to the Antarctic Sea was minimal.

Environmental activist Paul Watson called the incident “aggressive nonviolence” and said “all we did was rub a little pain off of their boat.” His foundation said the ramming was intentional.

According to the Captain Paul Watson Foundation website, the Bandero is one of two ships the organization is sending to the region in what it calls “Operation Krill Wars/2026.” Krill are tiny sea creatures that saturate the waters in this area and serve as a primary food source for whales, seals, penguins, and other marine life.  Companies harvest krill for aquaculture feed, pet feed, and to produce omega-3 supplements.

The foundation claims the companies are massively overfishing krill which will collapse the ecosystem as well as cause other harmful effects.

In addition to ramming the Norwegian trawler, the Bandero deployed other means to harass the Antiarctic Sea, including using equipment designed to shred metal fishing nets.

Aker Qrill said its fishing activity was in compliance with the international rules set by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and reported the incident to authorities in Argentina and Chile

Paul Watson is a longtime maritime activist who has often faced controversy for his aggressive tactics. He was an early member of Greenpeace but was expelled. He then founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which is credited with sinking several whaling vessels at the end of the twentieth century.

More recently, in 2024 Danish authorities in Greenland arrested Watson under a Japanese warrant. Ultimately Denmark refused Japan’s extradition request and released Watson. The next year, Interpol lifted the red notice it had issued for Watson in related to Japan’s claims.