Capabilities:
Surveillance & Monitoring
- Advanced long- range radar.
- High-resolution sonar to detect illegal nets.
- Integrated with TimeZero navigation software for advanced mapping, tracking, and real-time situational awareness, admissible as evidence in courts of law.
Conservation & Rescue
- Large deck space for immediate net retrieval, cleaning and animal rescues.
- Largest vessel in the annual Vaquita Survey, providing a key platform for research and monitoring.
Rapid Response & Enforcement
- Two fast boats for strategic coverage and support.
- Deck Capabilities of launching medium to long-range drones, increasing operational footprint from 10 miles (medium drones) to 50 miles (long-range drones).
Logistics & Operations
- 3-ton crane for heavy lifting.
- Expanded workspace with shipping containers.
- Built for indefinite mission duration, limited only by maintenance needs, ensuring continuous patrol and enforcement by Government partners wherever deployed.
Launched: 2023
Gross Tonnage: 86
Length: 130 ft
Beam: 32ft
Draft: 9ft
Max Occupancy: 19
The Front Lines: Operation Milagro
The Seahorse is the main vessel for Operation Milagro, Sea Shepherd’s flagship campaign in the Gulf of California, which aims to safeguard the vaquita, the world’s most endangered marine mammal. With fewer than 10 individuals remaining, the vaquita faces imminent extinction due to illegal gillnet fishing targeting the totoaba fish. The Seahorse plays a pivotal role in this operation by maintaining a constant presence in the Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA) of the Vaquita Refuge, deterring illegal activities and ensuring the enforcement of conservation laws.
Top of the Line Equipment
To effectively combat illegal fishing and protect marine life, the Seahorse is equipped with state-of-the-art technology:
Upgraded Crane: In September 2024, the original one-ton crane was replaced with a three-ton crane, tripling the vessel’s net-pulling capacity. This enhancement is crucial for removing deadly gillnets that entangle and kill vaquitas, totoabas, and other marine species.
Advanced Surveillance Systems: The ship is outfitted with cutting-edge radar and thermal drones, enabling the crew to detect and monitor illegal fishing activities, even under the cover of darkness.
The Seahorse in Operation Milagro
Protecting a Diverse Range of Marine Life
While the primary focus is the preservation of the vaquita, the Seahorse’s efforts extend to safeguarding various marine species affected by illegal fishing practices:
Totoaba Fish: Targeted for their swim bladders, which are highly valued on the black market, totoabas are often caught using gillnets that inadvertently trap vaquitas. By removing these nets, the Seahorse helps protect both species.
Sea Lions: The vessel’s operations also focus on sea lions in the region. Sea Shepherd not only eliminates the use of illegal nets which reduces the risk of entanglement and death for these mammals, but also participates in detanglement missions with partners and government bodies in Mexico.
Legacy
Funded by Sea Shepherd donors, the Seahorse represents a strategic shift from reacting to illegal fishing to preventing it. As our first Sentry-class ship, it entered the Vaquita Refuge in January 2023, working with the Mexican Government to immediately reduce illegal fishing by 90%-a number that continues to fall.
To learn more about our mission and how you can get involved visit us HERE.
Help us continue this vital mission—your support makes a difference.
