Defending Life At Sea: 2025 In Review

Sea Shepherd’s 2025 Year In Review film brings together moments from a year of work on the front lines of some of the most threatened waters on Earth. From Antarctic krill grounds to the Upper Gulf of California, it shows how constant presence, evidence gathering, and strong partnerships at sea can shift the balance for marine wildlife.

Watch Now: Sea Shepherd 2025 Year In Review

This is a look behind the scenes at the work our crews and partners carried out in 2025, and at what our supporters made possible.

The film follows Sea Shepherd vessels as they track the industrial krill fleet in the Southern Ocean, build permanent patrols at Scorpion Reef in the Gulf of Mexico, remove illegal octopus pots along the Greek coast, challenge the dolphin and whale hunts in the North Atlantic, and hold the line for the last vaquita porpoises in the Upper Gulf of California.

Southern Ocean: Krill At The Center Of Life

Krill is the foundation of life in Antarctic waters, and whales, seals, and penguins depend on it to survive. In 2025, Sea Shepherd crews returned to the Southern Ocean to shadow the industrial krill fleet as vessels pushed deeper into fragile feeding grounds. This year’s krill catch reached a record 620000 metric tons, triggering the first early shutdown of the fishery once it hit its seasonal limit. Much of that catch is destined for pet food and omega 3 supplements, underscoring the growing pressure on a habitat already under strain. Evidence gathered at sea continues to support calls for expanded marine protected areas.

Yucatan Peninsula: Permanent Patrols At Scorpion Reef

Scorpion Reef is one of the Gulf of Mexico’s most important marine habitats, yet its distance from shore makes it vulnerable to illegal fishing and careless activity. In 2025, Sea Shepherd deepened a permanent campaign here, working alongside Mexican authorities aboard the Sharkwater and Roger Payne. Crews conducted regular patrols through the protected area, brought drones to the reef for the first time to spot suspicious activity, and supported enforcement that keeps this remote ecosystem under watch instead of on its own.

Greece: Removing Illegal Octopus Pots

Across the Greek coastline, thousands of unmarked octopus pots are placed illegally on the seafloor each year. These traps capture octopuses and other species, damage fragile inshore habitats, and add to the burden of abandoned gear. In 2025, Sea Shepherd worked with local partners and the Greek Coast Guard to remove large numbers of these pots, document trapped wildlife, and support efforts to clear fishing gear from areas where monitoring and enforcement are difficult.

Faroe Islands: Slaughter in the Name of Tradition

Farther north, Sea Shepherd and the Stop The Grind Coalition continued work to challenge the drive hunts of pilot whales and white sided dolphins in the Faroe Islands. These hunts are still defended as tradition, but more local voices are questioning their place in a world facing a biodiversity crisis. In 2025, coalition partners engaged key European Union policymakers and supported Faroese advocates who are calling for a new approach grounded in conservation and respect for marine wildlife.

Vaquita: A Species on The Brink of Extinction

Nowhere are the stakes higher than in the Upper Gulf of California, where illegal gillnets set for totoaba continue to threaten the last vaquita porpoises. In 2025, two Sentry class vessels — the Seahorse and the Bob Barker — maintained a permanent presence in the Vaquita Refuge’s Zero Tolerance Area, supported by two Seahawk interceptor vessels crewed by the Mexican Navy. Together they expanded patrols into surrounding high risk zones, removed illegal gear, and provided a platform for science and wildlife rescues. Fishing activity in the vaquita’s core habitat has fallen by more than ninety five percent, and the 2025 Vaquita Survey confirmed a population that remains tiny but is healthy and reproducing.

None of this work happens without committed supporters. Donors kept ships fueled, drones in the air, and crews at sea for the long patrols that rarely make headlines but change outcomes for marine wildlife. This film is a record of what you helped achieve in 2025, and a reminder that every gain strengthens the mission for the year ahead.