Sea Shepherd Global

What Sea Shepherd Global does

Sea Shepherd Global (Stichting Sea Shepherd Global, RSIN #853127426) is a Netherlands-registered non-profit foundation established in 2013 as the Amsterdam-based coordinating body for independent Sea Shepherd entities operating in more than 20 countries. Founded originally in 1977, the organization conducts direct-action marine conservation using a self-operated fleet of more than a dozen ships (Neptune's Navy), including the Steve Irwin, Ocean Warrior, and Allankay, deployed against illegal whaling, illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, ghost-net pollution, and industrial krill extraction in the Southern Ocean. Operations span Antarctic whale defense campaigns, African anti-IUU partnerships with governments (Gabon, Tanzania, Namibia, Liberia), Pacific island-nation patrols (Tuvalu, Bougainville), and Mediterranean marine-protection enforcement. The organization runs 100+ direct-action campaigns over its history and reports saving more than 5,000 whales from Japanese harpoons since 2002.

Revenue is generated entirely from non-commercial sources: individual one-time and monthly recurring donations (the Ocean Warriors program provides exclusive content), merchandise sales, philanthropic major gifts, bequests/legacy giving, and institutional grants from national postcode lotteries (Dutch, British, Swedish). Donor acquisition is driven by digital channels (website, email newsletter, social, peer-to-peer fundraising), documentary content (Animal Planet's 'Whale Wars', 'Edge of the World: Krill Crisis' web series, National Geographic's David Attenborough 'Ocean' documentary), and grassroots outreach through 20+ independent national entities. Supporters include individual ocean-conservation donors (primary), philanthropists/major donors, government law-enforcement agencies that contract patrol-vessel support, and retail/consumer-brand partners in the Antarctic Krill Pledge initiative (Holland & Barrett, dm-drogerie markt, Rossmann, Time Health, Alnatura). The US-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society operates as a separate legal entity and is not under Sea Shepherd Global's coordination.

Name

Sea Shepherd Global

Legal name

Stichting Sea Shepherd Global

Website

https://seashepherdglobal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Sea Shepherd Global is a Netherlands-registered non-profit foundation coordinating direct-action marine conservation campaigns worldwide through a fleet of 12+ ships, independent national entities in 20+ countries, and donor-funded operations targeting illegal whaling, IUU fishing, and industrial krill extraction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

akta.pro primary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Harbor & Coastal Patrol / Waterborne Security (BPAKALAC), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Marine conservation
• Ocean preservation
• Wildlife protection
• Maritime law enforcement
• Non-profit advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Nieuw-amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring monthly donations from individual supporters worldwide, processed via credit card, PayPal, iDEAL, SEPA direct debit, Apple Pay, and Google Pay through the Fundraise Up platform and Stripe/PayPal payment processors. Monthly donors receive 'Ocean Warrior' membership with exclusive content.
2. Merchandise Sales: Revenue from the Sea Shepherd online store selling branded merchandise (clothing, accessories). Proceeds fund direct-action campaigns.
3. Bequests and Legacy Giving: Sea Shepherd accepts gifts in wills and legacy bequests from supporters, enabling major gifts without current expense to the donor.
4. Philanthropy and Major Gifts: Significant one-time or recurring donations from philanthropists, enabling large gifts to fund ship operations and campaign expenses.
5. Lottery and Institutional Grants: Funding support from national postcode lotteries (Dutch Postcode Lottery, British People's Postcode Lottery, Svenska PostkodLotteriet) that support specific capital projects such as the construction of the Ocean Warrior patrol vessel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sea Shepherd Global operates direct-action marine conservation campaigns using the Neptune's Navy fleet of patrol vessels to protect marine wildlife and ecosystems. Activities include at-sea anti-poaching patrols, marine debris and ghost-net removal, cetacean research, and collaborative maritime law enforcement operations with national governments targeting illegal fishing and wildlife crime.

Product overview

Sea Shepherd Global operates as a marine conservation nonprofit organization offering direct-action campaigns to defend marine wildlife and protect ocean ecosystems. The organization runs multiple distinct campaigns including Operation Antarctica Defense (krill fishing opposition), Illegal Fishing Campaigns (IUU fishing partnerships with governments), Operation Nemesis (Antarctic whale defense), and Turtle Defense Campaign (sea turtle protection). Supporting infrastructure includes a fleet of ships (Neptune's Navy), a volunteer crewing database, an online merchandise store, and various awareness initiatives such as Sea Shepherd Education (online learning platform), Sea Shepherd Tattoo, Artists for Sea Shepherd, and Ghost Network. Fundraising operations include donation programs (one-time, monthly Ocean Warriors, legacy bequests) and a supporter fundraising platform. The organization also runs consumer campaigns including SaveKrill.com and produces documentary content such as the 'Edge of the World: Krill Crisis' web series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Direct-action ocean conservation campaigns via Neptune's Navy fleet At-sea direct-action marine conservation campaigns delivered through the Neptune's Navy fleet, including anti-poaching patrols, protection of marine wildlife, and collaborative maritime law enforcement operations with government partners.
• Neptune's Navy vessel fleet operations Operational deployment of the Neptune's Navy fleet of ocean-going patrol vessels to conduct maritime conservation patrols and interventions supporting Sea Shepherd Global's campaigns.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 whales saved from Japanese harpoon ships since 2002; Japanese kill quota reduced from 1,035 to 333 whales per season; zero whales killed in 2014/2015 season
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Holland & BarrettcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Sea Shepherd co-created the Antarctic Krill Pledge with Holland & Barrett, the UK's first major retailer to commit to ending all krill product sales by April 2026. The partnership includes sharing photographic evidence of krill supertrawlers operating among whale pods, and Holland & Barrett's commitment to transparent divestment timelines.
• Stanford University Hopkins Marine Station (Dr. Matthew Savoca)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Dr. Matthew Savoca of Stanford University Hopkins Marine Station joined the Allankay expedition in 2026 as an independent scientist conducting peer-reviewed research on whale abundance, distribution, and the impact of krill fishing on whale populations.
• UC Santa Cruz / Happywhale (Dr. Ted Cheeseman)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Dr. Ted Cheeseman of UC Santa Cruz and co-founder of Happywhale joined the 2026 Allankay expedition, conducting line-transect surveys, drone measurements, passive acoustic monitoring, and photo-identification of whales. His research team called the South Orkney Islands 'one of the world's great wildlife hotspots.'
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026WWF (a founding partner of the Marine Stewardship Council) formally objected to the MSC's re-certification of the Antarctic krill fishery as 'sustainable' and called for an immediate moratorium on krill fishing. This followed Sea Shepherd's evidence of krill supertrawlers operating in whale feeding grounds.
• Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026ASOC, a global coalition of conservation organizations, submitted a formal objection to the MSC's re-certification of the Antarctic krill fishery on the same grounds as WWF — ensuring environmental impacts have been accurately assessed.
• Government of the Autonomous Region of BougainvillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with the government of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville against illegal fishing. Sea Shepherd committed to sending a ship to protect Bougainville's waters as part of the 'Amazon of the Seas' marine protection effort.
• Government of Gabon (Operation Albacore)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sea Shepherd partnered with the government of Gabon for Operation Albacore — a five-month patrol of the Gulf of Guinea for IUU fishing. The M/Y Bob Barker operated under the direction of the Gabonese government.
• Government of Liberia (Operation Sola Stella)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Operation Sola Stella — partnership with the government of Liberia to combat illegal fishing in Liberian waters.
• National Geographic / Silverback Films / Open Planet StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sea Shepherd provided logistics and access to remote Antarctic waters for the 'Ocean with David Attenborough' documentary on National Geographic. The Allankay crew helped filmmakers capture krill trawlers near feeding whales. The film reached millions and influenced discussions about marine protection and krill product reduction.
• Government of TuvalucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Operation Tuvalu — Sea Shepherd vessel Allankay patrolled Tuvalu's waters with five ship riders from the Tuvalu Police Service Maritime Wing, who have authority to board, inspect, and arrest vessels. Two illegal longlines totaling over 9.5 km were recovered.
• Government of NamibiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership with the government of Namibia to combat fisheries crime, announced in July 2019.
• Government of Tanzania / Fish-i AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Sea Shepherd partnered with the government of Tanzania and Fish-i Africa (a partnership of eight East African countries) for Operation Jodari. The M/Y Ocean Warrior carried Tanzanian law enforcement (Navy, MATT, Deep Sea Fishing Authority), resulting in 10 vessel arrests and 6.86 million EUR in fines. The partnership demonstrated what is possible when governments, law enforcement, and civil society work together against IUU fishing.
• Biosfera (Cabo Verde)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Sea Shepherd partnered with local conservation organization Biosfera in Cabo Verde to remove marine debris from turtle nesting beaches. Sea Shepherd granted a boat (M/Y Jairo Mora Sandoval) to Biosfera and conducted joint beach cleanups, removing over 4 tons of fishing nets in a single three-day operation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ocean Conservancy: US-based marine conservation NGO focused on ocean health, IUU fishing, and policy reform. Comparable in mission and target donor base, though Ocean Conservancy focuses more on scientific advocacy and policy than direct-action patrols.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Global animal welfare and wildlife conservation organization with a significant marine program (whales, seals, bycatch). Operates a similar federation-style structure across multiple countries and engages in both rescue operations and policy advocacy.
• WildAid: Marine and wildlife conservation NGO that reduces demand for illegal wildlife products through media campaigns and government partnerships. WildAid's combination of celebrity-driven media advocacy and government cooperation parallels Sea Shepherd's demand-side krill and supply-side enforcement work.
• Oceana: The largest international advocacy organization focused exclusively on ocean conservation. Oceana targets IUU fishing, bycatch, and habitat destruction through policy campaigns and corporate pressure — directly overlapping Sea Shepherd's mandate, with a more policy-focused (less direct-action) delivery model.
• Greenpeace International: Global environmental NGO with a comparable direct-action, ship-based advocacy model. Greenpeace operates its own fleet and engages in confrontational campaigns, making it the closest philosophical and operational analog to Sea Shepherd, though with a broader environmental remit beyond oceans.
• Fauna & Flora International: Long-established international conservation NGO (founded 1903) with marine programs covering IUU fishing and marine protected areas. Comparable in federation reach and conservation mandate, though broader across terrestrial and marine species.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Major US-based environmental advocacy organization with a substantial oceans program targeting sustainable fisheries and marine protected areas. NRDC operates at greater scale and uses litigation and policy rather than direct-action patrols, but shares Sea Shepherd's regulatory and corporate-pressure toolkit.
• Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC): The leading global charity dedicated to the protection of whales and dolphins. WDC's species-specific focus on cetaceans overlaps directly with Sea Shepherd's Antarctic whale defense and krill campaign work, with a science-and-policy (rather than direct-action) approach.

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): The world's largest conservation organization with a major marine portfolio. WWF has formally aligned with Sea Shepherd on the MSC krill objection and operates at much greater scale, but with a partnership-and-policy (rather than direct-action) operating model.

Emerging players

• The Ocean Cleanup: Technology-driven ocean NGO focused on removing plastic pollution from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and rivers. While narrower in focus (plastic, not biodiversity), it shares Sea Shepherd's donor model, media-driven brand, and willingness to deploy proprietary technology at sea.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seashepherd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/seashepherd
• Facebookfacebook.com/seashepherdglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sea-shepherd-global
• Instagraminstagram.com/seashepherd
• TikToktiktok.com/@seashepherdglobal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sea Shepherd Global