Operation Sola Stella
The Trap was Sprung: Two Vessels Busted for Transshipping in Liberia
Tuesday, 29 Apr, 2025
News
Sea Shepherd Global at the UN Ocean Conference: A United Front to Defend the Oceans
Thursday, 12 Jun, 2025
This week, the world has gathered in Nice, France, for the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference—a pivotal moment for global ocean governance. Leaders from governments, Indigenous communities, scientific institutions, and civil society have come together to address the triple planetary crisis affecting the ocean: climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the major drivers of that biodiversity loss, threatening marine ecosystems and undermining the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Among the key issues on the agenda in Nice is the implementation of the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement), a global effort to protect biodiversity in international waters. Delegates are also tackling the need to reduce shipping emissions, combat ocean acidification, and strengthen the role of science in shaping effective ocean policy. As nations work to advance Sustainable Development Goal 14 to protect the ocean, Sea Shepherd Global remains focused on turning those global goals into direct action at sea.
Director of Campaigns Peter Hammarstedt is at the conference this week, meeting with partner nations to reinforce collaboration and expand frontline support. For over a decade, Sea Shepherd Global has worked side by side with governments across Africa, the South Pacific, and the Mediterranean to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and protect vital marine ecosystems.
These partnerships are not symbolic—they deliver concrete results. At sea, that means assisting with real-time surveillance, law enforcement operations, and the apprehension of vessels engaged in illegal fishing. Our crews work directly with national authorities, providing ships, experienced personnel, and technical support to extend the reach and effectiveness of local patrols. These collaborations have led to arrests, prosecutions, and stronger enforcement capacity in some of the world’s most threatened waters.
This week, two of our partner nations showed bold conservation leadership by ratifying the High Seas Treaty. Tuvalu, which we’ve supported since 2022 through the use of our ocean-going vessel Allankay to bolster police patrols at sea, officially ratified the agreement just two days ago—affirming its commitment to protecting biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.
00 /
3
Peter Hammarstedt with the Honorable Dr. Maina Talia, Tuvalu’s Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment. UNOC, June 2025.
Sea Shepherd assists the Tuvalu Police with an inspection boarding on campaign. Photo Sea Shepherd Global..
Liberian Coast Guard soldiers, patrolling with Sea Shepherd, ready to board a shrimping vessel for inspection. Photo Sea Shepherd Global.
Liberia—one of our longest-standing partners—also ratified the treaty during the conference. Since 2017, we’ve worked together through Operation Sola Stella, a joint campaign supporting Liberian law enforcement with at-sea patrols to monitor and stop illegal fishing in West African waters.
Learn more about Operation Sola Stella
We applaud the strong commitments made by Tuvalu and Liberia in ratifying the High Seas Treaty and are proud to support their continued efforts to protect marine life and enforce ocean law.