Peter Hammarstedt willingly ventures into treacherous seas and life-threatening situations in the fight for conservation. He’s the captain of Bob Barker, a 53-metre vessel patrolling the coast of Africa as part of the marine organisation Sea Shepherd. For over 40 years, they have completed hundreds of expeditions and saved countless species – and they’re not stopping any time soon.
“We know about poaching of animals on land because it’s easier for the media to cover,” Hammarstedt says. But what's not as well recognised is the threat of overfishing, habitat destruction, and illegal activity in the oceans. From turtle poaching to whaling, Hammarstedt has tackled nearly every obstacle. Sea Shepherd’s fleet of 12 ships and several smaller boats spend days out in the ocean and act as a watchdog for maritime laws, intervening when illegal fishing activity is reported. They are dogged in the pursuit of poachers, and their longest recorded chase lasted 110 days and was captained by Hammarstedt.
In the face of perilous weather conditions and armed poachers, the Sea Shepherd crew must be aware of the dangers involved with guarding marine life. “One of the main questions we often ask people who want to join our missions is are they willing to risk their lives to save a species other than their own?” Hammarstedt says. Sea Shepherd is one of the ocean’s greatest allies. Notably, their Operation Zero Tolerance has resulted in the lowest kill number of whales yearly since its conception in 2012. “Every day I get the opportunity to make a difference,” Hammarstedt says. “I go to sleep at night knowing that because we intervened, whales, dolphins, seals, fish are swimming free.”
Footage by Sea Shepherd was used in the creation of this film.
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