A Personal Perspective: Redefining Ourselves, The Power Behind a New Symbol

Change is challenging. it’s uncomfortable, messy, and fraught with uncertainty. Yet, sometimes it’s unavoidable. That’s exactly what we’ve confronted in rebranding Sea Shepherd UK to the Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK but with loss came opportunity, a chance to rethink and reshape what we stand for.

Me and my wife standing in front of the Jolly Roger flag during the Northern Exposure Iceland campaign, 2022.

Sea shepherd UK joined the Captain Paul Watson Foundation to unite behind the cause and support Paul Watson vision.

They are the only Sea Shepherd entity that changed names in support of our mentor and founder, this is important, because while CPWF were starting fresh, UK brought 20 years of history and experience tied to the previous name.

A symbol isn’t just a design, it’s the heartbeat of a movement. For me and so many volunteers losing the Sea Shepherd Jolly Roger felt like losing a part of our soul. But through that loss came the urgent need to find something new, something simple yet powerful, that could carry our story and mission forward.

There wasn’t a quick solution. Over time, Captain Paul Watson (International) tried different approaches, experimenting with various names and logos in an effort to redefine our identity while staying true to our mission.

They proposed several designs, which we adapted for use in the UK, ultimately we selected the skull as a nod to the nostalgia of our past. While the designs incorporated elements that resonated with us, none of them felt like the perfect fit...

The harsh truth is that the Sea Shepherd logo is so deeply anchored in our collective memory that any attempt to replicate it would feel like a mere imitation. It could never be as strong as the original, which carries 50 years of activism and is indelibly etched into our minds.

This mix of ideas and attempts made one thing clear: we needed simplification and meaning.

Why do so many ideas? Because so many people care deeply. Creating this new logo wasn’t the work of just one person; it was about cultivating a space for ongoing collaboration among passionate individuals who are truly invested in their movement. The challenge lay in ensuring that everyone felt heard and included, which required fostering open communication and respecting a wide range of ideas. This vibrant, sometimes messy process of back-and-forth ultimately gave life to a logo that reflects the collective creativity, dedication, and shared vision of the group.

Among all the design elements they brought to the table, one stood out: the flag with the whale. While it merged with the skull, it could actually stand strong on its own. Simple yet powerful, it captured the essence of our vision.

That design became the foundation for the new logo :

With loss came opportunity, a chance to rethink and reshape what we stand for. The new symbol, a sperm whale on a flag with a broken harpoon, not just a fresh design. It’s a powerful reminder of the moment that ignited Paul Watson’s mission and what we continue to fight for today.

The new emblem tells the story that changed Paul Watson’s life. In 1975, he found himself face-to-face with a Russian whaling fleet, standing between the harpoons and a pod of sperm whales. As he watched helplessly, a massive whale was struck.

Wounded, it dove deep before rising directly toward him. It could have easily taken his life, but instead, it spared him. In that moment, Watson locked eyes with the whale, and his life’s mission was forged—to protect these sentient beings from human slaughter. That defining moment is now embodied in the new logo: a sperm whale on a flag, a symbol of defiance, determination, and dedication to ocean conservation.

“It’s simple,” Watson says. “Our mission is to save whales and to break harpoons. This logo represents that.”

A rare 18th Century red Jolly Roger pirate flag (dailymail.co.uk)

While black flags with a skull and crossbones are famously associated with pirates, they’re not the only pirate tradition.

The "Jolly Roger" can also refer to flags with a red background, sometimes called "bloody flags." These red flags carried a clear message: no quarter would be given. In battle, it meant fighting to the death, sparing no lives.

The red in our logo carries a similar defiance and determination while helping us stand out from the crowd.

Our flag continues this tradition. The broken harpoon and the whale symbolize our unwavering dedication to standing between humanity’s weapons and the marine life we fight to protect.

Now, as the Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK embarks on this next chapter, we do so under a single banner, united with the international movement, carrying decades of devotion and a lifetime of fight for our oceans.

Of course, it wasn’t easy to let go of the Jolly Roger. It represented so much history, so many victories, and such a strong sense of identity. But this isn’t about leaving the past behind, it’s about honouring it while looking toward the future.

This new logo will be our signature now. It’s bold, simple, and filled with meaning. For me, designing it was about creating something that connects people, inspires action, and reminds us all of the urgency of our mission.

This logo achieved exactly what it was created to do: replace the old ones and be adopted by all countries. It seems to have been embraced as a unified symbol, providing a single emblem that helps bring everything and everyone together in a simple and cohesive way.

The future awaits, and we’re ready to meet it. Under this new flag, we’ll keep fighting for the oceans and the life within them. Together, we’ll rise to the challenge and make every moment count.

Elven Villecourt, Content and Communications for the Paul Watson Foundation UK

P.S. This logo belongs to Paul Watson. I created it voluntarily and have given him full rights. It belongs—and will always belong—to him and his movement to carry forward his vision.