Sea Shepherd UK (now known as Paul Watson Foundation UK) Offers Reward for Evidence Leading to the Conviction of companies or persons for the illegal killing of iconic Scottish Seals.

📁 Archive Document — Historical Record

This article was first published when our charity's original name/branding as 'Sea Shepherd UK' prior to our name change on 18th May 2023 following the removal of Captain Paul Watson from Sea Shepherd entities worldwide (with the exception of the UK, France and Brazil).

Captain Paul Watson remains a member of our Board, and our charity continues to uphold its founding principles of non-violent direct action marine conservation.

This article and its contents are the property of the 'Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK' and forms part of our 21 year history.

Learn more at paulwatsonfoundation.uk/new-name

Sea Shepherd UK, aka Paul Watson Foundation UK is offering a £5000 reward for photographic or video evidence leading to the successful prosecution of employees, representatives, contractors or agents of the Scottish Wild Salmon Company (AKA-Usan Salmon Fisheries Limited) or any companies or individuals for illegally killing iconic Scottish seals. Sea Shepherd UK is currently engaged in our Scottish Seal Defence Campaign based near Banff in Aberdeenshire.

We are extremely pleased that the Scottish Wild Salmon Company has announced that they are currently not taking out firearms in order to shoot seals in Gamrie Bay, this is solely due to the presence of our campaign crew who have been monitoring their activities to ensure that no seals are killed. However, the Scottish Wild Salmon Company needs to understand that Paul Watson Foundation UK is relentless in its mission to defend ocean wildlife, and we will extend our Scottish Seal Defence Campaign for as long as the seals need protection.

Scottish Wild Salmon Company employees with firearm used for shooting seals at Gardenstown Harbour-April 2014

The government of Scotland provides companies, including the Scottish Wild Salmon Company, with licenses to kill seals. However, the legislation requires that seals may only be shot as a last resort after all other methods of control have been applied. The actions of thefishing companies themselves are attracting seals to the salmon.Seals in this particular areado not typically eat salmon, but are being drawn by the large catches of salmon trapped innets. Scottish Wild Salmon Company has a non-lethal solution available for us in the form of Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs), and they have recently announced they will now rely on ADD sat other Salmon netting sites.

Unfortunately, bullets are always cheaper and easier than non-lethal alternatives. Although shooting seals in Gamrie bay is currently suspended due to Sea Shepherd UK’s monitoring and patrols–the shooting of seals could return if we were to leave (which we have no intention of doing).

Why does it take policing by an NGO to make companies do the right thing under the law? Without effective policing by Marine Scotland (the agency responsible for the seal killing licenses),it is left to Sea Shepherd to once again uphold national and international laws which governments neither cannot, nor will not enforce.

David Scott, Director of Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK stated,

Since the Scottish seal cull resumed in January 2011, Usan Salmon Fisheries Ltd has slaughtered more seals than any other firmholding licences to kill these wonderfully friendly and inquisitive animals. The damage theyare doing to Scotland’s reputation as a world leading eco-tourism destination cannot beoverstated. The damage to the local seal population is evident for all to see.

The Scottish people recently voted for the seals to be one of Scotland’s Big 5 iconic species,and by needlessly slaughtering beautiful Scottish seals the Scottish Wild Salmon Company is damaging Scotland’s image around the world.

The only course of action for the Scottish Wild Salmon Company is to immediately relinquish their seal killing licences and publicly announce that they are now a seal-friendly company.

In order to qualify for any Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK reward, the information or evidence provided must directly lead to the apprehension and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the crime and the case for which information is supplied must still be open with the appropriate authorities. Law enforcement officers (and any persons who obtain such information by way of their occupation) are not eligible for the rewards.

Seal which washed up on Garden stown Beach after being shot by the Scottish Wild Salmon Company in 2013 T

to encourage local residents to help defend their seals-Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK is also offering£100 for new (taken after 27thApril 2014) clear images or video of the Scottish Wild Salmon Company shooting seals within their current licence conditions in Gamrie Bay.

To submit information or evidenc eon the illegal killing of seals by the Scottish Wild Salmon Company or any other company or individuals-please e-mail Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK’s campaign crew including as many details, clear photographs and video as possible.

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK–Scottish Seal Defence Campaign Crew