Sea Shepherd UK's (akka Paul watson foundation UK) Full Reply to the Scottish Wild Salmon Company Press Release

📁 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

"We are going about our lawful business"

Scottish Wild Salmon Company (George Pullar, Director): "In response to reported concerns, please be assured that we are going about our lawful business, fully complying with all seal licence conditions, firearms legislation and the heritable titles we have to fish for salmon."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: This is contrary to reports published in the Banffshire Journal the previous year, which documented serious concerns about SWSC's conduct around seal shooting in the area.

"Sea Shepherd are known for extreme and often illegal actions"

SWSC: "This, despite considerable provocation from Sea Shepherd and their associates, who are known for their extreme and often illegal actions."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: This is completely libellous. We challenge the Scottish Wild Salmon Company to provide evidence of a single illegal action by Sea Shepherd UK at any time, past or present. Police Scotland made it very clear to SWSC that our crew was willingly working with all police authorities, and that our activities in Gardenstown and Crovie were completely within the law.

"Our staff are being constantly stalked and harassed"

SWSC: "Our staff are being constantly stalked and harassed by group members."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: And yet it was a SWSC employee who was charged by Police Scotland under Section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 for the offence of Threatening and Abusive Behaviour.

This entire incident was captured on video — now in the possession of Police Scotland and a national media outlet preparing the story for publication. The footage is accompanied by high-quality photographs clearly showing three SWSC employees, one with a rifle slung over his shoulder, threatening and abusing a single Sea Shepherd volunteer whose only defence was his camera.

"We have met with Police Scotland and Sea Shepherd to resolve matters"

SWSC: "We have met with both Police Scotland and Sea Shepherd representatives in an attempt to resolve matters."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: We were invited by Police Scotland to a joint meeting. SWSC made it a condition that no video or voice recordings be made. Sea Shepherd UK had no objection whatsoever to recordings — we offered full transparency, repeatedly. That offer was not reciprocated by SWSC.

"Sea Shepherd consider themselves under a higher law"

SWSC: "Sea Shepherd have made it clear that they consider themselves as under a 'higher law'."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: We cited the UN World Charter for Nature, the Bern Convention, the Scotland Act, the Marine Scotland (2010) Act, the Wildlife and Countryside Act, the Animal Welfare Act, and a number of other pieces of legislation. We do not consider that a "higher law" — we consider that the law. The law we had hoped SWSC would be as willing to commit to as we are.

"Scottish law applies here"

SWSC: "Despite clear warnings from the police, we are not to be impeded from carrying out our lawful business, and Scottish law applies here."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: There was no "clear warning" element to this part of the discussion. Police Scotland told both parties that neither should be impeded from carrying out their lawful business. Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK agreed. SWSC did not.

We neither agree with nor approve of salmon netting — but we acknowledge it is lawful and that SWSC are legally entitled to carry on this business. Unlike seals, salmon are not a protected species. What we consider illegal is SWSC's seal slaughter, under every item of legislation cited above. Police Scotland confirmedCaptain Paul Watson Foundation UK is perfectly legally entitled to act as we are doing in Gardenstown and Crovie.

"They must only protest peacefully"

SWSC: "Furthermore, they have been informed by Police Scotland that they must only protest peacefully."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: Police Scotland advised both parties that Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK was entitled to peaceful protest — and confirmed that such peaceful protest included all the actions SWSC were complaining about. Police Scotland made clear they would not prevent us from carrying out these actions. The meeting ended with SWSC employees in heated argument with Police Scotland over matters of law they were unwilling to accept.

"Activists in face masks and knuckledusters"

SWSC: "Today, 22 April, on arrival at the pier, our law-abiding staff were faced by a large group of activists wearing face masks, knuckledusters and combat gear. Clearly the intent was to intimidate — surely such extremism has no place in modern Scotland."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: Not a single member of Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK was present at the pier at this time — we were giving statements to Police Scotland to enable the formal charging of a SWSC employee while this was allegedly happening.

Local Community Councillor Ronnie Beattie — a man in his seventies — was at that same moment engaged in pleasant conversation with the group in question. Unless Mr Beattie is also to be considered an extremist, we have no idea what Mr Pullar is describing. We have recorded a video interview with Mr Beattie, provided unedited, available to Police Scotland should any formal complaint be made.

"We deploy Acoustic Deterrent Devices wherever possible"

SWSC: "To be clear, we deploy Acoustic Deterrent Devices wherever possible and have invested considerable resources in strengthening our fishing gear to further deter seal attack."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK praised SWSC for their investment in ADDs and their contribution to proving conclusively that these devices work. Now that SWSC have admitted to Police Scotland that ADDs are effective, shooting seals is clearly beyond any definition of "last resort."

We acknowledge that bullets are cheaper than doing the job properly. But the law is the law. SWSC stated in front of a Police Scotland Sergeant, two Constables, and two Directors of Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK that the reason they continued to use bullets was because ADDs were "too expensive" for their business model.

Surely such murderous avarice has no place in modern Scotland.

"We will remove all firearms from our operation"

SWSC: "In order to reduce tensions, we will remove all firearms from our operation and continue dialogue with the Scottish Government."

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK replies: Thank you. It is a start. But remember — last year you made the same promise, basked in the warm glow of positive PR, and then shot seals anyway. We remember. So do the seals who didn't survive.

Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK's commitment — stated plainly

Until the Scottish Wild Salmon Company relinquishes its seal killing licences, Captain Paul Watson Foundation UK commits to the following:

• We will act in full accordance with all legislation and in full, open dialogue with Police Scotland and any official agency.

• We will allow any Police Wildlife, Firearms or other Officer to accompany us 24/7/365.

• We will allow any journalist to accompany us 24/7/365.

• We will do everything in our lawful power to prevent SWSC from shooting seals — at every site for which they currently hold licences.

SWSC's own admissions have confirmed that non-lethal alternatives work. It is therefore legally impossible for them to shoot any seal in compliance with any licence they currently hold. If we see any operative deploy with a weapon, we will conduct ourselves completely within the law — but in a manner that will not allow that weapon to be used against a seal.

You murder seals. We save them. We are not going anywhere.

Sea Shepherd UK, aka Paul Watson Foundation UK — Scottish Seal Defence Campaign