The year began with an exciting new chapter: the launch of our Australian Sea Lion Defence Campaign.

These iconic and charismatic marine mammals are found nowhere else on Earth. But tragically, their numbers have plummeted by sixty percent in just four decades. From historically being hunted for their fur, to the modern threats of climate change, habitat destruction, pollution and fishing bycatch, the Australian sea lion is now officially endangered.

With only twelve thousand individuals left, we knew we had to act.

We welcomed marine scientist Dirk Holman to lead this crucial campaign in the Great Australian Bight.

Aboard our new vessel, the Southern Defender, Dirk and crew have been conducting vital research to lay the groundwork for our conservation efforts. We have conducted pup surveys, gathering insights into colony health and environmental pressures, and designed and rolled out pup shelters to protect pups from environmental stress, and to provide shelter where habitat has been lost, with the aim to reduce pup mortality.

This groundbreaking campaign lays the foundation for lasting protection of this extraordinary Australian species.

Our vessel, the Allankay, also returned to Antarctica this year, carrying scientists on board to gather evidence and document the destruction caused by industrial krill super-trawlers. These massive ships harvest krill, a keystone species essential to the entire Antarctic ecosystem.

Our crew witnessed trawlers ploughing through groups of feeding humpback whales, showing chilling indifference to their welfare. And tragically, a whale was killed in the nets of one of these trawlers.

But from tragedy came change.

Thanks to the evidence we gathered, we were able to present our findings to one of the largest retail giants Holland & Barrett, who have since committed to ending all krill product sales by April 2026.

With more than a thousand stores across nineteen countries, this is a monumental victory, a clear message that protecting fragile ecosystems must take priority over profit.

This year, the Allankay also headed north to Bougainville, the start of a new partnership in this region to support local authorities in tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Working alongside the Bougainville Police Service and the Department of Primary Industries and Marine Resources, our joint patrols are protecting one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, the Coral Triangle, often called the Amazon of the Seas.

Here, we are helping to defend the habitat of over three thousand fish species, six of the world’s seven sea turtles, and countless other marine animals that rely on these rich waters to survive.

Back on Australian shores, our Shark Defence Campaign continued the fight to end lethal shark nets and drumlines, an outdated system that fails to deliver its purpose of protecting ocean-users.

Our team tirelessly exposed the devastating impact these outdated devices have on marine life in Australia, from turtles and rays to dolphins and whales and endangered species of sharks.

Amongst the devastation, we reached a huge milestone: every New South Wales council voted to support trials of non-lethal shark control methods, and 204 councils in Queensland also voted in support to trial shark net removal for the whale migration season.

We are now closer than ever to seeing these nets removed. With every heartbreaking image we share, public momentum grows, increasing pressure on those with the power to implement change, to remove these deadly devices. Our determination has never been stronger.

Our Marine Debris Campaign achieved incredible results this year. Working side by side with Indigenous Ranger groups, we carried out five remote clean-up campaigns across northern Australia, removing a staggering 46 tonnes of plastic pollution and deadly ghost nets from some of our country’s most remote beaches.

In one of our most ambitious missions yet, our crew travelled over a thousand kilometres to reach our most remote location to date - a critical nesting beach for turtles, removing an astounding ten tonnes of debris by hand under the fierce Australian sun.

It was exhausting, gritty work but this is what it means to be Sea Shepherd. Boots on the ground, doing the hard work others can’t or won’t do, making a real difference for wildlife where it matters most.

In total, this year’s remote expeditions resulted in the removal of over 46 tonnes of rubbish, or approximately 899,740 items, from 52 kms of remote shoreline across Northern Australia - the most ever removed in a single year.

This work is only possible by working alongside the seven Indigenous Ranger groups whose knowledge, effort and deep connection to land, sea and community were invaluable.

You can read detailed accounts of each remote undertaken this year here.

Our onshore volunteers also made an extraordinary impact. Through monthly community beach clean-ups across the country and our nationwide Day for the Ocean event we have removed over 2,8 tonnes of trash.

Together our dedicated volunteers hosted 116 community clean-ups across the country, removing over 2,8 tonnes of trash - over 230,000 pieces of debris prevented from entering or re-entering the ocean.

This year we once again collaborated with No more Butts and hosted The Great Butt Hunt events across Australia. Our Sea Shepherd crews hosted 12 events and removed 9,824 toxic, single-use cigarette butts, plus an additional 90 kg of trash! Across all events, volunteers from different organisations removed nearly 30,000 cigarette butts, making our coastlines cleaner and safer for marine life.

Our Sea Shepherd Day for the Ocean events united the country and just in one day we removed more than forty-two thousand pieces of trash preventing them from entering the ocean and posing threats to marine life!

This year also belonged to the dedicated individuals who form the backbone of our mission. With nearly 600 committed ocean advocates operating through 15 regional chapters nationwide, Sea Shepherd Australia’s work this year reflects growing public interest in marine protection and the continued relevance of our mission.

This year we established the Graham Wells Excellence Award - recognising the Sea Shepherd chapter that demonstrates outstanding leadership, community engagement, and operational excellence.

Hobart proudly received the inaugural award for their outstanding community outreach, strong chapter cohesion, and consistent local programming. The chapter is supported by long-time champions Michael and Maria, who have built the chapter’s presence over more than a decade.

The Sapphire Coast team were the proud recipient of the runner-up Bosun’s Award for delivering extraordinary progress in just one year. Under coordinator Tara, the chapter expanded rapidly through coastal restoration, education programs, and community events - earning well-deserved national recognition.

Our volunteer network grew to nearly 600 members across 15 chapters, representing an impressive 19% year-over-year increase, with the addition of our newest Broome chapter. This expansion fuelled significant activity, including local coastal clean-ups, community education programs, merchandise initiatives, and school presentations.

The Outreach Department helped elxpand Sea Shepherd’s mission into new communities across the country. From schools and local markets to major public events, volunteers sparked thousands of conversations about marine protection.

Volunteers remain the backbone of our movement. Their dedication continues to drive our mission forward and sustain our impact on the ground.

Protecting our ocean is no easy feat. But time and again, we’ve proven what’s possible when we stand together for a shared purpose. The ocean gives us life, and that’s what drives every one of us: from our crews on the ships, to our volunteers on the shores, to our incredible supporters around the world.

Every single one of us has an opportunity every day to make an impact, and that is what we do here at Sea Shepherd.

Every action, big or small, creates change. Every voice adds strength to our mission, a together, we are building a future where our ocean and all the marine life who call her home can truly thrive.

Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for defending life.
Thank you for being part of Sea Shepherd Australia.