News
Help Us Defend the Amazon of the Seas
Wednesday, 12 Nov, 2025
In the turquoise waters of the South Pacific, just north of Australia, lies the Coral Triangle - an island region rich in coral reefs and marine life. It is known as the Amazon of the Seas.
This vast underwater ecosystem is home to more than 3,000 species of fish, six of the seven species of sea turtles, over 450 types of coral, and countless other marine animals found nowhere else on Earth.
Bougainville’s remote islands, located just north of Australia within the Coral Triangle, are under siege by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing vessels. At night, locals can see the lights of foreign poachers on the horizon. Ocean creatures critical to coral reef health are being taken.
It’s not just ecological destruction, it’s theft. But there is hope.
On 30 June 2025, our ship Allankay arrived in Bougainville to launch a historic partnership with the Bougainville Police Service and the Department of Primary Industries and Marine Resources. For the first time, local law enforcement officers have the capacity to board, inspect, and arrest vessels engaged in illegal fishing, and it’s already making an impact. Poachers are steering clear of patrolled areas, and the message is clear: Bougainville’s waters are no longer unprotected.
Illegal fishers in these waters use longline gear - lethal floating walls of hooks. While they target tuna and swordfish, they also kill turtles, dolphins, sharks and seabirds in staggering numbers.
Longline fishing can kill up to 40% more marine life than the species it’s deployed to catch. Our goal through Operation Bougainville is clear: Board. Inspect. Arrest. Protect.
With your support, Sea Shepherd Australia will:
- Fund the operational costs of the Allankay - fuel, maintenance, and logistics.
- Train and build capacity within Bougainville’s Police Service.
- Supply essential tools - from equipment to communication and monitoring technology.
Every dollar fuels the next patrol, trains local law enforcers, and helps us stop the next illegal vessel before it destroys more wildlife. And we must win here because it doesn’t just affect Bougainville, it affects our region, our ocean, our future.
This fight is happening close to home - and it can’t wait. Your donation today will directly protect endangered species, restore reef ecosystems, and defend one of the most vital marine habitats in our region. Together, we can ensure the Coral Triangle, this vibrant habitat on our doorstep is not lost to greed and exploitation.
Please give now to protect Bougainville’s waters and defend the heart of the Coral Triangle.