October 2025 — Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) and the Captain Paul Watson Foundation (CPWF) announced today that the iconic conservation vessel Martin Sheen has been gifted to the Captain Paul Watson Foundation by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Built in 1977, the 72-foot Palmer Johnson aluminum ketch was first deployed by SSCS in 2014 to the Upper Gulf of California, where it assisted in the protection and defense of the critically endangered Vaquita porpoise.

Between 2015 and 2017, the Martin Sheen carried out groundbreaking research in the Pacific Northwest, documenting the harmful effects of salmon farming on wild salmon populations throughout the Pacific Ocean. The vessel was named in honor of actor and conservationist Martin Sheen, recognizing his decades of activism and lifelong dedication to ocean protection.

“In a world where small cetaceans like the vaquita and large and small whales all over the oceans are threatened, it is imperative that every one of us work together effectively to protect these threatened animals,” said Captain Paul Watson from Paris.

“The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has made a significant contribution toward the survival of the vaquita porpoise, and I am confident that due to these efforts the species will be saved from extinction,” Watson added.

Pritam Singh, President and CEO of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, stated,

“I am very pleased that this legendary vessel will continue the work of defending marine wildlife—now in the Mediterranean.”