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Whale Wars stars Capt. Paul Watson and Matt Smith on their continued efforts to protect the oceans’ gentile giants.
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Environment -- what.
Environmentalist.
Paul Watson says he risked his life to protect endangered species but to the Japanese government he's an eco terrorist and anti capitalists not.
The -- of -- -- confrontational crusade against Japanese whaling ships is a subject of the television reality series whale wars and we welcome.
Captain Paul Rodgers founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society joining him is Matt Smith.
An army veteran and whale wars crew member good to see you both well they may think you and you're not but.
You almost single handedly shut down.
The Japanese -- business -- We did shut them down we sent them home month and a half -- I don't think -- be coming back.
They were killing whales in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary and a we demonstrated to them that we can shut them down what does it say by the way what how how would you define your work.
Marine conservation do you say that on your passport I mean is -- that simple yes absolutely it is because it if you go beyond I mean obviously for those folks who haven't seen this show -- -- -- is compelling.
Showed -- witness because what you do is literally put yourself.
Very often between the whale and the -- that's going after what we shut down their operations by stopping their ability to load dead whales on if they can't low whales they can't kill whales.
And that we also we stay within the boundaries -- we don't injure anybody and I think where we're quite responsibly Jew or any of your fellow crewmembers ever get hurt.
I got hurt but I didn't myself I found on the stairs -- that say it was a freak accident yeah and there was one there was one episode by the way word where they were firing these water cans pretty heavy flow and somebody get -- ride -- I think -- not a not a major injury.
-- water cans are very high power I mean if you know.
If they had any of the -- it's -- -- in black and blue for at least a few days aren't what captain if if you were successful at shutting down the whale industry at least the Japanese version -- -- what goals do you have you on that are you just for saving whales -- because sometimes I hear you talk about.
Economic stuff the way the world works and and it it seems that you have a goal beyond that well when I talk about that and talk about the economics and of extinction where there wiping -- species to make money because as -- diminish the species.
Then the price goes up for instance bluefin tuna so if you stockpile the bluefin tuna.
The less there are in the ocean the -- the price in the warehouses but what would you do we if you had your choice and you controlled the United States government for example what policies would you change to fit your views so wouldn't change any policy -- just enforce existing laws that we have that's all we need we have all the laws and regulations and treaties we need to protect our oceans are just pumping in enforce because.
Very often people have have what I would cancer be draconian solutions -- you know just having the government come in and saying.
To all the people all the fishermen that are out there you can do this you can't do that making the rules even more onerous than they already are.
You what do you think about that.
I think it's right I think it down the laws are already there and I personally I think it's -- that down civilians such as ourselves we have to band.
Together and go out and actually do the job of the government's.
Go ahead -- next week my ships are going into the Libyan wars on why because poachers are coming in to take advantage of that war to take bluefin tuna.
And we -- working with the European Union and any fishing boat we find in their we're gonna cut the nets and release a fish as a Warsaw amenities start shooting.
Well yeah but we don't worry but the Libyans do -- -- but at the same time it.
If it makes you wonder what's more important human life for -- for the the beings are trying to save indices are all interconnected -- the -- the -- the -- that the -- that we tac but you don't think that there is there is level of imports are worth the top of the food chain now.
I think that there's.
There's two -- to kinds of species on this planet passengers and crew.
And that's and the crew are the ones that run this planet and if we lose them we die and those are everything for the bacteria to the worms and -- -- -- -- more important and we are.
Because you know for instance I -- criticized the -- worms are more important people.
Why did say that.
Because -- can live here without us we can't leave here without them we need them they don't need us -- -- but I mean areas is as a human being I'm willing to -- -- my life is worth more than a worms life given up all the -- disappeared you wouldn't have a life.
But although we can we can make sure that all the worms don't disappear well that's what we're trying to do yeah but then again when -- where is their other views -- -- for example on me you're against anybody eating meat right.
Well I think that the meat industry is very destructive and deference is 40% of all of the -- has taken out of the -- fed -- livestock so we now turn sharks and chickens and a major quality credit what should we outlaw act killing and eating meat.
Oh we're not saying outlaw them I'm just saying I'm just trying to point out the fact.
That we're destroying our oceans to raise chickens and and pigs by the way where you guys go now if in fact the -- stops partly as a result of what you've been doing what do you do next.
-- shippers got a lot of campaigns.
January through December.
The bluefin -- campaign the -- islands the Canadian seal -- I think I think Paul definitely has a full full plate.
You do you have that order of importance there well we're working in partnership also with the -- federal police have in the park Rangers had to defend the Galapagos Islands from poachers and we're trying to protect a lot of these -- systems like -- -- -- and that from sharpening operations they don't have the ability to enforce their own regulations because they don't have the resources so we offer our -- Again it's not it's not that you want government to take over control of what happens in the private sector as much as huge mr.
trying to enforce laws are already on the books -- we have these laws that's that's that's that I could go away if it's the idea of going to that we we saw how bad it.
The Soviet Union was for example as a Steward of the environment is one of the Massey is most destructive.
Governments on in the history of birth in terms of how they polluted the waters of polluted their children all kinds of ways.
And that was a socialist system you're not for a socialist government control system nod I don't have left wing agenda.
A you know I -- the Japanese policy for terrorists my answer to that is look either arrest us or shut up.
I haven't broken any laws -- the bottom line is you want.
Yeah we didn't I mean -- that Japanese whaling industry is to announcer congratulations on that.
And on the new season of winter have your -- thank you very much for being here appreciate it it's on Discovery Channel by the way an animal plant Animal Planet excuse me discoveries your competitor right -- discovery on that at all our.
Well are -- -- savvy experts say congratulations OK so what would that thanks for --
