Press Release

September 4, 2007, New York, NY—Oceanblue Divers, New York City’s largest and fastest-growing dive club, welcomes Captain Paul Watson, (Founder and President, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society) to the club’s first anniversary party, October 4th at Ultra Lounge, 37 West 26th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues), New York, NY at 7:00pm.

The goal is to focus the celebratory atmosphere of the group’s anniversary party on raising funds to support Sea Shepherd and the ongoing conservation efforts and activities of Oceanblue Divers. The festivities will include an open bar, dancing, a raffle for prizes including dive vacations and equipment, a silent auction and art sale. Captain Watson will make a special presentation on the state of the world’s oceans and how we can make a difference by taking action to help protect the diversity of life they support.

Tickets for the event must be purchased in advance at http://www.oceanbluedivers.net/events, with proceeds benefiting the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and the ongoing conservation efforts and activities of Oceanblue Divers. The $35 ticket price includes admission to the event, the presentation by Captain Watson, raffle, art sale, open bar, light fare, music and dancing.

Sea Shepherd is at the vanguard of ocean conservation. As pioneers in the protection of marine wildlife, Captain Watson and his crew work on the front lines in waters around the world. Their 30 years of ground breaking campaigns have helped protect whales in Antarctic waters, defenseless seals and dolphins from slaughter, and sharks from senseless finning, among many other accomplishments of behalf of the oceans.

With a passionate and committed crew and an impressive board of directors and advisors – including scientists and conservationists, entertainers and artists, legal and finance professionals – Sea Shepherd has the ability to make a real difference. Through direct action, Sea Shepherd aims to protect and conserve the diversity of life in our oceans and support the health of the planet. “I have been honored to serve the whales, dolphins, seals – and all the other creatures on this Earth. Their beauty, intelligence, strength, and spirit have inspired me. These beings have spoken to me, touched me, and I have been rewarded by friendship with many members of different species,” said Captain Paul Watson. “If the whales survive and flourish, if the seals continue to live and give birth, and if I can contribute to ensuring their future prosperity, I will be forever happy.”

“Paul Watson is leading the battle to save the oceans,” said Oceanblue Divers founder Michael Feld. “As divers, we need to support the efforts of the SSCS because every time we dive, we’re both rewarded by their work and reminded of the fragile state of the oceans. Captain Watson and his crew are working tirelessly every day to protect the legacy of the ocean, which ultimately sustains life on earth. There’s no greater cause I can think of.”

About Oceanblue Divers:
Oceanblue Divers, a New York City-based dive organization with nearly 1000 members. It is dedicated to bringing divers of all experience levels together to learn about the underwater world and support marine conservation efforts, continue their dive training, participate in local dive excursions, travel to the best dive destinations on the planet and enjoy social and educational events. Since its inception one year ago, the group’s love for the oceans has helped shape the activities of Oceanblue Divers. Notably, the club hosted a benefit screening of the award-winning documentary “Sharkwater” months before its U.S. release that raised funds for the Shark Research Institute (SRI). Other activities have included hosting additional fundraising events for SRI and the Caribbean Conservation Corporation; launching a campaign to ban shark fin soup in NYC; and participating in multiple Earth Day events.

About Sea Shepherd Conservation Society:
Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an International non-profit conservation organization whose mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protects ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicatelybalanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations. Founder and President Captain Paul Watson, also co-founder of Greenpeace Foundation, is a renowned, respected leader in environmental issues.

About Captain Paul Watson:
Captain Paul Watson has been an environmental activist since sabotaging fur traps in his native Canada at the age of nine. He was a co-founder of Greenpeace in 1972, and founded the Sea Shepherd conservation Society in 1977. He was one of the first people to put himself between a harpooner and a pod of whales, where his desire to defend all aquatic species became a lifetime vow when looking into the eye of a dying whale. The resolve of Captain Watson and his crew has led their ships into the farthest reaches of the world, from the Equator to the harshest polar seas. The current fleet, “Neptune’s Navy,” consists of the Sea Shepherd flagship vessel, the R/V Farley Mowat, the swift M/Y Robert Hunter, and a powerful pursuit boat, the Yoshka, now patrolling the Galapagos Islands.