The Only Flag Worth Flying with Captain Paul Watson and Sarah Levy

Join us this week for an engaging conversation with Sarah Levy and Captain Paul Watson as they discuss their groundbreaking book, The Only Flag Worth Flying: Direct Action and The Enforcement of International Marine Conservation Law. This episode dives into the critical challenges facing marine life and how the Captain Paul Watson Foundation is stepping in to fill enforcement gaps.

This episode explores:

• The dire state of marine life due to the diminishment of phytoplankton and its implications.
• The challenges of enforcing international marine conservation laws and the role of NGOs.
• Direct action strategies by the Captain Paul Watson Foundation to combat illegal operations.
• The impact of the High Seas Treaty and its enforcement challenges.
• The role of Indigenous governance and non-state actors in marine conservation.

ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Captain Paul Watson is a Canadian-American marine conservationist and founder of the Greenpeace Foundation, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and Captain Paul Watson Foun/dation. A pioneer in direct-action conservation, he has led numerous campaigns to protect marine wildlife globally. His work has been featured in series like Whale Wars and documentaries such as The Cove and Watson. Author of books like Ocean Warrior, he has received honors including the Amazon Peace Prize and the Jules Verne Medal for Conservation. Time magazine recognized him as one of the 100 Environmental Heroes of the 20th Century.

Sarah Levy is a legal scholar and educator focusing on marine conservation law, integrating environmental, animal, and Indigenous rights. Her work bridges scholarship and advocacy, examining law as both an instrument of oppression and a tool of resistance for ecological and interspecies justice. Currently a PhD candidate at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford, her research explores the impacts of conflating distinct sealing practices in Canada. Sarah holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Environmental Studies from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College, University of Toronto. Called to the Bar of Ontario, she teaches environmental and animal law at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford, and lectures at George Brown College, Toronto.

We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview.

_____________________________________________

Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content!

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review!

Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series.

Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky.

The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.