What We Are Doing About the Slaughter Sea Shepherd is Mounting an Intense Wordwide Publicity Campaign Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been opposing the Japanese dolphin slaughter since 1981 when Captain Paul Watson successfully negotiated a decade long cessation to the dolphin kills at Iki Island. In 2003, crewmembers of Sea Shepherd's Taiji Dolphin Campaign filmed and photographed the slaughter in Taiji bay. The world - including many Japanese citizens - saw for the first time, the horrendous brutality of this slaughter of beautiful creatures. These horrible images shocked, stunned and enraged many into action. Sea Shepherd crewmembers dove into the water and cut the holding nets to free 15 of the dolphins awaiting slaughter. VIEW VIDEO  These crewmembers spent 23 days in jail and were charged with "forceful interference with Japanese commerce." This year Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is mounting an intense publicity campaign: