Hot Sauce on Cold Sea – Food for Change

World Premiere LIVE on YouTube

On September 25, 2025, Marie Sharp’s Europe, together with Sea Shepherd and director Stephan Schaar, celebrated the world premiere of the documentary “Hot Sauce on Cold Sea – Food for Change”. A film that shows how courageous people are working for our future on the high seas – and how closely our food, attitude, and responsibility are connected.

Watch the film – Live on YouTube

About the film

“Hot Sauce on Cold Sea” offers a rare insight into the work of Sea Shepherd – beyond the spectacular images of chases or direct confrontations. Instead, the film takes viewers aboard the Sea Eagle while it is in port: We get to know the crew, experience their everyday life, and hear why they fight – against illegal fishing, plastic waste, and ghost nets.

The film makes visible:
👉 the uncompromising commitment to endangered species and against poaching
👉 why a plant-based diet on board is not symbolism, but a logical consequence
👉 how morality, sustainability, and the power of everyday decisions are connected

Motivations and idea

For Marie Sharp’s Europe, food is never just about taste – it is about attitude. With this film, we want to open doors: to people, to stories, to principles. We believe that every meal and every purchasing decision can be part of a change.

That is exactly what FOOD FOR CHANGE means to us – what we eat affects the sea.

Current campaigns by Sea Shepherd

The premiere comes at a time when Sea Shepherd is fully active in the Mediterranean.

Last month, the seventh campaign to protect marine fauna in the Tyrrhenian Sea was launched. Together with the Italian authorities, the crew of the Sea Eagle was able to save lives and seize illegal fishing equipment already in the first few days.

🔹 Within just four days, over 15 km of abandoned longlines were recovered – with hundreds of deadly hooks for large fish.
🔹 A loggerhead sea turtle was freed in a dramatic nighttime operation and brought to the coast guard.
🔹 Several bluefin tuna, rays, and an 80 kg bluefin tuna were also released alive back into the sea.

The OPERATION SISO, launched in 2018, is considered a milestone in the fight against illegal, unregulated, and undocumented fishing. Through close cooperation with authorities, illegal fishing in the region has now decreased by 70%.

In addition to taking action against poachers, Sea Shepherd also systematically removes illegal Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) – huge plastic structures that attract entire schools of fish, contribute to overfishing, and introduce enormous amounts of plastic waste into the sea.

“Thanks to the patrols by Sea Shepherd and the cooperation with the Italian authorities, OPERATION SISO has achieved decisive success,” says Andrea Morello, President of Sea Shepherd Italy.

Why we made this film

With “Hot Sauce on Cold Sea,” we want to make exactly this reality visible – and at the same time show why we, as a food brand, take responsibility.

Our goal is to create insights, make the voices of the crew audible, and inspire people: to look, to ask questions, and to take responsibility in everyday life – whether by supporting organizations like Sea Shepherd or through conscious purchasing decisions.

Because what we eat affects the sea.
Marie Sharp’s Europe – FOOD FOR CHANGE.