Photo story: Green warriors

Since 1971, Greenpeace has been fighting environmental degradation, condemning environmental criminals and challenging governments and corporations that fail to safeguard our environment and ultimately our future.

Every year, tuna fish come to reproduce in the warm Mediterranean waters. And every year, a fleet of fishing vessels races to catch them, encircling whole schools with nets known as “purse-seines.”

The Rainbow Warrior, one of the Greenpeace's most popular ships, spent two weeks in the bluefin tuna fishing grounds, monitoring that the fishing season's designated closing date was enforced. 

Photographer Guilio di Sturco stepped aboard the Rainbow Warrior to document Greenpeace's Mediterranean mission. Here is what he found:

Greenpeace monitors the end of the purse seine fishing season on board Rainbow Warrior. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Francois, manager of the campaign, on board the Rainbow Warrior in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta, in June 2009. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace activists survey a Turkish tuna vessel fishing in the bluefin tuna fishing grounds of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

On board the Rainbow Warrior in the bluefin tuna fishing grounds of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Vlad in the engine room of the Rainbow Warrior in the Mediterranean Sea. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

The crew meets to decide what action to take next on board the Rainbow Warrior. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

A Greenpeace member monitors the end of the purse seine fishing season on board the Rainbow Warrior in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

A French vessel fishes for tuna in the bluefin tuna fishing grounds of the Mediterranean Sea. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace activists during an action against a Spanish boat carrying illegal tuna fish. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

A South Korean vessel carrying fish to feed the tuna, in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace activists survey a tuna vessel fishing in the Mediterranean Sea. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Crew members of a Turkish tuna vessel watch Greenpeace activists as they survey the boat in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace activists during an action against a Spanish boat carrying illegal tuna fish. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace activists during an action against a Spanish boat carrying illegal tuna fish, in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace activists survey a Spanish boat carrying illegal tuna fish in the Mediterranean Sea. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

A Greenpeace member on board the Rainbow Warrior. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace activists survey a Turkish tuna vessel in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace activists survey a Turkish tuna vessel in the Mediterranean Sea. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

A large tuna cage in the bluefin tuna fishing grounds of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Crew members launch a small boat off the Rainbow Warrior in the Mediterranean Sea. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace activists survey boats fishing in the bluefin tuna fishing grounds of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Bartolomeo Asaro, a large Sicilian boat, fishes for tuna in the bluefin tuna fishing grounds of the Mediterranean Sea. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

A Greenpeace crew member on board the Rainbow Warrior in the Mediterranean Sea. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

Greenpeace monitors the end of the purse seine fishing season on board the Rainbow Warrior in the bluefin tuna fishing grounds of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta. (Giulio di Sturco/VII Mentor/ GlobalPost)

About the photographer:

Giulio di Sturco is a 29-year-old Italian photographer who divides his time between Milan and New Delhi. He studied photography at the European Institute of Design and Visual Arts in Rome, and has covered North-American issues for many Italian magazines such as D (La Repubblica delle Donne), Internazionale, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, Anna, Amica, Geo, lEspresso and others from his base in Canada and New York. In November 2007, he won the first edition of the Reporters Without Borders contest "A Better World" and, in February 2009, he won a World Press Photo award (1st Prize, singles) in the Arts and Entertainment category.