Originally built as a Norwegian fisheries research and enforcement vessel, she was purchased by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in Edinburgh, Scotland, in August 1996.

Farley Mowat officially began her career in the waters off Costa Rica, immersed in controversy over policing actions against illegal fishing activities.

On 12 April 2008, Fisheries and Oceans Canada seized Farley Mowat in the Cabot Strait after the ship came near the seal hunt without an observation permit and two collisions with a coast guard vessel occurred.

Convicted in absentia in June 2009 on two counts each of approaching within 926 metres (0.575 mi) of a seal hunt, the pair were sentenced on 10 September 2009 to fines totaling Can$45,000.

[14] On 27 February 2009, the Canadian Crown-in-Council announced that Farley Mowat was being put up for sale to cover approximately Can$500,000 in berthing fees accrued since the April 2008 seizure.

[16] Farley Mowat arrived in Halifax on 18 December 2009 for refit and was towed to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia where she was tied up as of February 2010[update].

[17] It was reported[18] in November 2009 that the vessel has been sold for the sum of Can$5,000 to the Green Ship LLC subsidiary of Stephen Munson's organization Tenthmil to be used in a survey of the North Pacific Gyre.

[5] As of August 2010[update], Farley Mowat remained berthed in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia for a refit under the direction of Cliff Hodder.

Ten days later, on 29 December 2006, Farley Mowat cleared Australian Customs in Hobart, Tasmania, only hours before Belize struck her flag.

[11] In January 2015, Sea Shepherd USA purchased two recently decommissioned U.S. Coast Guard 110-foot (34 m) Island-class patrol boats, one of which has been christened the MY Farley Mowat.