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Mustang Survival personal flotation suit

Date2008

Object number00055518

NameSuit

MediumSynthetic fabric

DimensionsOverall: 1710 × 570 mm, 2100 g

ClassificationsVessels and fittings

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Collection

Terms

DescriptionSea Shepherd Australia used Mustang survival suits to protect themselves from the Antarctic elements during the 2007-2010 period of direct action engagements related to Southern Ocean whaling activities. Sea Shepherd Australia has since moved away from direct action engagements, preferring to work with governments and raise awareness peacefully. HistoryCaptain Paul Watson established Sea Shepherd in 1977 in Vancouver, Canada with the simple yet ambitious ambition to 'protect and conserve all marine wildlife'. From the outset Sea Shepard strove to make a positive and effective impact on marine conservation by approaching the problem with direct action. This involved the use of innovative and invasive tactics that tried to physically prevent whalers, fishermen or hunters from reaching their prey. Sea Shepard relied on these often dangerous methods to enforce change rather than more traditional methods of mass advertising, mail outs or fund raising to create global awareness for their cause. Although laws began to change to protect marine species, they were often difficult to enforce in open waters and as breaches of the law continued, Sea Shepherd's methods regularly drew more media attention and gained more support and more criticism. The most well-known of Sea Shepherd’s ongoing campaigns was against Japanese whaling in the Southern Oceans. The organisation first went to Antarctica in 2007 were they encountered the hostile environmental conditions of the region and engaged in some of the most volatile direct action activity of its history. By intercepting the large Japanese research ships in small rubber boats they experienced threats to life and equipment. In one instance two activists, Benjamin Potts and Giles Lane, were held hostage by the Japanese during an attempt to board their vessel. Sea Shepherd was charged with international piracy by the Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research yet they continued their pursuit of Japanese whaling vessels in Antarctic waters, refusing to accept that the ICR conducts whaling activities for research purposes. In 2015, they were ordered to pay the Institute of Cetacean Research USD $2.55 million in restitution by the US Supreme Court. The incident gained world media attention and has become synonymous with Sea Shepherd’s ongoing fight with the whale research industry. Sea Shepherd continues to protect the marine environment and enforce international conservation laws. Their protection covers all marine life and threats and now also includes illegal fishing, oil spills, marine pollution and assisting more vulnerable countries in protecting their waters.SignificanceSea Shepherd Australia is a non-profit conservation organisation whose mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd Australia used innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. Their current mission is to safeguard the biodiversity of our delicately balanced oceanic ecosystems and ensure their survival for future generations.