The Canadian Seal Hunt

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

An independent veterinary study concluded that 42% seals may be skinned whilst still conscious. The Canadian government not only defends but also promotes this cruelty.

In 1983 the European Union banned the import of products made from ‘whitecoat’ harp and ‘blueback’ hooded seal pups.

As a result, in 1987, a Canadian Royal Commission recommended that the killing of these very young seal pups be prohibited. In 1993, Canada’s Marine Mammal Regulations were amended to prohibit the trade in whitecoat and blueback seal pups - this was intended to prevent the killing of these seals. In reality these measures just caused the goal posts to be moved.

It meant that harp seal pups could be legally killed as soon as they begin to shed their whitecoat, around 10 or 12 days after birth. Hooded seals could be killed when they shed their blueback pelt at about 15-16 months of age. However, on 5 May 2009 the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to ban the placing on the market of seal products throughout the EU following an extensive lobby from animal welfare organisations.  This means that a major market for seal fur has been closed and the influential European fashion houses will no longer be able to use seal fur.

The annual seal hunt in Canada has been subject to ‘management’ since the 1970’s but the annual quota has been based more on market demand than scientific evidence. It has steadily increased since the mid 90’s during which time new federal subsidies have encouraged sealers to kill more seals. The quota for 2009 was 280,000 seals (with 500,000 carried over from 2008 making a total of 320,000).  However the threat of the ban in the EU caused the price of seal pelts to drop from around 100 $Can to around 15 $Can and the total number of seals killed to date is less than 60,000.

The killing of what most would consider to still be ‘baby’ seals is offensive in itself but the methods of slaughter are horrific. Early in the season harp seals are still killed with clubs or hakapiks as they sit helpless on the ice, unable to escape as they still cannot survive in the water.  Later in the season they are shot both on the ice and in the water.  They are shot by fishermen, not marksmen.  The seals are on shifting ice floes and the sealers on moving boats, so many animals are only injured rather than killed.  Some injured seals try to escape by jumping into the water only to die horribly later.  As the quota is based on ‘landed catch’ these seals are not included in the figures so the amount that actually die is far greater than just the quota allowed.

The Canadian Government claims that the commercial seal hunt is humane and well regulated but independent veterinarians disagree. In 2001 a team observed sealers at work and examined carcasses left on the ice. They found that 79% of sealers did not check to see if an animal was dead before skinning it, in 40% of cases the animal had to be struck or shot a second time and that a staggering 42% of seal s were probably conscious when skinned. Despite evidence of this cruelty being passed to the Canadian authorities no prosecutions have resulted.

When deciding upon the number of seals to be killed, the Canadian Government is ignoring the change in weather patterns that are causing the ice in the main sealing areas to melt early and the pups to drown as they are unable to swim until they are much older. There is nothing to suggest that these changes may not be permanent and the effect that this could have on the harp seal population is unknown. Their response to most of the baby seals drowning in 2002 was to let the seal hunt overrun its quota as prices for seal products were higher than usual.  The appalling lack of ice in 2006 lead to a group of Members of the European Parliament writing to the Canadian Government urging them to reduce the quota of 325,000 due to the huge amount of ‘natural losses’.  They never even received an acknowledgement.  In 2007 in one hunting area it was estimated that there was 95% mortality of pups due to poor ice conditions but the hunters still went out and slaughtered the few survivors. 

For many years the notion of blaming the seals for the disappearance of the fish was promoted by those really responsible. Today many people, particularly in fishing communities in eastern Canada, still believe that the seals are at fault. The fact is that the seals have been used as a scapegoat.  Extensive research - and common sense - is beginning to destroy the simplistic myth of seals -v-cod. Even the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans has now moderated its position and now refers to the hunt in Canada as a commercial hunt for fur. 

There are many ways you can help end this barbaric hunt.  Please click here http://www.respectforanimals.co.uk/home.php/involved for details.

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