Coalition of animal protection groups calls for Irish support for seal import ban

Monday, October 06, 2008

11 am Monday 6 October 2008, Buswell’s Hotel, Dublin:

A coalition of Irish and international animal welfare groups has called upon the Irish Government and Irish MEPs to support a complete ban on all seal products.

A letter urging support for a complete ban was delivered to the Irish government by hand.

Respect for Animals together with the ISPCA, the Irish Seal Sanctuary and Humane Society International have joined together to call for support for a ban which is currently being discussed in the European Union.

The groups released film from the 2008 harp and grey seal hunt in Canada taken by Humane Society International.

The film, to be shown in Ireland for the first time, illustrates clearly why only a complete ban on the trade in products from such cruel hunts is acceptable.

Mark Glover Director of Respect for Animals and Humane Society International UK said today: “The people of Europe have all made their wishes abundantly clear - they want all seal imports into the EU to be banned. We need a comprehensive ban with no loopholes and we very much hope the Irish government will give its full support.

“I have seen the seal hunt with my own eyes. It is inherently cruel and no amount of regulation can change that. A seal product import ban is overdue and, until it is brought in, European politicians have the blood of the seals on their hands.”

The EU proposal to ban the trade in all seal products currently contains derogations that would allow the trade in products from hunts considered to be humane.

Mark Beazley CEO of the ISPCA said: “The ISPCA and other Irish animal welfare organisations welcome the European Commission’s initiative to address the welfare of seals and we are hopeful that the Irish Government, and in particular Minister John Gormley, will be supportive of it. We have remaining concerns that the proposal, as it is worded: 1) will be unenforceable due to the lack of definitions, unverifiable conditions of the seal hunts and monitoring obstacles, 2) will not stop the commercial trade in the EU in inhumanely obtained seal products nor meet the animal welfare concerns of EU citizens,
3) will not provide harmonisation at the strictest level of existing national legislations which the proposal aims for since existing national bans (Belgium, NL, Slovenia) are complete trade bans without derogation.”

Brendan Price, Director of the Irish Seal Sanctuary said: “For over a decade now the Irish Seal Sanctuary has met annually with the Canadian Embassy representing the concerns of Irish people about the seal hunt together with Canadian anti-seal hunt groups.  Aware of the Ireland/Newfoundland partnership, ISS seeks to find economic alternatives for the fishing communities of the Maritimes.  ISS is seeking support from Minister John Gormley and national politicians - who are currently out of step with or MEPs. We want to work constructively with our Canadian friends to end this hunt and bring some peace and prosperity to the Maritimes.”

Ends

Editors notes:

In 2006 a Written Declaration calling for an EU ban on the seal product
trade was passed with the endorsement of 425 MEPs, including ALL Irish MEPs.

In 2007, Ireland imported more than 3,000 sealskins.

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