New EU Trade Resolution to Protect Seals Welcomed

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Respect for Animals, the Humane Society International (UK) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) today (6 September) welcome a new European Parliament resolution backing a ban on seal products as a vital step towards ending Canada’s cruel commercial seal hunt.

Respect for Animals, IFAW and other groups successfully lobbied more than half of all MEPs to sign a Written Declaration calling for an end to the trade in seal products. More than 367 MEPs signed Written Declaration 38, which will now be forwarded to the European Commission and the Council of Ministers, demanding that a ban is implemented.

Canada’s annual commercial seal hunt is now bigger than it has been for 50 years, with more than 333,000 harp seals killed in this year’s hunt alone, either by being clubbed or shot. Of these, 95% are under three months of age. They are killed mainly so their fur can be used in the fashion industry.

A recent scientific report concluded that if Canada continues to set such high quotas for the hunt, it risks depleting the harp seal population by more than 70% within the next 15 years.

Respect for Animals, the Humane Society International (UK) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) believe that a European ban will help their campaign to end the hunt by reducing demand for products. It will also send an important message to the Canadian government that the UK and the rest of Europe want no part in this hunt.

Mark Glover, Director of Respect for Animals and the Humane Society International (UK) added: ‘Members of the European Parliament have clearly reflected the wishes of the people of Europe.

‘Europe must now act, and act quickly, otherwise the blood of yet another 300,000 slaughtered seal pups will be on our hands next year.’

Robbie Marsland, director of IFAW UK, said: ‘We are delighted that this declaration has been adopted by the European Parliament. IFAW opposes Canada’s commercial seal hunt because it is cruel, unnecessary and unsustainable.

‘Many people in the UK are shocked when they find out it is currently legal to sell seal products here and elsewhere in Europe. Following the European Parliament’s actions, we hope that won’t be the case for much longer.’

Caroline Lucas MEP, one of five MEPs who initiated the Written Declaration, said: ‘This is fantastic news, which brings us a significant step closer to ending the cruel and entirely unnecessary slaughter of hundreds of thousands of seals in Canada and Russia every year.

‘I am delighted that a majority of MEPs from all political groups and EU member nations have agreed that this barbaric practice must be ended - and the onus is now on the European Commission to act immediately, as MEPs have demanded, before next year’s hunt.’

The five MEPs who initiated the Written Declaration are:

Caroline Lucas (UK, Green/European Free Alliance)
Carl Schlyter (Sweden, Green/European Free Alliance)
Paulo Casaca (Portugal, Party of European Socialists)
Karl-Heinz Florenz (Germany, European People’s Party)
Mojca Drcar Murko (Slovenia, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe)

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