Annual Canadian Seal Hunt

The Atlantic Cod industry was always somehow connected with the seal hunt. For the longest time, this was what sustained the eastern part of Canada. In 1992 the government set a moratorium on cod fishing because the catch was starting to be low. People tried blaming, or rather did blame the Harp seals, for the cod population decline, they didn't even consider over fishing being the cause. But... "The low cod population is not caused by Harp seals", said Biologists for the Science branch of the Fisheries and Oceans as well as 97 other Fishery biologists and researchers from Canada and 15 countries around the world. Despite what scientists argued the Canadian government increased the TAC (total allowable catch) of Harp seals from 186,000 in 1995 to 975,000 for the 2003-2005 seal hunts.

To go back in history a little bit, sealing has been around since the 17^th century, mostly for the oil. Between 1949 and 1961 the total catch was about 185,000 young seals and 70,000 adults. And before WWII, 90% of seals killed were between 6-10 days old. During the 1950's and 60's over hunting of seals killed almost 2/3 of the population. In 1967, the first Save the Seals campaign was put together and two years later the International Fund for animal Welfare (IFAW) was established. IFAW had offered to pay the sealers to stop hunting yet they did not accept. In 1974, finally even the government suggested suspending the hunt for 10 years, but that was denied and the hunt continued. Greenpeace's first protesting initiative was in 1976. In 1983 International ban on importing Canadian white coats into European Economic Community (EEC).

Five years ago, the Canadian government allowed sealers to go over the quota by 32,000 seals and extended the sealing season until June. Who exactly are these sealers? Sealing is the off season activity for fisherman on the East coast of Canada, (in this particular hunt) and it is being subsidized by the government. In the past seals were hunted for their fur, fuel and meat, now only meat consumed is 6,000 frozen flipper pies a year, and a few seals from "personal use" sealers yet the possible uses are salami, prime cuts even purses. To add on to the controversies around the seal hunt, is the penis trade with China. Canada turned to this trade because of the import ban on baby seal products to Europe, and because the U.S. closed its market for seal products, and the last reason, because the profit, or worth of each pelt decreases with each gun shot damage. Now on to the disturbing information about the landings and cruelty. Seals are killed using hakapiks. The carcasses are left on the ice to rot. The seals that are being killed are young seals, and they have absolutely no defense skills. Many still conscious when hooked, dragged and skinned. The recorded numbers of seals killed are the ones that go to processing plants, one that are killed or just injured and die later are not counted. For information on what you can do go to www.seashepherd.org.