The Canadian Seal Hunt is On

Many seal pups have already drowned due to lack of sea ice and some experts estimate the mortality rate could exceed 90%. Despite this rate, the Canadian Government announced that 270,000 seals can be killed in this years hunt. That number is said to exceed the number of seals that can be taken without causing a population decline. Over 1 million seals have been killed during the hunts of the past three years. Canada maintains that the hunts do not threaten the seal population.

Protests have increased around the world but have not convinced the Canadian government to end the annual hunts. Activist groups decided years ago to take the protests to another level and they initiated boycotts of Canadian seafood. Many celebrities have joined the protests and the boycotts in the past, including:
Brigitte Bardot, Mick Jagger, Martin Sheen, and Pierce Brosnan. Last year Paul McCartney and his estranged wife Heather Mills journeyed to the ice floes to witness the hunt and to protest. Jimmy Buffett has joined the Canadian seafood boycott and announced that Margaritaville cafés will not be serving Canadian seafood until the government stops the hunt permanently.

Sealhunt.ca explains why the seafood boycott is more effective than a boycott of other Canadian goods:

"...targeting Canadian seafood has a number of advantages over other goods and services. First, and most important, the sealers themselves and the sealing industry are components of the larger Canadian fishing industry. By boycotting Canadian seafood, a consumer is directly affecting those who go to the ice to profit from the slaughter of seals."

According to the Humane Society of the United States, about 75% of Canadian Seafood is exported to the United States and brings about three billion dollars (Canadian) to the Canadian economy. The seal hunt brings Canada only a few million dollars. The fishermen who take part in the hunt make most of their annual income off of the fishing industry.

More countries are responding to public upset over the seal hunts and this may strongly impact the Canada's fishing industry. In January, Belgium banned the import of all Canadian seal products. Germany, one of the top three importers of Canadian seal pelts, is also considering a ban. The European Commission, however, has been hesitant to call for an EU-wide ban on all seal products. Europe has banned the white pelts of baby seals since 1983. The United States has banned seal products from Canada since 1972.

sources: http://www.maximsnews.com; http://www.sealhunt.ca/