As members of canadian society, and an animal rights notforprofit incorporation, we have always believed that canada has represented itself as a progressive nation but such progression should not include sacrificing and inhumanely killing innocent life for making profit. The commercial seal hunt, canadas national shame youtube. Government of canada establishes atlantic seal task team fisheries and oceans dfo canada. The provinces seal hunt has been through some difficult seasons in recent years. C h needs your help with teach kids about seals and the seal hunt. When inuit kill seals, it is primarily for their meat, and adult seals are the usual targets. Most of the seals killed in recent years have been younger than one month old. The standardized threestep method for the humane killing of seals, outlined in methods, was included in the conditions of license for the canadian harp seal hunt in spring 2009, the same year it became entrenched in the marine mammal regulations of canadas federal government. There are no words to explain the horror of beating these baby seals and skinning them still alive. Canada allowed 400,000 harp sealsjust days older than this oneto be hunted. This annual massacre takes the lives of hundreds of thousands of harp seal pups each year. Mar 08, 2016 it is difficult to extrapolate costs related strictly to the seal harvest.
Activists urge justin trudeau to phase out canadas. This season, the seal hunt is gaining more attention than usual because seal hunt advocates recently challenged the european union to lift their ban on seal products. At the end of the survey, after having discussed issues surrounding the seal hunt in atlantic canada, a plurality of canadians 44% support closing the commercial seal hunt, and only allowing hunting by aboriginals and others for personal or subsistence use. The 2008 canadian seal hunt kill quota was 275 000. These sleek swimmers cruise the chilly waters and feed on fish and. Harp seals are the victims of the largest slaughter of marine mammals in the world. Pinnipeds are found all over the world, and there are 33 known species of them. Last year, canada exported nearly 203,000 raw seal pelts overseas, the bulk of them to customers in norway, finland and greenland. As fisheries and oceans canada notes, canadas seal population is healthy and abundant.
Seal is a great example of this there are tons of them in canada and they are not at all at threat of becoming endangered. Ice conditions have been hazardous and the cost of insurance has gone up to the point many sealers dont bother to go hunting. Canada s seal hunting methods have been studied and approved by the royal commission on seals and sealing, which found that the methods used in the seal hunt compare favourably to those used to hunt other wild animals, and. No management and no planis a report written by greenpeace scientists from the greenpeace research laboratories at the university of exeter in the united kingdom. The indigenous people of canada who hunt seals for subsistence purposes are not restricted by the commercial seal hunt quota. Indian trade authorities have slapped a ban on imports of seal products, just as canada. There are two main reasons for the canadian harp seal hunt. Canadian seal hunt is humane, study argues the star. Harp seals spend relatively little time on land and prefer to swim in the north atlantic and arctic oceans. Takepart is the digital news and lifestyle magazine from participant media, the company behind such acclaimed documentaries as. When newfoundland joined canada in 1949, its seal hunt became canadas seal hunt.
An ethical critique of the canadian seal hunt and an examination. That said, the canadian government usually prohibits hunting activity between midmay and the beginning of april, according to aldworth, which is when mothers give birth and nurse their pups. Comedy arts music books docs life parents kids kids news indigenous archives mycbc. However, very little information is available on this subject in the scientific literature. Since canada s annual seal hunt is the largest killing spree of marine mammals in the world, opposition to the seal hunt should begin with that country.
The fact that the people of canada rarely consume the meat from the seals they kill indicate that they dont engage in the behavior as a means of survival either. To inform the ethical debate on the annual seal hunt, wwf promoted the establishment of an independent expert panel of veterinarians to assess the treatment of harp seals during the course of the hunt, including the manner in which seals are hunted. In contrast to many populations of whales, cod and other species that are in dramatic decline in canada, the harp seal is found in record high numbers over five million individuals, so that the current hunt poses no apparent threat to the longterm health of this species. Canadas annual seal hunt draws sealers and sceptics as canadas annual seal hunt begins, philip sherwell visits a newfoundland community at the heart of an international row. Thousands of sealers armed with clubs, rifles and spears headed for the ice floes off eastern canada yesterday for the worlds largest seal hunt. The canadian department of fisheries and oceans dfo regulates the seal hunt in canada. As a matter of fact, there is a possibility that the atlantic cod will never recover. I will never visit canada again after seeing the horrific seal hunt canada allows. The industry continued to decline through the world wars when sealing ships were claimed for other pursuits and during the depression. In fact, depending on the condition of the ice flows, the sealers may have little difficulty. Inuit seal hunting accounts for the majority of the seal hunt, but just three percent of the hunt in southern canada. The seal hunt would have come to an end many decades ago without the money that has gone to keeping it on artificial life support. Markets reopened after wwii, when the hunt again became profitable, primarily because of demands for oil, fur and leather. Speaking of sustainability, seals are part of the reason why fish stocks are very low although overfishing is also a big issue and the seal hunt not only.
Courtney, who also hunts deer, moose and ducks, says the seal hunt is the same as any other hunting season. For more on the history of the seal hunt visit canadian geographic or read the book of men and seals by. It attempts to evaluate the scientific and political bases for the authorisation and. For more on the history of the seal hunt visit canadian geographic or read the book of men and seals by james e.
At least on the atlantic coast, a byproduct of the seal hunt is that thousands of pounds of seal meat, seal bones and seal organs will end up tossed into the ocean. The hunting season lasts from midnovember to midmay, but the hunt mainly occurs in march and april. If they have excess pelts, they often sell or give them away in their own communities. When cruelty is normal, protecting trade bans and fighting for seals is crucial. Canadas 2008 annual commercial seal hunt in the gulf of st. Introduction the canadian commercial seal hunt is the largest marine mammal hunt in the world. It has become apparent that the liberal government of canada holds no regard for the welfare, or the very survival of the harp and hooded seals species. In fact, the videotape evidence of the 2005 seal hunt reveals, inter alia, that seals are. A harp seal pup clings to the ice in the gulf of st. Lawrence seal hunt, remi clarke steered his 46foot diane rose away from the ice floes and back toward his home wharf on the northeastern tip of quebecs magdalen islands. This has largely stemmed from increased international focus on the seal hunt and increased lobby efforts from antisealing groups, the document states. Animal welfare and the harp seal hunt in atlantic canada. But theres simply no market to absorb the meat from 70,000 seals per year. Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals.
Antiseal hunt rhetoric ignores facts and suppresses indigenous. Canadian seal hunt begins earlier than usual the dodo. Canadas seal hunt is the worlds largest hunt for marine mammals some animal rights groups were given observer permits and monitored the hunt. This is despite the fact that canada has banned the killing of whitecoated seals since 1987, and that the inuit never killed white coats. Estimated size of the seal herd off atlantic canada. Showing the human side of seal hunting washington post. An ethical critique of the canadian seal hunt and an examination of the case for import controls on seal products andrew linzey summary of main points. About the canadian seal hunt the humane society of the. United states is the largest buyer of seafood in canada, so if we can convince them to stop the trade in seafood until it ceases seal hunt, quite possibly canada reconsider if really makes them follow the same path and risk having multibilliondollar losses or finally change their attitude and stop exercising this wild and unnecessary activity. For many communities in canada and beyond, seal hunting is part of the social fabric, says photographer yoanis menge. January 22nd 09 amendments to the seal hunt the facts 2009 canadian seal hunt.
The majority of commercial seal hunting occurs in canada, where millions of seals have been killed for their fur, according to the humane society of the united states. The majority of seals killed in this governmentsubsidized massacre are babies between 12 days and 12monthsold. Canadas commercial seal hunt animal studies repository. This season, the seal hunt is gaining more attention than usual because seal hunt advocates recently challenged. The canadian seal hunt, as a controversial topic, has become a wicked problem because of the existing conflict between the animal welfare organizations and the stakeholders. Canada s seal hunt is the worlds largest hunt for marine mammals. Your recent decision to authorize the slaughter of more than a million seals over the next three years is outrageous and indefensible. The grey seals have been commercially hunted for their fur in canadas east. Much attention has been given over the years to animal welfare issues surrounding the seal hunt in atlantic canada. The book recounts his numerous confrontations with seal hunters and. This is 5000 more seals than 2007s kill quota of 270 000. When newfoundland joined canada in 1949, its seal hunt became canada s seal hunt.
Learn about the cruel, ecologically irresponsible, and totally unnecessary seal hunt on. The honourable gail shea, minister of fisheries and oceans, opened the canadian seal hunt amid protests by animal rights groups, at a time when. Those involved with the hunt, including hunters, inuits and the fur industry, maintain that it is a sustainable, ethical and important tradition. This book is however not an ethnographic study on the seal hunt, but. About the canadian seal hunt the humane society of the united. Seal hunt earth sciences bibliographies cite this for me. The government agency responsible for managing the seal hunt, the department of fisheries and oceans, has a history of using seals as scapegoats when they failed to manage fisheries well. About a decade ago, canada adopted a series of new regulations for the hunt. E book or pdf edited book email encyclopedia article govt. Canada, where most of the worlds seal hunting takes place, namibia, the danish region of greenland, iceland, norway and russia. Most will become garments, like the winter jacket hanging in.
Harp seals are the primary target of the commercial seal hunt, and to a much smaller extent, hooded seals are also killed. Most of the worlds seal hunting takes place in canada and greenland. Seal hunting can take place year round in canada, but since most hunters target babies for their fur, they wait until spring, when the seal pups are born. Newfoundland and labradors seal hunt has been through some difficult seasons in recent years. Harp seals are the primary target of the commercial seal hunt, and to a. Mar 04, 2015 the industry continued to decline through the world wars when sealing ships were claimed for other pursuits and during the depression. It attempts to evaluate the scientific and political bases for the authorisation and management of the current commercial seal. Antihunting groups noted that, in fact, well over one million seals were.
Fisheries and oceans canada supports and regulates the seal harvest and is committed to ensuring it is sustainable, vance chow, a communications advisor for fisheries and oceans canada, told the dodo. As members of canadian society, and an animal rights notforprofit incorporation, we have always believed that canada has represented itself as a progressive nation but such progression should not include sacrificing and inhumanely killing innocent life for making profit or products. Each year, tens of thousands of harp seals are slaughtered in a massive commercial hunt on canada s ice floes in the north atlantic. The meat is eaten, the fat is used for a variety of products, and the skin is sold so that these people can support themselves. However, the difference between them and canada is that they do pay close attention to limits.
An ethical critique of the canadian seal hunt and an examination of the case for import controls on seal products. An ethical critique of the canadian seal hunt and an. Sep 27, 2017 for many communities in canada and beyond, seal hunting is part of the social fabric, says photographer yoanis menge. Quebec photographer shows the human side of sealing. Seal hunt controversy, last edited december 10, 20. There are some other locations out there where seal hunting is still legal. Seal information, anatomy, reproduction, feeding, habitat and conservation. Justin trudeaus government has come under renewed pressure to ban seal hunting after it emerged that canada is spending far more on monitoring seal hunts than it. Aug 14, 2019 the sustainable management of canadian fisheries is important to fish harvesters whose livelihoods are supported by the ocean. May 03, 20 those involved with the hunt, including hunters, inuits and the fur industry, maintain that it is a sustainable, ethical and important tradition.
Animal welfare and the harp seal hunt in atlantic canada pierreyves daoust,alice crook,trent k. The canadian seal hunt is the largest marine mammal hunt in the world. This slaughter continues for many reasons including the value of the pelts, government propaganda, and pride in this socalled tradition. Canadian seal pup hunt begins world news the guardian. This book chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the humane society institute for science and policy. Dec 10, 20 seal hunt controversy on the second day of the st.
Recently, people found that the population of seal pups has decreased precipitously an introduction, n. Each year, tens of thousands of harp seals are slaughtered in a massive commercial hunt on canadas ice floes in the north atlantic. The seal hunt provides such low economic return for sealers that it is not an economically viable industry. Hampered by heavy fog and slim pickings, his plan was to dock the vessel for a night or two, unload the 81 pelts his crew did collect, and then head back to sea for another try. The canadian government allows sealers to kill whitecoat seals. Canada spends millions of dollars on moneylosing baby seal hunt. Canadian seal hunt student research on environment and. Hunters gather pelts as the annual east coast seal hunt starts in the southern gulf of st. Facts about seals, leopard seal, harp seal, weddell seal, monk seal. Protest the canadian seafood industry by refusing to purchase snow crabs, cod, shrimp, lobsters, salmon, scallops and other seafood caught in that country.
He has written or edited 20 books, including major works on animals. Register of shipping only showed one fulltime sealing vessel on its books. Some inuit may sell excess pelts for commercial gain, but this is by no means a major industry for the inuit, nor does it compare to the commercial seal hunt of newfoundland and labrador. Lawrence and around newfoundland, quebec and nova scotia began on march 28. Home i hope this educates people of the truth on the seal hunt in canada. As the 2011 commercial seal hunt winds down in canada, the issue is once again heating up in europe. However, very little information is available on this subject in the scientific. I will try and put the facts of other hunts around the world later. Nov 19, 2017 the commercial seal hunt, canadas national shame.
Nov 09, 2012 courtney, who also hunts deer, moose and ducks, says the seal hunt is the same as any other hunting season. Canada s government has a long history of funding and promoting the commercial seal hunt. An introduction to the canadian seal hunt harp seal. It is an important economic and cultural activity in communities in atlantic canada, quebec and the arctic. Canadas annual seal hunt draws sealers and sceptics. Furcanada atlantic canada seal hunt myths and realities. There are two major seal hunts in canada, one in the arctic sea seals hunted by inuit people and one on the east coast a commercial seal hunt. Campbell,james wong abstract much attention has been given over the years to animal welfare issues surrounding the seal hunt in atlantic canada. Fully 97 percent of the harp seals killed are pups under just three months of age.