The industry continued to decline through the world wars when sealing ships were claimed for other pursuits and during the depression. However, the difference between them and canada is that they do pay close attention to limits. There are no words to explain the horror of beating these baby seals and skinning them still alive. Fully 97 percent of the harp seals killed are pups under just three months of age. Careful observation of seals from humans has allowed us to learn a great deal about them. Harp seals form the majority of the atlantic hunt, and in 2012, the canadian government estimated there were 7. For more on the history of the seal hunt visit canadian geographic or read the book of men and seals by james. They spread false information about the hunt and manipulate people into donations on account of the hunt.
Home i hope this educates people of the truth on the seal hunt in canada. For many communities in canada and beyond, seal hunting is part of the social fabric, says photographer yoanis menge. This slaughter continues for many reasons including the value of the pelts, government propaganda, and pride in this socalled tradition. 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. Each year, tens of thousands of harp seals are slaughtered in a massive commercial hunt on canadas ice floes in the north atlantic.
Hunting methods were studied by the royal commission on seals and sealing in canada and it found that the clubbing of seals, when properly performed, is at. Here is a list of local book publishers who have supported the csa and have excellent book choices about the history of the sealing industry. Learn about the cruel, ecologically irresponsible, and totally unnecessary seal hunt on. The process involves immense violence, has questionable reasoning, methods and regulations, and is performed on a large scale. Each year during the canadian seal hunt, a part of the hunting season, thousands of harp seals are slaughtered. However, very little information is available on this subject in the scientific literature.
I will try and put the facts of other hunts around the world later. Notice to all sealers and fish harvesters seal fishery opening april 9, 2019 dfo advises newfoundland and labrador seal harvesters that the seal fishery will reopen in sealing areas 4 to 23 and. Dec 10, 20 seal hunt controversy on the second day of the st. Furcanada atlantic canada seal hunt myths and realities. An introduction to the canadian seal hunt harp seals. An independent team of veterinary experts studied canadas commercial seal hunt. Nov 19, 2017 the commercial seal hunt, canadas national shame. Animal rights groups currently campaigning against the seal hunt cite a 2004 ipsos. It is an important economic and cultural activity in communities in atlantic canada, quebec and the arctic. 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. The book recounts his numerous confrontations with seal hunters and their supporters, including canadian police, many of which led to. The meat was an important source of fat, protein, vitamin a, vitamin b 12 and iron, and the pelts were prized for their warmth. Recently, people found that the population of seal pups has decreased precipitously an introduction, n.
Estimated size of the seal herd off atlantic canada. I will never visit canada again after seeing the horrific seal hunt canada allows. Once the canadian ice allows hunters to navigate it, they begin seeking out the seals. When newfoundland joined canada in 1949, its seal hunt became canadas seal hunt. Canadas government has a long history of funding and promoting the commercial seal hunt. Indian trade authorities have slapped a ban on imports of seal products, just as canada s commercial sealers gear up for the annual east coast seal hunt. The canadian seal hunt is the largest marine mammal hunt in the world.
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. Food, as you may know, is extremely expensive in the arctic, and there are limited jobs in that area, or in the maritimes. The honourable gail shea, minister of fisheries and oceans, opened the canadian seal hunt amid protests by animal rights groups, at a time when bans on seal product imports are becoming more. Traditionally, when an inuit boy killed his first seal or caribou, a feast was held. Their report concluded that in 42% of the cases they examined, the seal did not show enough evidence of cranial injury to even guarantee unconsciousness at the time of skinning. 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. 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. The majority of canadians are opposed to the seal hunt. Cbc radio show the broadcast travelled to quebec city this week to showcase the incredible wide range of culinary. Seal hunt controversy, last edited december 10, 20. The majority of seals killed in this governmentsubsidized massacre are babies between 12 days and 12monthsold. 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.
Canadian seal hunt student research on environment and. Animal welfare and the harp seal hunt in atlantic canada. There are 18 known species of true seals or earless seals out there that have been identified. 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. Your recent decision to authorize the slaughter of more than a million seals over the next three years is outrageous and indefensible. Newborn seals have yellow fur because of amniotic fluid, and are still wet. This has largely stemmed from increased international focus on the seal hunt and increased lobby efforts from antisealing groups, the document states. However, very little information is available on this subject in the scientific. 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. The tyee is supported by readers like you join us and grow independent media in canada. More than eight in ten 82% respondents are less likely to support the seal hunt when informed that the major reason for the renewed commercial seal hunt is the growing market for seal penises which are sold as aphrodisiacs in asian markets. Harp seal harp seals spend relatively little time on land and prefer to swim in the north atlantic and arctic oceans. About a decade ago, canada adopted a series of new regulations for the hunt.
This annual massacre takes the lives of hundreds of thousands of harp seal pups each year. 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. Due to moral concerns more than half the worlds markets are closed to commercial seal products. This book chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the humane society institute for science and policy. 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. Canada spends millions of dollars on moneylosing baby seal hunt. 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. Canadian seal hunt is humane, study argues the star. Canadas commercial seal hunt animal studies repository. Mar 08, 2016 it is difficult to extrapolate costs related strictly to the seal harvest. 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.
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. Campbell,james wong abstract much attention has been given over the years to animal welfare issues surrounding the seal hunt in atlantic canada. It is difficult to extrapolate costs related strictly to the seal harvest. Most will become garments, like the winter jacket hanging in. Thousands of sealers armed with clubs, rifles and spears headed for the ice floes off eastern canada yesterday for the worlds largest seal hunt. When newfoundland joined canada in 1949, its seal hunt became canada s seal hunt. In fact, canadians support federal policies regarding the seal hunt. 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. An independent team of veterinary experts studied canada s commercial seal hunt.
Introduction the seal hunt in canada is a serious environmental issue that draws a lot of public and media attention. Mar 07, 2007 the tyee is supported by readers like you join us and grow independent media in canada. Canadas seal hunt is the worlds largest hunt for marine mammals. Hunting seals may ignite outrage abroad, but it is one of the few issues supported by virtually every canadian mp, regardless of region or party. May 14, 20 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. Register of shipping only showed one fulltime sealing vessel on its books. Seal information, anatomy, reproduction, feeding, habitat and. Canada s 2008 annual commercial seal hunt in the gulf of st.
The canadian seal hunt has been protested by animal rights activists for over 50 years now. 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. Last year, canada exported nearly 203,000 raw seal pelts overseas, the bulk of them to customers in norway, finland and greenland. Harp seals are the primary target of the commercial seal hunt, and to a. Ice conditions have been hazardous and the cost of insurance has gone up to. For more on the history of the seal hunt visit canadian geographic or read the book of men and seals by james e. Canadian seal pup hunt begins world news the guardian. The long white fur of newborn harp seals whitecoats, which starts being shed at about 14 d of age, was particularly prized. Seal skin coats the seal wars of the past 3 decades changed the landscape of the once strong commercial market. Activists urge justin trudeau to phase out canadas failing seal industry this article is more than 4 years old. Government of canada establishes atlantic seal task team.
This trend continues today and in most cases, seal carcasses are left to rot on the ice. 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. Canadian seal hunt begins earlier than usual the dodo. Showing the human side of seal hunting washington post. Lawrence and around newfoundland, quebec and nova scotia began on march 28. Just sign the back and hand them to supermarket managers and restaurant managerschefswaiters where canadian seafood is sold.
Harp seals are the primary target of the commercial seal hunt, and to a much smaller extent, hooded seals are also killed. 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. Deliver the canadian seafood boycott message in person with our action cards. Its been shown in montreal and other quebec venues, as well. 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. A harp seal pup rests on a greatly diminished ice pack in the gulf of saint lawrence. Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals.
Activists urge justin trudeau to phase out canadas. The hunting season lasts from midnovember to midmay, but the hunt mainly occurs in march and april. Seal hunting is currently practiced in ten countries. First its called a thin whitecoat, and when it becomes visibly fatter it is a fat whitecoat nursing lasts for about 12 days.
Apr 16, 2015 the canadian commercial seal hunt is the largest slaughter of marine mammals on the planet. Canada allowed 400,000 harp sealsjust days older than this oneto be hunted. Reid poll stating that the majority of canadians are opposed to the hunt. United states above the arctic circle in alaska, canada, namibia, denmark in selfgoverning greenland only, iceland, norway, russia, finland and sweden. Canada s seal hunt is the worlds largest hunt for marine mammals. Canada, where most of the worlds seal hunting takes place, namibia, the danish region of greenland, iceland, norway and russia.
The animal rights activists will have you believe that the seal hunt is inhumane, but this is not the case. The amniotic stain fades and the fur turns white within a few days, and it gets the name whitecoat. 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. Candow published by the canadian government in 1989. Markets reopened after wwii, when the hunt again became profitable, primarily because of demands for oil, fur and leather. About the canadian seal hunt the humane society of the united. The newfoundland seal hunt is transparently and demonstrably sustainable and humane. 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. The seal hunt provides such low economic return for sealers that it is not an economically viable industry. It should not be interpreted as endorsing the current management practices used by the canadian government in their attempts to regulate this industry. The seal hunt is a very important canadian industry for the people who depend on it. Menge won the trust of several newfoundland sealing crews and the photos from those trips became a book and an exhibit called hakapik.
Each year, tens of thousands of harp seals are slaughtered in a massive commercial hunt on canada s ice floes in the north atlantic. Most of the worlds seal hunting takes place in canada and greenland. Animal welfare and the harp seal hunt in atlantic canada pierreyves daoust,alice crook,trent k. A harp seal pup clings to the ice in the gulf of st. Seals are pinnipeds, semi aquatic marine mammals closely related to sea lions and walruses. These 2 species, but particularly the harp seal because of its large numbers, have been the basis of the seal hunt in atlantic canada for more than 200 y 1.
It attempts to evaluate the scientific and political bases for the authorisation and management of the current commercial seal. The commercial seal hunt, canadas national shame youtube. 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. These sleek swimmers cruise the chilly waters and feed on fish and crustaceans. Demand for seal products has fallenso why do canadians. Canadas 2008 annual commercial seal hunt in the gulf of st. About the canadian seal hunt the humane society of the. Hunters gather pelts as the annual east coast seal hunt starts in the southern gulf of st. Harp seals are the victims of the largest slaughter of marine mammals in the world. The canadian department of fisheries and oceans dfo regulates the seal hunt in canada. Newfoundland and labradors seal hunt has been through some difficult seasons in recent years. Indian trade authorities have slapped a ban on imports of seal products, just as canada. Much attention has been given over the years to animal welfare issues surrounding the seal hunt in atlantic canada. Canadians are against the cruel and inhumane treatment of seals.
The market for seal meat and oil is almost nonexistant. It attempts to establish that on a precautionary basis this commercial seal hunt should be ended immediately. Ice conditions have been hazardous and the cost of insurance has gone up to the point many sealers. Born in switzerland but raised in quebec, canada, he grew up with the knowledge that seal hunting forms part of the cultural, economic and social constructs of. Photograph by jennifer hayes, nat geo image collection. An ethical critique of the canadian seal hunt and an. Archeological evidence indicates the native americans and first nations people in canada have been hunting seals for at least 4,000 years. Aug 14, 2019 the sustainable management of canadian fisheries is important to fish harvesters whose livelihoods are supported by the ocean. There are some other locations out there where seal hunting is still legal. Campaign mounts to ban all seal hunting off newfoundland 3. The department of fisheries and oceans dfo ensures that. The seal hunt is relevant to articles on global warming, marine mammals, canada, canadian seafood, and boycotts. The canadian commercial seal hunt is the largest slaughter of marine mammals on the planet.
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