Government of Canada Annouces Outrageous Seal Hunt Quota
Posted by Sheryl Fink, IFAW Senior Researcher
In the same week that Russia annouced an end to the hunting of seals under a year old, the Canadian goverment released today that they will allow for the slaughter of 280,000 harp seal pups this year.
This is outrageous. This quota is completely indefensible. It’s not supported by markets, it’s not supported by the DFO’s own management plan, and it’s certainly not going to be supported by the majority of Canadians.
For the past two years we’ve seen saturated markets for seal fur, and pelt prices are now the lowest in recent memory. If this is a market-based hunt, as the government claims, the quota for this year should be zero.
The federal government’s determination to ignore reality on this issue is totally irrational. There are no markets for seal products, and with a potential European-wide ban on the horizon, no signs that the economic outlook is going to improve anytime soon. While our politicians trip over themselves to support commercial sealing, our taxes are being wasted on bailing out an anachronistic, dangerous, dead-end industry.
How ironic that two days after Russia announced an end to its commercial harp seal hunt, Canada is condemning one-third of the pups born here to a cruel and unnecessary death. Our government is insistent on keeping Canada stuck in the dark ages. Canadians would be much better served by a government that will stop playing politics, stop wasting our taxes, and start investing in alternative, economically viable employment opportunities.
Canada’s commercial seal hunt will be under intense scrutiny this year, as the European Union considers banning the trade in seal products.
You can help keep the pressure on the Canadian government by taking action now on www.stopthesealhunt.org
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Nice job, helping out, that is an outrageous quota why do people make such rash decisions in the world we'll never know.
Posted by: Markey | April 08, 2009 at 09:05 AM
What a horrible thing to do to raise the quota! It is inhuman to allow seal pups to be killed like this.
Posted by: Earthlings | May 04, 2009 at 05:30 PM