Canadian Seal Hunt

[Seal diver]

I recently emailed the Canadian government about the harp seal hunt.
Their reply is below for your info:

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the Atlantic Canada seal hunt.
I hope that the following information will serve to address your concerns.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) makes every effort to ensure that seals are hunted as quickly, effectively, and humanely as possible. Enforcement of the regulations is thorough and comprehensive, specifically ensuring adherence to catch requirements, licence conditions, and humane harvesting practices. Penalties are tough and could include court-imposed fines, and/or orders to forfeit catches, gear, boats and licences.

The harp seal population is a healthy marine resource that can easily support a responsible harvest. An abundance survey conducted in 2004 estimated the harp seal population at 5.82 million animals; approximately three times the population of less than two million in the 1970s.

Because the continued health and abundance of the herd is the department’s main priority, DFO sets quotas for harp seals to ensure that the resource remains sustainable. Management measures have been developed for 2006-2010. A number of conservation groups agree that a regulated and responsible harvest of the seal herd is appropriate, provided it is sustainable in the long-term from a conservation perspective. As you may know, the hunt of harp (whitecoat) and hooded (blueback) seal pups has been banned in Canada since 1987. Regulations also prohibit the trade, sale, or barter of the fur of these pups.

The value of the seal hunt may appear negligible to some individuals, but it is tremendously valuable to those individuals who use it as their employment during a time when economic opportunities are limited in many remote, coastal communities. Some sealers have stated that their income from sealing can represent up to 35% of their total annual income. Also, the top homeports for sealers have unemployment rates that are in excess of 30% higher than the national average. Sealing and fishing are also time-honoured traditions that allow people to provide for their families through knowledge of the marine environment and hard work.

There are many measures in place to ensure a safe and humane harvest, such as close monitoring, tight regulations, and two-year apprenticeship training for those wishing to become professional sealers. Harvesting methods used for the seal hunt have been studied and approved by the Royal Commission on Seals and Sealing. The Commission found that the methods used in the harvest of the seal resource compare favourably to the use and dispatch of any other wild or domestic animal resource. DFO also encourages the fullest possible commercial use of seals with the emphasis on leather, oil, handicrafts, and in recent years, meat for human and animal consumption.

Veterinarians from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) issued a Special Report on Animal Welfare and the Harp Seal Hunt in Atlantic Canada in September 2002. Representatives and veterinarians of the CVMA made independent observations of the seal hunt. The study concluded that a large majority of seals taken during the hunt (up to 98 per cent) are killed in an acceptably humane manner. An Independent Veterinarians’ Working Group (IVWG) was formed in 2005 and made observations and recommendations to further improve management and hunting practices. DFO is currently working to adopt these and other recommendations, such as improved enforcement and sealer training.

Please be assured that your views are valued. I understand your opinions and those of other individuals who have expressed concerns about the seal hunt, and the department takes these views into account when making management decisions. I hope that this information will help you to understand the issues surrounding the seal hunt. For more information, you are encouraged to visit DFO’s website at:
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management - Seals and Sealing in Canada.

Just for info.

And before anyone mentions it ,anyone who supports a seal cull in the UK at any time is ignorant of the facts.
Seals take very little of the fish biomass (<1% total).
Greedy man is the problem there!

Safe diving,
Ben "Seal diver" YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by Seal diver

And before anyone mentions it ,anyone who supports a seal cull in the UK at any time is ignorant of the facts.

Why do you think divers in the UK support a seal cull

and unfortunately the Canadians will probably never change their stance on the annual seal culls.

[Scubee]

Just like many of the UK population will never accept the ban on fox hunting.

[yazzyfooty]

Just like many in the UK that turn a blind eye to factory farming. Very little was said when 100's of thousands of turkeys were culled in one processing factory alone in Norfolk at the recent bird flu scare. Yes seals are lovely cuddly looking creatures and I enjoy swimming with them but lets get our own house in order first.
I aint a veggie either I just prefer using non factory farmed meat and free range birds and eggs.

[Far_X]

Did they say what the harvesting method is? And what does the two year apprentice mean; you can't bash a pup for two years or can only you bash a pup provided you are in the company of a certified basher?

[Scrumbag]

The Canadians will probably never change their stance on seal culling because they have pretty much got it right.

In any environment there are limiting factors on a population. Predation is one of these. As the planets top predator, we should be hunting. What we have to ensure is that we do so responsibly as if we do not we will exhaust the natural resources available to us and this will be our limiting factor and we will die or reduce in number to bring equilibrium back to the resource replenishment - usage rates. Just like if the seals significantly diminish the fish population the seals will have too little food for the poplation and die off accordingly. The fish stocks will then recover, followed by the seal population at a lag and cycles continue.

Also, if the population of seals become too high, there is a virus that effects the seals and controls the population. This behaves in the same fashion as Myxamatosis in the rabbit population of the UK. In years where the population is high, there are many cases of Myxamatosis and this brings the population down to within norms.

It terms of having certified seal bashers, it is a good idea. To hunt game in Africa, you need a license and to hunt with a 'Professional Hunter'. To be a fisherman in the UK, you need to obtain a quota. It's a way of monitoring the influence man has on a population. Also, something annecdotal, much rather be shot or walloped over the head than die of some god awful virus such as Myxamatosis.

Sorry for the tirade but come on guys. Just because you wouldn't want to hunt yourselves, doesn't mean you should stop others.

I would like to leave you with a question: how many of you eat meat? And if so, how many of you would be willing to hunt it, killing and butcher it before you ate it? If you do eat meat and aren't willing to go through those steps, then you have an ethical dilemma which you probably should consider before passing judgement on those that do. (Give you a hint, those who are willing to hunt are on ethically higher ground than you)

I'm probably going to get red blobbed to buggery now but this is a forum for airing ones views and I suppose you are entitled to pass judgement on this. But please think about it first

[milldog]

right i have just found my old ali base ball bat where do i sign up !!!

Graham

[Adrian Kelland]

Ah, I remember a Half Man Half Biscuit song - 'Me and my girl, seal clubbing'

Can't remember if it was funny though.

[milldog]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

Ah, I remember a Half Man Half Biscuit song - 'Me and my girl, seal clubbing'

Can't remember if it was funny though.

like

seal walked in a club in Canada ...................Tragic

[principia]

Club 18 30 seal holiday, take your pick....