The Seal Industry is on it’s Way Out
Supporters aim to clear up misinformation in the industry, store owner says Supporters of the province’s seal industry are working to promote awareness of the industry’s sustainability through new initiatives this month. The Natural Boutique, a store selling sealskin and fur products in downtown St. John’s, partnered with Sharing the Harvest, a newly formed community […]
‘Game over’ for Norway’s seal hunt
Norway’s northern city of Tromsø used to be a major port for Norway’s controversial seal hunters, but they’ve now faded into the history books. For the first time in several hundred years, not a single Norwegian boat is heading out to hunt seals this season, and proponents of the hunt now blame climate change. “It’s […]
Feds put up $5.7 million to market seal products
The federal government is putting $5.7 million toward marketing the sealing industry, despite the hunt grinding to a halt. The money, announced in the 2015 federal budget, will be dedicated to opening up new products and markets for the sealing industry. The quota for the 2015 hunt is 400,000 seals, but in 2014 there were […]
Only 280 of these elusive ringed seals remain in existence. Salt water-dwellers by nature, they’ve had to make the transition to fresh-water. Please enjoy and share this nature documentary. FriendsForSeals.org was happy to help produce, “Seal of Saimaa”.
National Council, Switzerland bans trade in seal products.
Concern over the cruelty of Canada’s annual commercial seal hunt, and not wanting to become the next market for these seal pelts, animal activists in Switzerland have stepped-up the campaign over the last several years. Making their voices heard has caused the Swiss National Council to join the U.S., Russia, the countries of the EU, Mexico, and more, in showing disapproval for the world’s largest marine mammal massacre, by banning these seal products. Canada is virtually alone and without customers as tax payer dollars prop up an all-but-dead industry, by storing still more unwanted pelts, for the non-existent buyer.
The killing can legally begin November 15. Please remember that while we encourage you to send petitions, they have been received by Canada’s government by the thousands for decades. More needs to be done and it doesn’t take any money.
Canada’s annual seal slaughter, which is brutally performed by full-time commercial fisherman, is gasping to stay alive. It’s only through government subsidies, (taxpayer money) that it has been kept in operation.
As Keith Ashfield takes over where Gail Shea left off as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, watch him come up with reason after reason to buy more time to keep it going.
Unfortunately, Canada only needs to come up with excuses for a short period of time each year. Sadly, when the killing stops, the majority of the efforts to stop next year’s slaughter come to a halt.
Help us fight this atrocity so that finally, the cruel practices of skinning-alive and head-bashing in the nurseries of harp (and gray) seals will end forever.
PLEASE READ BEFORE CLICKING ON WWF’s THOUGHTS ON THE SEAL HUNT
Please note that WWF’s attempts to mislead by representing the seal hunting by indigenous peoples as being one-and-the-same as the commercial seal slaughter. These are two completely separate hunts, each having their own quota, with the commercial mass slaughter being performed for additional income by full-time fishermen. (though fishermen have admitted there is no money in the pelts or the hunt, but go out during their off-season merely to kill of the seals. This allows for more over-fishing.)
Because of WWF’s disregard for the violations and cruelty permitted annually in Canada by commercial fishermen, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has been able to use them to appear as having some sort of standard, maintained and approved by an animal welfare organization. This of course is not the case. Marine Mammal Regulations are not abided by and the slaughter is not sustainable.
Click here for WWF Canada’s Seal Hunt Position Statement (2009)
