Over 17,200 Baby Seals Killed in Two Days

Over 17,200 Baby Seals Killed In Just Over Two Days

(Charlottetown, PEI, Canada – 26 March 2009) – Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) closed the first phase of the seal hunt yesterday after sealers killed 17,200 harp seals. DFO is set to re-open the hunt in another area of the Gulf tomorrow.

The team of observers with IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) witnessed the slaughter of harp seal pups first hand.

“We witnessed a classic example of the cruelty associated with this hunt. An injured, bleeding seal escaped into the water before a sealer could get to it. The sealer tried to pull the seal out by the hind flippers but it slipped underwater anyway,” said Cheryl Jacobson, hunt observer with IFAW.

“This wounded seal will most likely die underwater and unbelievably, that kill won’t even be counted in the official catch number,” said Ms. Jacobson.

“I’m confident we will gather enough footage to provide European policy makers with the cold hard facts about Canada’s commercial seal hunt – that it’s unacceptably cruel,” said Sheryl Fink, a senior researcher with IFAW.

“Sealers rush to club as many seals as possible in a short period of time, combine this with slippery ice conditions and we quickly see animal welfare fall to the wayside in the blind pursuit of profit,” said Ms. Fink.

Canada’s commercial seal hunt comes just weeks before the EU considers banning the trade in seal products throughout its member states.

Recent economic evaluations have indicated that the market for seal fur is saturated, causing prices to drop by almost half. Processors report that sales of seal pelts all but stopped at the end of 2007, and in early 2009, still do not appear to have recovered.

This hunt for harp seal pups is the largest hunt for a marine mammal in the world, with this year’s commercial total allowable catch limit set at an unsustainable 280,000 seals.

Note to editors and media enquiries:

New photos and broadcast quality video b-roll of Canada’s 2009 commercial seal hunt are available.

• IFAW has a team of professional video cameramen and photographers ready to document the hunt. Images will be fed out via www.hdvideotaxi.com and www.ifawimages.com as they are obtained.
•
• Visit these sites frequently for updated broadcast quality video and still images of the 2009 commercial seal hunt.
•
• For direct access to assets, please call Katie McConnell, IFAW communications +1 508 648 3584, email: kmcconnell@ifaw.org
•

ENDS

© Scoop Media