I am concerned about sustainable economic development. In Canada, the seal hunt is tightly regulated and sustainable: the Harp seal's population roughly increased from 2 million animals to 10 million in the space of 40 years. As of today, the natural balance of the Atlantic Coast's ecosystem is at risk because of the reduction in hunting, the threat of abolition and the recent overpopulation of the Harp seal.
In 2009, experts have come together to propose a code of ethics that guarantees sustainable seal hunt. As such, I invite you to consult the Universal Declaration on the Ethical Harvest of Seals. A document that is endorsed by the Governments of Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories.
Regarding the control of animal species, the United States is currently considering repealing the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act to establish a new law called the Controlled Seal Population Plan (CSPP). This law would allow hunters to partake in a seal hunt to control the West Coast's booming sea lion population. In Canada, seal hunters value utilizing this resource to its full potential demonstrating their communities' full commitment to respecting nature.
Regarding the market for seal products, demand still exists for such products. Such is the case of chefs who serve seal meat in their restaurants in Quebec. Furthermore, the French Press Agency reported on February 28th 2012 that Russia was considering allowing the sale of canned seal meat in an attempt to control the seal population while providing food to its citizens.
Finally, I urge you to speak out against the looming extinction of the Mediterranean Monk Seal (total population 150-200 animals). This species has never been publicly defended by animal rights organization opposed to the sustainable Canadian seal hunt. Just like the European Union, the United States, Mexico and Russia.
The CSPP mentioned is actually nonexistent. The so-called plan was part of an April Fools' Day joke (http://goo.gl/ExxWB) originating from a BD Outdoors article (http://goo.gl/cgmxN).
I encourage Canadians and Sen. Hervieux-Payette to support Sen. Mac Harb's bill to end the slaughter and transition Canadians in sealing regions into sustainable economic programs. Now that Russia – which had been importing 95 percent of Canadian seal pelts – has joined the U.S. and the E.U. in banning seal fur, there are no markets. This bill would help all parties involved: seals, sealers, and Canadian taxpayers, who are forced to spend millions to prop up this dying industry.
I support farmed meat sources, I even like wild meats from time to time, but the fact of the matter, unlike a cow that we have farmed, these animals are a key to northern canadian food cycle and its only our excessive interference that has kept it from being stable. This is not a farm raised food animal but a key link in predator/prey cycle that we feel the need to remove dispite the endangered animals that rely on them for food.
It is apart of our culture, we have had a seal hunt for hundreds of years, we have memorials for people who lost their lives on the ice floats, risking their lives to feed their family. How about you get off your computer chair and go live in an outport Newfoundland community where employment is hard to come by. "move then" you might say, do you say that to people who live in tornado valley, or where they are below sea level? no. so dont say it to us. We love our province, our culture, our heritage.
We may not consume all the seal, but we use more on it then they use on a cow. I've never seen anyone actually eat a cow heart. have you? Ive seen people eat a seal heart though, and enjoy it.
"The seal population will surely take care of itself in good time" So you would rather them starve to death as their food stocks deplete, instead of being controlled, so the fur can go to warm a body, the oil to go in to pills and other useful products.
I would have them die naturally, as opposed to die via torture. Just because you live there, does not mean you are more informed than those who don't, nor does it mean you know the whole truth. I could never murder, skin, or bludgeon an innocent creature- I think it is inhumane and wrong. Thats my opinion and Im allowed to any opinion I like.
Don't confuse hunting by aboriginal with that done by commercial fishermen.
The seal hunt has been proven by vets and zoologists to be inhumane.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans saying it's humane is not true, because they do not attend the seal hunt.
Also If we leave the population alone it it will destroy the cod, caplin and other stocks of fish. It's a ecosystem out of balance.
Here is the scientific evidence that you are incorrect. http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=390&Itemid=65&abstractID=702
I've actually worked with the seal in question and have first hand knowledge and training on this food web.
your questions point by point:
1) Yes
2)Tons of people fighting factory farming.
3)This discussion is about the commercial sealhunt, not that of aboriginal. There is NOT ONE PERSON who makes their living killing seals. That's why so few fishermen participate. They admit to no customers and most say they are interested in a buyout.
you just need one generation and then everything is back to normal. It is very annoying when pro-seal hunt peopel talk about population control as if we need it. Let's get the government out of seal population Control!!!! (shout out to libertarians lol)
as to defending a hunt that is a bunch of guys out with bats and spikes beating animals and skinning them alive (yes still today) i suggest the senator should think about the values she is promoting and what it says about the mental health of people suggesting this is a good thing.
I think you had best buy a dictionary.
BTW, there are hundreds of thousands of seals in the Gulf.
perhaps you should stay in NY, and mind your own business.
The reason this Senator is stretching to find customers for seals is because it IS everyone's business.
EU bans, Russia bans, Mexico banned, US banned, China doesn't want the seal meat. There is no market.
But it sounds like you love pumping endless tax dollars into something when there's no return.
No need to get childish.
Please show scientific evidence of over-population of harp seals.
Sure seals are cute and the movie stars like to crawl around the ice to kiss baby seals but then they go for a burger, that means so poor cow got killed.
I would like to ask the Senator what we taxpayers shelled out for last years 'gala' in support of the hunt that includes seal skin broaches and a meal that includes smoked seal wrapped in bacon to MP's Senators and their hangers on.
The seal hunt is wrong and this single-issue Senator with a seal hunt obsession is the last person anyone should be listening to.