The seals, sea lions, and walruses are collectively known as the pinnipeds. They are found in the Arctic and the Antarctic and in most places in between. These amphibious mammals are graceful swimmers, but also come ashore each year to breed and molt. Some species are recovering from past exploitation while others are endangered or declining. All are at risk from human activities in the marine environment.
 
Certain pinniped species are targeted by subsistence or commercial hunters; even fullly protected species might be killed by poachers. In some situations, where seals or sea lions and commercial and recreational fishermen go after the same fish, there are calls to cull the animals for simply doing what predators do—hunt for and eat their prey! But marine mammals are not the cause of declining fisheries—human overfishing is. Pinnipeds should not be treated as scapegoats for human-caused problems.
 
HSI is campaigning to end commercial hunts for pinnipeds, including the harp seal hunt in Canada and the Cape fur seal hunt in Namibia. We seek to end the trade in pinniped fur and other products. We are working to minimize the impact of native subsistence hunting on species (such as the walrus) that are ever more threatened by global warming. And wherever there are conflicts between pinnipeds and fishing interests, we stand ready to educate policy-makers about the true threats to fish stocks.