The Humane Society of the United States is proud to welcome The Fresh Market, Inc. grocery chain to its roster of more than 5,000 grocery stores and restaurants that are participating in The HSUS' ProtectSeals campaign to help end Canada's commercial seal kill.
"The Fresh Market is a privately owned company committed to operating responsibly," said Chief Operating Officer Craig Carlock. "We're proud to partner with The Humane Society of the United States on its ProtectSeals Campaign to show our support for ending the annual seal hunt in Canada."
The Fresh Market has pledged not to sell any Canadian seafood from the seal-hunting provinces, with the exception of farm-raised mussels, in its stores. In addition, as soon as its existing inventory is depleted, The Fresh Market will cease selling Canadian snow crabs. These two actions send a very clear, direct message to the industry and individuals responsible for the annual slaughter of hundreds of thousands of seal pups.
Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., The Fresh Market operates more than 85 stores in 18 states. Its stores are concentrated in the South, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, with plans for expansion in these areas as well as in the Northeast.
"We are thrilled to have The Fresh Market join our effort to bring Canada's commercial seal hunt to an end," said Patricia Ragan, director of The HSUS' ProtectSeals Campaign.
Other participating companies include Harris Teeter, BI-LO Supermarkets, Whole Foods Market, Lowe's Food Stores, Trader Joe's, Earth Fare, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Cafés, Ted Turner's steakhouse chain - Ted's Montana Grill, WinCo Foods, Legal Sea Foods, PCC Natural Markets, Rosauers Supermarkets and Bon Appétit Management Company.
Since the launch of the ProtectSeals campaign, the value of Canadian seafood exports to the United States has dropped dramatically, providing financial incentive for Canadian fishermen to stop supporting and participating in the annual seal hunt. A win-win solution lies in the creation of a sealing license retirement. Under such a plan, Canadian fishermen who participate in the commercial seal hunt would receive fair compensation for the small amount of additional income they earn killing seals. Both the commercial seal hunt and the boycott would come to an end. When Canada ended its commercial whale hunt, it set up a license retirement plan along these lines.
Facts about Canada's Commercial Seal Hunt:
- Canada's commercial seal hunt is the world's largest slaughter of marine mammals, with nearly 1 million seals killed in the past five years.
- Restaurants, seafood distributors and grocers participating in the ProtectSeals campaign pledge to avoid Canadian snow crab, or all seafood from Eastern Canada, or seafood from all of Canada until the hunt ends for good. The HSUS has signed pledges from all boycott participants.
- Provinces that participate in the annual seal kill include Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec.
- Canada exports nearly two-thirds of its seafood to the U.S. producing $2.5 billion annually for the Canadian economy, compared to less than $8 million generated in 2008 by the commercial seal hunt.
- More than 95 percent of the seals killed each year in the commercial seal hunt are less than three months old. The majority are about one month old or less. Many have not yet eaten their first solid meal or learned to swim properly when they are killed.
- Because of global warming, ice is thinning in the Canadian harp seal birthing grounds. In 2007, more than 90 percent of the seal pups died in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence due to melting ice. Despite this, Canada went on with the hunt.
- Nigel Barker, noted photographer and judge from "America's Next Top Model," is a spokesperson for the campaign. Barker accompanied HSUS staff to the ice floes this past spring to photograph the seal nursery and document the hunt.
For more information about the campaign to save Canadian seals, please visit humanesociety.org/protectseals.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
