WASHINGTON- The Humane Society of the United States today released a groundbreaking study by world-renowned conservation biologist Professor Stephen Harris of Bristol University, which shows that the historic high kill levels in the Canadian commercial seal hunt pose a threat to the very survival of the harp seal population.
The study notes that over the past six years nearly 400,000 harp seals from the Northwest Atlantic population have been hunted annually by Canada and Greenland - the highest kill levels since the 1950s. The vast majority are slaughtered in Canada. Given these reported kill levels and the estimated struck and lost rates (wounded animals who escape and are not recovered), more than half of all the seal pups born each year are slaughtered.
"When such hunting pressure last occurred, the harp seal population declined rapidly by over 50 percent," said Professor Harris. "Given seals only reach breeding age at about five to six years old, it could be too late to intervene by the time the impacts of current hunting levels are understood."
The Harris report strongly criticizes the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans for failing to take into account significant environmental variables, such as climate change, in their management plan. The report also notes the current DFO population estimate for harp seals relied on a very small sample size – less than 2 percent of the breeding site was evaluated to extrapolate the population.
The report notes that several other Canadian fisheries have collapsed over the years as a consequence of many variables, including environmental change and mismanagement. But despite the uncertainties surrounding the estimates of harp seal numbers and the uncertainty surrounding many other variables, the Canadian harp seal management model does not apply a precautionary principle and so threatens the survival of seal populations.
"The DFO has a long and documented track record of overestimating marine populations and allowing species to be fished into commercial extinction," stated Rebecca Aldworth, director of Canadian wildlife issues for The HSUS. "Regardless of their management plans, we know the current kill levels for harp seals are not sustainable. The last time we allowed sealers to kill this many seals, the harp seal population rapidly crashed."
Professor Stephen Harris is available for interviews by contacting Tracey McIntire at 301-233-4319. Copies of the Harris report are available by contacting Polly Shannon at 301-721-6440 or pshannon@hsus.org.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with 9.5 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research, equine protection, and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The non-profit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.
