WASHINGTON – In the wake of the poorest ice conditions since the 1960s and the resulting high natural mortality of harp seals, The Humane Society of the United States and its global affiliate, Humane Society International, condemned the Canadian government today for allowing Newfoundland sealers to kill another 70,000 seals in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in less than two days. The fast kill rate has caused the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to temporarily close the hunt to evaluate the quota. The latest kill brings the total death count to more than 90,000 seal pups.
“The sealing industry is clearly not concerned about conservation,” said Rebecca Aldworth, director of Canadian wildlife issues for The HSUS. “Scientists have warned for months that the low ice cover this year would have a devastating impact on pup production, with many pups drowning as the ice melted before they were weaned or able to swim proficiently. Now sealers are killing the survivors in historic high numbers.”
Just two weeks ago, The HSUS documented the first part of the slaughter in the Gulf as hunters from the Magdalen Islands took their quota of more than 18,000 seals. For the next phase of the hunt, however, observers from The HSUS were prevented from documenting the killing following an incident in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The HSUS had been traveling in rigid inflatables in the Gulf, documenting the commercial seal hunt. DFO officials accused HSUS observers who were filming a sealer killing a seal of drifting slightly within a 10-meter buffer zone they must keep from active sealers as a condition of their observation permits. While no charges have been filed, the DFO has refused to issue further permits while the matter is under investigation. Moreover, HSUS video of the incident shows that the boat was not within the 10-meter buffer zone.
“The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is subverting the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and even his own Marine Mammal Regulations by refusing to issue permits to the HSUS observers,” said Aldworth. “The Charter guarantees us freedom of the press and the Marine Mammal Regulations specifically say the only reasons he can deny permits is if observers have been convicted of an offense related to their observation in the past five years. Not only were our observers not convicted, they have not even been charged. This is a shameful and transparent attempt by the DFO to block legal and peaceful observation of the commercial seal hunt, and the actions of our Fisheries Minister are a national disgrace.”
The seal hunt will resume on April 12, at which point another 230,000 seals are expected to be slaughtered. Last year, 145,000 seals were killed over just two days in the Front.
For more information on The Humane Society of the United States ProtectSeals campaign, please visit www.ProtectSeals.org.
Broadcast quality footage and photos of the ramming of The HSUS boat by sealers and this year’s seal hunt is available to media outlets via an ftp site. Please contact Tracey McIntire, 301-548-7793, tmcintire@hsus.org for details.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization with more than 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, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection, and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.
