Stop Sealing
With a critical EU proposal in the pipeline ‐ to ban the trade of seal products, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) needs all the support they can get to see this through. After years of determined campaigning to end the annual Canadian commercial seal hunt ‐ where more than 300,000 seals are clubbed to death or shot for their fur, the IFAW know the EU proposal represents the best opportunity so far to put an end to the hunt, once and for all.
Story Highlights
- Cruel Commercial Canada
- What the EU Proposal Means
- How You Can Help
Cruel Commercial Canada
A third of a million seals are killed in this hunt every year. Some are skinned alive and many endure a slow and agonising death. The end product is a selection of luxury fashion items. The fierce cruelty demonstrated by the hunters is therefore avoidable, and it’s been confirmed by the annual veterinary reports that humane killing standards are never met during the hunt. Scientists predict that if the hunt continues to wipe out hundreds of thousands of seals every year, the Harp Seal population will be reduced by 70% over the next 15 years. The EU proposal offers this seal population a lifeline for survival, but the campaign still needs support and backing by people like you ‐ so please help today.
What the EU Proposal Means
The debate to come will discuss banning the trade within the EU, of products from seals killed and skinned in a manner that cause unnecessary pain and suffering. Public concerns over the seal hunt will be considered as well as the interests of member states.
The proposal will explore the import, export and transit of seal products through the EU and consider that this should only be allowed if it can be guaranteed ‐ that hunting techniques are in line with high animal welfare standards and that the seals have not suffered unavoidably.
FACT: Canada’s target catch of Harp Seals for the hunt this year is 275,000. This is far above what the population can sustain.
Sheryl Fink, senior researcher at the IFAW said: “The blatant disregard for precautionary principles demonstrates to the world that the Canadian Government does not value science or conservation.
“Just last year, hundreds of thousands of newborn pups in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence died due to lack of ice before the hunt even began.
“And now with this exceedingly high quota, this same Harp Seal population will face another year of decline.”
The international demand for seal fur has diminished and the opposition to the hunt, shown across Europe in the last year ‐ has led to a ban on seal products in Belgium and The Netherlands. Germany, Italy and Austria are also considering closing their markets to seal pelts.
Canada’s commercial seal hunt is the largest worldwide hunt for marine mammals. Please help and prevent another 300,000 seals from being slaughtered ‐ cruelly and unnecessarily.
How You Can Help
Take Action: Mr Hilary Benn, the UK Environment Minister is attending the European Union meeting on behalf of the UK Government. By clicking on this link you can ask him to secure an unconditional ban on the hunt and trade of seal products.
By joining the Stop the Seal Hunt Campaign you can help IFAW to monitor and conduct critical scientific research, and continue to put pressure on the Canadian government to end the hunt. And of course you can make a donation to the cause on stopthesealhunt.co.uk Every last penny really is essential to this cause.
‐ Jen Page
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