Hrmm...Tricky topic. Not for the weak of stomach (or heart).
What am I talking about now?
Well, how about the seal hunt and the bullshit excuses our government tries to use to justify it.
I know, it's last years news but I'm fairly ignorant when it comes to what goes on in the news. However, my recent interest in sharks has led me to discover the disgusting topic that is that of the Annual Seal Hunt. Right here in Canada.
I'm trying to understand how it can be called the most "humane hunt" in the world, yet it's a crime to witness. Did you know that if you're caught watching a seal being killed you're charged a fine of $3,000. It's true. A person with Canadian heritage was banned from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and all of Newfoundland and it's surrounding coasts for trying to watch a seal hunt. Why is this? Maybe because it's not that humane after all? Maybe because if citizens saw how disgusting it truly was that they would want to ban it. Where's the problem in this? A ridiculous video on YouTube claims that there are 5.8 million seals in Newfoundland and that ONLY 400,000 seals are killed. It also claims that Newfoundland suffers from a 15% unemployment rate and that "the seal hunt contributes to 1/3 of the annual income of many fishermen". I'm sorry, but the last time I checked, an abundant population did not justify the eradication of a species. Back in the 1990's the cod fishery was threatened and wiped out for the same reasons: hunting to better the economy. What happened there? The cod population diminished and will never be recovered. What are these poor fishermen going to do when they wipe out the seal population? Start hunting other game? Maybe dogs would suffice, I don't know.
I watched yet another video that had captured footage of a seal hunt. I don't recommend it, it's tough to watch. But I fail to see how taking 5 swings with a spiked club before a seal stops trying to fight off it's attacker is humane.
Some other thoughts to consider*:
*facts taken from www.seashepherd.org
Well, how about the seal hunt and the bullshit excuses our government tries to use to justify it.
I know, it's last years news but I'm fairly ignorant when it comes to what goes on in the news. However, my recent interest in sharks has led me to discover the disgusting topic that is that of the Annual Seal Hunt. Right here in Canada.
I'm trying to understand how it can be called the most "humane hunt" in the world, yet it's a crime to witness. Did you know that if you're caught watching a seal being killed you're charged a fine of $3,000. It's true. A person with Canadian heritage was banned from the Gulf of St. Lawrence and all of Newfoundland and it's surrounding coasts for trying to watch a seal hunt. Why is this? Maybe because it's not that humane after all? Maybe because if citizens saw how disgusting it truly was that they would want to ban it. Where's the problem in this? A ridiculous video on YouTube claims that there are 5.8 million seals in Newfoundland and that ONLY 400,000 seals are killed. It also claims that Newfoundland suffers from a 15% unemployment rate and that "the seal hunt contributes to 1/3 of the annual income of many fishermen". I'm sorry, but the last time I checked, an abundant population did not justify the eradication of a species. Back in the 1990's the cod fishery was threatened and wiped out for the same reasons: hunting to better the economy. What happened there? The cod population diminished and will never be recovered. What are these poor fishermen going to do when they wipe out the seal population? Start hunting other game? Maybe dogs would suffice, I don't know.
I watched yet another video that had captured footage of a seal hunt. I don't recommend it, it's tough to watch. But I fail to see how taking 5 swings with a spiked club before a seal stops trying to fight off it's attacker is humane.
Some other thoughts to consider*:
- 250,000 seal pups are thought to have died due to reduced ice surfaces caused by global warming this year alone.
- the Canadian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans have said that the MOST seals that can be caught is 270,000. As if that's not a lot. Combine that with the the number of seals dying because of global warming. You do the math.
- The majority of seals that are being killed are younger than 3 months old.
*facts taken from www.seashepherd.org
posted by Fern Wimpley @ 8:59 PM
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