Oi_Ve
03-26-2006, 03:48 PM
Its that time of year again and no, I don't mean tax day...well, its coming really soon too, but what I meant was that its time for everybody's favorite Canadian past time.
SEAL HUNTING!
:clap1:
Any who, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the tradition, every year about this time Canadian hunter are allowed to venture into the ice flows of Northern Canada and bag
harp seals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harp_seal).
And, as always, the protestors are right on it (http://reuters.myway.com/article/20060325/2006-03-25T222702Z_01_N22382147_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SEALS-DC.html)
You'll probably be hearing quite some rhetoric this year, seeing as its the biggest protest ever.
As a hunter, I feel an obligation to defend my sport when it is practiced responsibly (I'm against shooting pandas, everyone; you can quote me on that).
Here are some of the lies you'll hear people spout (maybe even from someone who might otherwise not support such groups as PETA).
1- Thousands of those cute little white balls of fluff we call baby seals are going to be "murdered".
Truth: The killing of "white backs", or seals which are 12-14 days old and thus still retain their white pelt is strickly prohibited and rigorously enforced. Violation of law is punishable by steep fine and seizure of the catch, license, AND BOATS.
2- The harp seal population is in trouble.
Currently the harp seal population is an astounding 5.7 million strong, and the creatures are not considered "at risk" or "in danger of being at risk". Its population is highest of all the six seal populations in the Canadian Atlantic.
3- Sealing is cruel and criminal
The practice of hunting seals (or any marine mammal) is not entirely pleasent, and certianly not for the faint of heart. However, the Canadian seal hunt is the most rigorously monitored and most humane seal hunt in the world, far more so than the Norwiegan hunt.
4- Sealing is unneccesary
Newfoundland economy has declined to disastrous levels in recent years as fish disappeared from traditional fisheries. Unemployment soared to 24 percent, according to an article in Britain's Geographical Magazine in November 1994. This was directly tied to the ridiculous number of seals in the region.
The Atlantic cod population in many parts has become dangeously low. Harp seal eat don't eat much cod, but they do eat ALL the species of fish on which cod feed. The decline in atlantic cod has been traced to increased seal population
5- "Evil hunters" vs. "innocent seals"
There is no sport hunting of seals allowed, and those who kill baby seals are in violation of the law. Licenses are issued to commercial fishermen and to individual residents of communities adjacent to traditional sealing areas in Newfoundland and parts of Quebec. Individuals must attend training seminars that focus on humane methods of killing seals, personal safety, and environmental concerns before they are allowed to kill up to six seals for food. In 1995, 900 personal licenses were given and about 1000 seals were killed. East coast Inuits and Indians who harvest seals for their own use are exempt from licensing.
Commercial licenses are limited to registered professional fishermen. Harvest must be done on land or in small vessels, and the fullest possible use of the animal must be made.
However, due to the ice flow this year, the fullest possible use may not be what it has been, as bodies often fall into the sea (where they are eaten by all the little critters that the seal normally eats...circle of life thing).
Commercial seal hunting licenses are limited to professional fishermen who often use the money from sealing to get their boats and equipment in shape for the summer fishing season - if the fishery is open. Without fishing or seal hunting, these families suffer and their communities strangle, and public welfare becomes a way of life.
6- The animal rights groups are being nothing but annyoing hippies who need to go away and eat some tofu.
While their protests are annoying, and their rhetoric plays on emotions rather than the truth, an amateur IFAW videotape provided evidence against four sealers who were eventually convicted of cruelty for their methods, and 101 hunters and processors were accused of illegally killing baby harp and hooded seals.
There's a lot of ocean out there, and Canada has only 100-120 observers the last time I checked (in all fairness, that was in 2000, so the number may be higher now).
While I disagree with the animal activists, I appreciate where they're coming from and I'm willing to admit that they do prove helpful. They provide some extra insurance that the sealers follow the rules, even if the number of substantial violations is realitively small.
This seal season is longer than in previous years, so expect to hear about it for a while. And rest assured, there will be seal meat this summer, so don't panic. I'm sure plenty of people here have seal at your 4th of July cook outs :wink:
SEAL HUNTING!
:clap1:
Any who, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the tradition, every year about this time Canadian hunter are allowed to venture into the ice flows of Northern Canada and bag
harp seals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harp_seal).
And, as always, the protestors are right on it (http://reuters.myway.com/article/20060325/2006-03-25T222702Z_01_N22382147_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-SEALS-DC.html)
You'll probably be hearing quite some rhetoric this year, seeing as its the biggest protest ever.
As a hunter, I feel an obligation to defend my sport when it is practiced responsibly (I'm against shooting pandas, everyone; you can quote me on that).
Here are some of the lies you'll hear people spout (maybe even from someone who might otherwise not support such groups as PETA).
1- Thousands of those cute little white balls of fluff we call baby seals are going to be "murdered".
Truth: The killing of "white backs", or seals which are 12-14 days old and thus still retain their white pelt is strickly prohibited and rigorously enforced. Violation of law is punishable by steep fine and seizure of the catch, license, AND BOATS.
2- The harp seal population is in trouble.
Currently the harp seal population is an astounding 5.7 million strong, and the creatures are not considered "at risk" or "in danger of being at risk". Its population is highest of all the six seal populations in the Canadian Atlantic.
3- Sealing is cruel and criminal
The practice of hunting seals (or any marine mammal) is not entirely pleasent, and certianly not for the faint of heart. However, the Canadian seal hunt is the most rigorously monitored and most humane seal hunt in the world, far more so than the Norwiegan hunt.
4- Sealing is unneccesary
Newfoundland economy has declined to disastrous levels in recent years as fish disappeared from traditional fisheries. Unemployment soared to 24 percent, according to an article in Britain's Geographical Magazine in November 1994. This was directly tied to the ridiculous number of seals in the region.
The Atlantic cod population in many parts has become dangeously low. Harp seal eat don't eat much cod, but they do eat ALL the species of fish on which cod feed. The decline in atlantic cod has been traced to increased seal population
5- "Evil hunters" vs. "innocent seals"
There is no sport hunting of seals allowed, and those who kill baby seals are in violation of the law. Licenses are issued to commercial fishermen and to individual residents of communities adjacent to traditional sealing areas in Newfoundland and parts of Quebec. Individuals must attend training seminars that focus on humane methods of killing seals, personal safety, and environmental concerns before they are allowed to kill up to six seals for food. In 1995, 900 personal licenses were given and about 1000 seals were killed. East coast Inuits and Indians who harvest seals for their own use are exempt from licensing.
Commercial licenses are limited to registered professional fishermen. Harvest must be done on land or in small vessels, and the fullest possible use of the animal must be made.
However, due to the ice flow this year, the fullest possible use may not be what it has been, as bodies often fall into the sea (where they are eaten by all the little critters that the seal normally eats...circle of life thing).
Commercial seal hunting licenses are limited to professional fishermen who often use the money from sealing to get their boats and equipment in shape for the summer fishing season - if the fishery is open. Without fishing or seal hunting, these families suffer and their communities strangle, and public welfare becomes a way of life.
6- The animal rights groups are being nothing but annyoing hippies who need to go away and eat some tofu.
While their protests are annoying, and their rhetoric plays on emotions rather than the truth, an amateur IFAW videotape provided evidence against four sealers who were eventually convicted of cruelty for their methods, and 101 hunters and processors were accused of illegally killing baby harp and hooded seals.
There's a lot of ocean out there, and Canada has only 100-120 observers the last time I checked (in all fairness, that was in 2000, so the number may be higher now).
While I disagree with the animal activists, I appreciate where they're coming from and I'm willing to admit that they do prove helpful. They provide some extra insurance that the sealers follow the rules, even if the number of substantial violations is realitively small.
This seal season is longer than in previous years, so expect to hear about it for a while. And rest assured, there will be seal meat this summer, so don't panic. I'm sure plenty of people here have seal at your 4th of July cook outs :wink: