加拿大商业海豹狩猎：过去、现在和未来（英文版）_12页_1mb

Canada's Commercial Seal Hunt: Past, Present, and Future Summary

Introduction

Canada's commercial seal hunt, primarily targeting harp seals in the spring off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, has been a subject of international controversy. Unlike the Inuit subsistence hunt, which is for food and conducted with different methods, the commercial hunt is driven by profit and fur markets. Despite widespread public opposition, the hunt continues with government subsidies and legal clubs, killing over 98% of seals as pups aged 3 weeks to 3 months.

Historical Context

• Origins: Harp seals have been commercially hunted in Atlantic Canada since the 1600s, initially for blubber, then for fur in the 1950s.
• International Attention: In the 1960s and '70s, images of whitecoat seal pups being clubbed and skinned drew global condemnation, leading to a European ban on whitecoat seal products in 1983.
• Industry Revival: The 1992 collapse of the cod fishery led to political scapegoating of seals. In 1995, Fisheries Minister Brian Tobin increased seal quotas and introduced subsidies, reviving the commercial hunt.
• Peak and Decline: The industry peaked in 2006, with sealers receiving over $100 CAD per pelt. However, the EU ban in 2009 and subsequent market declines led to a significant drop in seal kills, from 218,000 to 76,000.

Current Status

• Market Decline: Over 34 countries now have restrictions on the import and sale of seal products. The EU and Russia have imposed bans, severely impacting Canada's export markets.
• Economic Viability: The industry is struggling, with pelt prices stuck at $20-30 and only 35,000 harp seals killed in 2015. Subsidies have not translated into significant benefits for sealers.
• Employment Impact: The hunt provides only seasonal, part-time employment for a few hundred individuals in Atlantic Canada. The number of sealers has dropped dramatically from 5,594 in 2006 to 393 in 2014.
• Environmental Concerns: Climate change is threatening harp seal populations by reducing sea ice, which is essential for their breeding and pup development. DFO scientists warn of potential population collapse in the Gulf of St. Lawrence if ice conditions worsen.

Criticisms and Concerns

• Animal Welfare Issues: Despite regulatory changes, the commercial seal hunt remains inhumane. Video evidence shows seals being impaled and cut open while conscious, and humane slaughter is not consistently practiced.
• False Premises: The belief that harp seals overpopulate and destroy fisheries is not supported by scientific evidence. Studies indicate that seal predation is not a major factor in the decline of cod stocks.
• Government Support: The Canadian government has continued to fund the industry, even as it becomes economically unviable. Subsidies and loans have been provided to sealers and processors, yet the industry remains unsustainable.

Inuit Seal Hunting

• Cultural vs. Commercial: Inuit seal hunting is primarily for subsistence and cultural reasons, targeting ringed seals and involving fewer animals. It is not driven by global fur markets.
• Economic Contribution: Sealing contributes little to Nunavut's economy. The Government of Nunavut supports Inuit hunters through a pelt price stabilization program, but the industry is not seen as an economic driver.
• Impact of Bans: While trade bans have affected commercial sealers, they have not significantly impacted Inuit hunters, who continue to hunt for food and cultural practices.

Conclusion and Call to Action

• The commercial seal hunt is a dying industry that relies heavily on government support and international markets.
• There is a growing consensus that the hunt is inhumane, unsustainable, and unnecessary.
• The time has come to support alternatives that provide sustainable and meaningful employment for those involved in the hunt.
• IFAW Canada urges the government to assist sealers in transitioning away from commercial sealing and to protect Inuit livelihoods as global demand for seal products declines.

Key Facts

• Climate Change Threat: Harp seals are ice-dependent, and poor ice conditions have led to high pup mortality.
• Dying Industry: Commercial sealing is no longer economically viable, with declining markets and low pelt prices.
• Inhumane Practices: Despite minor regulatory changes, the hunt remains cruel and inconsistent in its killing methods.
• No Scientific Evidence: There is no evidence that harp seals are responsible for the collapse of cod stocks.
• Inuit Livelihoods: Inuit hunting is not an industry and should not be conflated with the commercial hunt. The government should support Inuit as markets for seal products disappear.

International Seal Product Bans

Summary of Key Points

• The commercial seal hunt is a controversial and unsustainable practice.
• It is driven by profit and global fur markets, not by necessity.
• Government subsidies have kept the industry afloat despite its economic unviability.
• The hunt is inhumane, with high levels of animal suffering.
• There is no scientific evidence linking harp seals to the decline of cod stocks.
• Inuit seal hunting is a cultural practice and should not be equated with the commercial hunt.
• International bans on seal products have had a significant impact on the industry.
• It is time for Canada to move away from commercial sealing and support sustainable alternatives.