The Annual Seal Hunt begins in Canada
So the annual seal hunt started on March 23rd this year up in Quebec. The Newfoundland and Labrador season won’t begin until later, sometime in April. Interestingly, the seals are close this year, only three to five kilometers off shore in the Magdalene Islands area, so the hunters can walk to the hunting grounds. Presumably that means that so can the protesters.
What a controversial situation this has become.I know a guide who works the Newfoundland salmon camps in the summer, construction in the winter and the seal hunt in the spring. To him the seal hunt is a critical part of his economic survival; literally, the difference between a bare cupboard and groceries.
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It is cruel, cold and dangerous work that no one would ever do except of necessity. The ice is a fearsomely dangerous place this time of year. The protesters are generally not as well prepared or as savvy about the dangers as the hunters. I sure hope no one is hurt.
I have often wondered if the money raised to support the annual anti-seal hunt protest was instead divided up among the hunters, so that they did not have to go out on the ice each spring, if maybe the whole thing would not just end quietly and fade into history as yet another artifact of our savage past.
It is cruel, cold and dangerous work that no one would ever do except of necessity. The ice is a fearsomely dangerous place this time of year. The protesters are generally not as well prepared or as savvy about the dangers as the hunters. I sure hope no one is hurt.
I have often wondered if the money raised to support the annual anti-seal hunt protest was instead divided up among the hunters, so that they did not have to go out on the ice each spring, if maybe the whole thing would not just end quietly and fade into history as yet another artifact of our savage past. Labels: Canada, dangerous work, protesters, seal hunt, seals
posted by Steve Dobson at
22:49
5 Comments:
Interesting read. I wonder is the seal hunt at a sustainable level or are they depleting the population? What kind of numbers are we talking here, 1000 or 100,000? Being an environmentalist and self proclaimed tree hugger I tend to see a lot of protesters as out of touch with the reality of different situations. Kind of like PETA with their kitten fish campaign. Maybe those protesters could go and protest shark finning or bottom trawling, much more destructive and a lot less cold.
Cheers
Hello Fish Whisperer,
This year's quota is 280,000 seals.
The fishermen compete among themselves for it, reporting their takes until the quota is filled.
The commercial fishermen claim that the seal population is out of control, wreaking heavy damage on their fishing gear, even lobster traps.
Anti-seal hunt protesters feel just the opposite, claiming that this high a quota will diminish the population by 30%.
They could both both be right in this case if the population is higher than historic norms to begin with.
It is an ugly and dangerous business no matter which side of the issue has your sympathy.
I believe that any exploitation of nature for sheer greed should be looked at and protested if found to be cruel or wasteful.
Exploitation of nature's bounty for sustenance on the other hand, if found to be at odds with current knowledge, should be fixed by finding a reasonable alternative for the folks reliant on the resource.
Cheers,
Steve
I totally agree with you Steve. If this is for profit then I am against it but is this is something that has been going on for generations and these people rely on this as a food source, then make sure it is sustainable and let it be.
Cheers
Hi Steve-There is not enough money in sealing for all the risks that you take.
Now-protesting the seal hunt. That's where the big bucks are. You don't need a boat and you don't even have to leave home.All you need is a computer and your fingers. The tea kettle can be on all day.
The Humane Society of United States is one of the seal hunts biggest critics. In 2007, they earned 92 million dollars...a great deal of that was from protesting the Canadian seal hunt.
Well said Devon,
I would love to see some of those protest dollars going to the benefit of the poor guys who have to go out on the ice to try and make a few dollars.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
Cheers,
Steve
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