IFAW's Online Community Coordinator speaks with Wildlife and Habitat Seals Communications Officer Katie McConnell about this weeks seals news...including Canada's exploratory request to review the Dutch and Belgian seal product bans with the World Trade Organization and the British decision to wait for the EU to make a ban decision before proceeding with the possibility of organizing a ban of their own.

Download ifaw_seals_news_podcast_10_2_07.mp3

The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is proposing amendments be made to the Marine Mammal Regulations (MMR) in an effort to further hinder public observation of the commercial seal hunt. Although no text has been proposed at this time, changes to these amendments would give the Fisheries Minister more power to deny observer permits with little or no justification. Essentially, these changes will help keep Canada’s cruel commercial seal hunt out of the public eye.

In addition, it has been cited that DFO intends to have these changes in place for the 2008 hunt. It seems as though DFO is trying to ‘fast-track’ the process and bypass adequate consultation with the public. For instance, the last time the MMR were amended, the consultation process took 5 years!

IFAW has reviewed the proposed amendments and submitted comments back to DFO stating that these changes are an unnecessary and overreaching infringement of our right to observe the hunt.

With two national bans on seal products in place in Europe and a possible EU-wide ban looming in the future; it seems Canada is trying very hard to shield its cruel and useless slaughter from policy-makers of the world.

Click here to tell Canada that their seal hunting practices need proper observation by organizations like IFAW.