The CBC is reporting that seal pelt prices in Nunavut have plummeted, and places the blame on the European Union's recent ban on seal products.

But the European ban has a clear exemption for seal products from aboriginal sealing. European markets for Nunavut seal products will not be affected by the ban.

Seal pelts from Nunavut make up an estimated 3% of the seal pelts in trade, with about 10,000 seal pelts entering into trade each year. European markets are said to account for 5% of the market demand for seal pelts. If this is the case, much of the European market demand for seal products could be satisfied with seal pelts from Nunavut.

So why isn't the Government of Canada doing anything to help Canadian Inuit access the EU market - which will now ONLY be open to products from aboriginal sealing?

As today's press release by Canadian Senator Mac Harb notes, “This is a perfect opportunity for the government to secure access to the EU market, and ensure that Inuit communities will benefit. But instead of putting resources and effort into supporting these communities and helping them to market their products, the government is throwing taxpayer’s money at a doomed WTO challenge.”

It appears as though the Canadian government's tactic to “play the Nunavut Inuit card as leverage" to open markets for seal products "and have the east coast sealers follow” - as outlined in a 2001 memo from the Department of Foreign Affairs - has backfired. If Canadian Inuit suffer as a result of the EU ban, the blame will lie squarely on the shoulders of the Canadian government and their refusal to distinguish between Inuit subsistence hunting, and Canada's inherently inhumane commercial seal hunt.

If the Government of Canada truly cared about Inuit communities, for whom sealing is an important activity, now is the time to prove it and stop using Inuit as “leverage” to promote the commercial sealing industry.

Unfortunately, most politicians are so concerned with pandering for Atlantic Canadian votes in the next election that they are unlikely to "stand up" for Inuit seal hunters, even when given the opportunity to do so.

Sheryl Fink
Senior Research and Projects Specialist
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
Guelph, Ontario

^{*International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) does not oppose subsistence hunting by Inuit and other aboriginal people.}

The post was written by the International Fund for Animal Welfare's Senior Research and Projects Specialist Sheryl Fink, who is based in Guelph, Ontario. The article was originally published on Straight.com.

An internal government memo recently came to light urging Canada’s agriculture minister, Gerry Ritz, not to join the United States and Europe in banning cat and dog fur imports. Government officials fear that such action could weaken Canada’s position against countries that have banned imports of seal fur products.

The news that cat and dog fur products can be readily purchased in this country likely comes as a shock to many Canadians. Most of us would be repulsed by the idea of wearing Tigger and Fido, even those of us who eat meat and wear leather.

Cat and dog fur is most often used as trim for garments and trinkets. Fur may be dyed, shaved, and otherwise altered so that it bears little resemblance to the animal from which it came. Such fur—if labelled at all—is often mislabeled, since exporting countries are well aware of our reluctance to wear clothing made from cats and dogs.

The article published yesterday in several Sun media outlets is a good indication of a dawning awareness in Canada.- Sheryl Fink adds her comments below.

Finally! People are realizing that commercial sealing in Canada isn't about economic necessity. No, it is about regional politics, and special interest groups such as the Fur Industry that are wielding their power over the federal government when it comes to this issue. How else can we explain the Canadian government's insistence on supporting the seal hunt, when the majority of Canadians are opposed to it?

Unfortunately, Weston's article repeats the government myth that anti-sealing campaigns show whitecoat seals being killed: highly unlikely since any such photos would be at least 20 years old. The truth is that Europeans - and most Canadians - are equally repulsed by the inhumane killing of seal pups of any age, whether it be a 2 week old whitecoat, or a 3 week old "beater" with its silvery-spotted coat (the current seals targetted in Canada's commercial seal hunt).

40 years ago, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) was founded with the goal of ending the cruel commercial seal hunt in Canada.

Now reaching that goal is closer than ever.

The European Parliament voted 550 to 49 to ban the trade of seal products within the EU. This decisive measure truly reflects the will of Europe’s citizenry, and slams the door on the sale of seal products in Europe from this inhumane and unsustainable industry.

In achieving this ban, 7 of Canada’s 10 top export markets, representing 85% of total exports are officially closed for business.

In Canada, some sealers have started to close down shop as well, citing poor pelt prices and lack of buyers. On April 16th of this year, only six “longliner” sealing vessels left port to start the hunt in Newfoundland compared to more than 113 ships active only a few short years ago.

Jack Troake, one of Canada’s most outspoken proponents of the commercial hunt, opted to stay home. With pelt prices having dropped to as little as $15 each, this was clearly an easy and wise decision to make.

The implementation of this ban will have a permanent quantifiable impact on the remaining international trade in the fur of these helpless creatures.

IFAW believes it may be the beginning of the end to the Canadian commercial seal hunt. This landslide vote demonstrates an enormous resolve to institute this ban across Europe as quickly as possible.

However this victory is only for one battle, the war continues to be waged and we need your continued support to help us put an end to the cruelty once and for all…we must now shift our focus back to Canada to support the courage of Senator Mac Harb and his efforts to ban the practice in his own country.

IFAW is calling on everyone to help make a final push and tell the Canadian embassy officials in their countries to end commercial seal hunting forever.

The end is in sight, will you take 5 minutes to help the seals? Please visit www.stopthesealhunt.org right now.

It has long been said that in war, truth is the first casualty, and that certainly applies to the highly political "seal war" that currently rages in Canada and Europe.

An illustrative example is provided by Senator Céline Hervieux-Payette’s letter in the March 25 edition of Embassy in which she attempts to demonize organizations that hold views contrary to her own. When opponents use such tactics—as the Liberals and their former leader know only too well—the facts invariably take a beating.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare's senior researcher Sheryl Fink was on the ice in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence while these photos of sealers working were captured. Her quotes are included in this slide show. For more information please visit http://www.stopthesealhunt.org

Right-click here to download the podcast.

Last night, key European decision-makers and bureaucrats working late in their offices in central Brussels were treated to an unusual spectacle.

Striking footage of newborn seal pups on Canadian ice floes was projected by the International Fund for Animal Welfare near the Commission and other European Union institutions. Why? To reveal the shocking reality that the seals being born this month are amongst those who could be dead in weeks - killed by sealers for their fur pelts, many of which find their way into fashion houses across Europe.

But more positively, we were there to remind MEPs and Ministers (who were that day discussing a ban in the trade of seal products from commercial hunts) that they have a unique chance to deliver a body-blow to commercial seal hunts in Canada and around the world by voting for a full and unconditional EU-wide ban in the trade in seal products. This crucial vote takes place in the European Parliament next month.

The International Herald Tribune is reporting that Russia has pledged to ban the killing of all baby harp seals less than one year old.

Read the article here: http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/27/europe/27seals.php

The International Fund for Animal Welfare's (IFAW) Director in Russia, Masha Vorontsova was quoted in the article as saying ""It should not be confused with an actual ban, remember 35,000 baby seals will still be killed in the White Sea next month unless Russian ministers act swiftly to complete their pledge."

Here, also is a link to IFAW's press release.

How will this move by Putin's government affect the upcoming deliberations of the European Union on their potential seal product ban?

Stay tuned...

Filed by J.C. Bouvier, IFAW Hunt Watch team member, en route to the Isle de Madalein in the Gulf of St. Lawrence...follow his travels and experiences on a seal pup watch this weekend, and IFAW actions in general on Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/action4ifaw

The Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans has finally admitted what IFAW has been saying for years: that the current Marine Mammal Regulations are not in line with the recommendations of veterinarians, and do not meet the  requirements for humane killing as presented in the proposed European ban on  seal products.
 
In response,  they are cynically proposing "tweaks" to the Regulations, that they claim will make the seal hunt more humane and allow Canada to circumvent any EU trade ban. But the proposed changes will do nothing to improve  animal welfare, and shouldn't fool any European policy-maker.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare's  Senior Research Scientist Sheryl Fink was quoted in a widely distributed Canadian Press news article, saying the propsed changes were "completely unacceptable from an animal welfare point of view.”
 
Prior to the  changes being posted in the Canada Gazette, IFAW submitted comments to the DFO, outlining why the amendments are  entirely inadequate, and will do little to improve the way seals are killed  in the course of Canada's commercial seal hunt.

You can read IFAW's comments here.