Some hope for the end of this brutal business.
Strategy for Success: As the Hunt Approaches, Support for Seals Grows
©2005 HSUS/Brian Skerry
As the start date of the 2006 Canadian seal hunt draws closer, HSUS's ProtectSeals campaign continues working worldwide to prove to the Canadian government and the fisheries industry that the economic costs of its annual commercial seal slaughter are far too high for the hunt to continue.
There is reason to hope that the baby seals may be left in peace on their birthing grounds this spring. More and more people and companies are joining our Canadian seafood boycott, Greenland has banned imports of Canadian seal products, and the anti-seal hunt Conservative Party has recently won power in Canada. Read on to learn more about these developments, and about what The HSUS continues to do this winter to protect seals.
Greenland Says No to Canadian Seal Products
In January 2006, DR, the leading Danish television station, aired footage of the 2005 Canadian commercial seal hunt obtained by The HSUS. The footage sparked a massive public outcry in Denmark and its protectorate, Greenland. Denmark's Minister of Justice, Lene Espersen, told the national press how deeply the footage had disturbed her, and a few hours later, a letter from Greenland's government announced the decision to stop imports of seal skins from Canada. Because Denmark and Greenland provide one of the larger markets for Canada's seal pelts, and traditionally purchase between 15 and 20% of the fur skins, the decision deals a wounding blow to the profitability of any future hunts.
Election Results Could Be Good News for Seals
Canada's federal election recently turned Canada's political environment on its head, and the historic changes may prove more fertile ground to save the seals. The Conservative Party of Canada—the only major federal party in Canada to have ever opposed the commercial seal hunt—won the election, and installed Conservative leader Stephen Harper as Canada's new prime minister. With the changes, ProtectSeals is optimistic about the potential for working with the new administration to abolish the commercial seal hunt.
A Growing Boycott Cuts into Profits
The list of restaurants and seafood businesses that have signed the ProtectSeals pledge to limit or eliminate their purchases of Canadian seafood has grown to more than 300. They are joined by nearly 140,000 individuals.
The ProtectSeals campaign continues pushing to bring new restaurants on board and to spotlight businesses that join our campaign. In the last few weeks alone, more than 25 Los Angeles restaurants have joined the campaign. And we encourage everyone who cares about seals to ask the restaurants and seafood retailers in their area to sign the Canadian seafood boycott pledge at www.protectseals.org.
Bans Blossom in Europe
The United States banned the trade in seal products in 1972, and there is almost no market for seal products in Canada. Almost all Canadian seal skins are shipped to Europe for processing and resale, and several European nations besides Denmark are now taking steps to ban those shipments. At the forefront is Belgium, which has already banned the import of all seal products. The HSUS is working with our partners in the Fur Free Alliance to ensure European governments have accurate information about the horrors of the seal hunt, as well as the tools they need to end the trade in seal products forever.
Spreading the News in Newfoundland
The Canadian government is publicly denying the economic effects of the Canadian seafood boycott. In order to ensure that North Atlantic fishing communities are aware the seal hunt will cut into profits, not increase them, ProtectSeals will roll out a major radio and print advertising campaign in Newfoundland over the next several months. "We plan to tell the truth: that the boycott is strong, it is growing, and fishermen need to take it seriously because there will be devastating financial ramifications for the North Atlantic fishing community if the seal hunt is allowed to continue," said ProtectSeals Campaign Director, Pat Ragan.
International Day of Action for the Seals
On March 15, groups around the world will gather outside their local Canadian Embassies. Last year's Day of Action successfully brought together activists from around the United States and the world. As the Day of Action approaches, continue to check www.protectseals.org for more information.
The HSUS Will Bear Witness
ProtectSeals still hopes that the campaign will turn the tide before this year's hunt. But if the government allows the slaughter to begin again in late March, we are preparing to send a team to the ice to witness the hunt again. We will deploy our entire team of hunt experts, writers, and videographers to the ice to document the suffering and killing—and we will make sure the entire world sees the truth about Canada's cruel seal hunt.
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Originally Posted by rg_girlca
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