Grey Seal Halichoerus gyrpus
Seals are vulnerable to illegal exploitation due to competition from fisherman, the use of their pelts for the fashion trade, blubber, oil and food value. Seal hunting has been a big commercial business since the 18th century.
Seal numbers may not be a concern for all species but there is evidence that seals are not as healthy as they used to be with a lot less fat and a lower pregnancy rate than a few decades ago. Seals are also vulnerable to the recent climate change and its effect on the oceans. This could all lead to a rapid decline in seal populations.
They are not listed on Schedule 5 of WACA81 unless listed as a Special Area of Scientific Interest (SSSI) but are protected under other legislation such as:
Conservation of Seals Act 1970
Marine Mammal Protection Act 1972
Convention on Migratory Species
Marine Resticted Zones
IUCN Red List
The conservation of Seals Act 1970 protects Grey Seals during the close season. The close season refers to the time of year when it is an offence to take or kill any seal except under licence as it coincides with the pupping season. James Stewart has been found guilty of violating legislation surrounding seals in Scotland.
The Conservation of Seals Order 1999 prohibits the killing or injuring of Grey and Common species through much of the territorial waters of England. However the 1970 Act provides an exception which makes it lawful to kill a seal to prevent it from causing damage to a fishing net or tackle or to any fish in the net, providing the seal is in the vicinity of the net or tackle at the time. The police and Natural England have the power to prosecute if the offence occurs in territorial waters.
Harp Seals pagophilus groenlandicus
The commercial seal hunt in Canada runs from the 15th November until the 15th May. Canada exports around several million dollars worth of seal products to the European Union each year.
However in May 2009 the European Union voted for a ban on the import of seal products which should close the market for Canada's commercial seal hunt, this regulation should go into effect in 2010. Canada, Iceland and Norway are in dispute with the World Trade Organisation over this prohibitation and importation of seal products.
Do the EU have a right to do this?
It is hoped that this ban will decrease the market for pelts therefore decreasing the price and lead to a decrease in hunting. Sealers in Nunavet have already lost a lot of trade with many pelts being sent back to them and prices ranging from $25 to $30 rather than $50 to $70.
Russia have banned killing seals under one year old.
What drives seal conservation? Biodiversity or animal rights?
The seals on the IUCN Red list have a mixture of statuses ranging from least concern to critically endangered. The seals that are hunted in Canada - Harp Seals mainly for the Italian fashion market, are of least concern. As are Grey Seals. Grey seals and Common seals are listed on Annex II and Annex V of the Habitats Directive.
However Grey seals are vulnerable to getting caught in fishing gear as by-catch, oil spills, agricultural pollutants from their food chain and health effecxts from PCBs and DDT.
Harp Seals are vulnerable to climate change as they rely on ice habitats for pupping, moulting and resting. By-catch mortality can be high and due to their foodstocks being over harvested and oceanographic changes they are having to move to other areas for food. Oil spills, tanker traffic and contaminants also threaten this species along with unsustainable quotas and subsistence hunts in places such as Newfoundland and Nunavet.
There is a lot of footage from the Canadian hunts which are only allowed to kill seals that are over 12 days old. From a humane point of view many of the seals are left wounded after several attempts to shoot a seal in the water. A seal pelt is deducted by $2 at the sealskin processing plant for each bullet hole formed, therefore fisherman do not really want to shoot more than once and will leave the wounded seal to sink and suffer. Some are skinned alive after being clubbed and not easily killed, some are killed too young and with illegal weapons. More on the Canadian Seal hunt here.
If a seal can't be shot properly should they be using this method of killing the seals?
Are the sealers trained to kill them humanely?
Why is so much footage of the seal hunt confiscated?
If they are hunting sustainably have they thought of the fish they are catching and realising that these are declining in health and numbers?
The inuits are allowed to kill seals, they rely on their pelts for warm clothes and the meat as a food source. I would expect them to use traditional ways of killing the seals and take only what they need. However they are allowed to sell the pelts but due to the EU derogation of allowing aboriginals to hunt there is a limit regarding the amount for retail.
Other wildlife crime topics covered in my degree:
Species at Risk: Bats
The Illegal Wildlife Trade
Bees
Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPS)
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA81)
Twelve Fish Protected Under WCA81
Breeding and/or Catching Animals for fur: Debate
Traditional Alternative Medicines (TAMs)
Seals
Environmental Ethics and Ecopsychology
The Climate Change Conference 2009
Biological Diversity
Conservation Strategies
Conventions, Legislation and Contributing Bodies
Example Papers of Forensic Analysis used in Wildlife Crimes
Researching Wildlife Crime - My Research Idea
Climate Change Affecting Wildlife
Coral Reefs
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