Animal Advocates Watchdog

The IMCO Opinion will go forward to plenary weeks from now

http://www.sys-con.com/node/859835

CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND -- (Marketwire) -- 03/02/09 --
Humane Society International Canada congratulated the Internal Markets
and Consumer Protection Committee of the European Parliament for
voting in favour of a strong prohibition on trade in seal products in
the European Union. The IMCO Opinion will go forward to plenary weeks
from now.

"This vote marks a critical victory in the campaign to save millions
of seals worldwide from cruel slaughter," said Rebecca Aldworth,
director of HSI Canada. "The will of Europeans, their parliamentarians
and EU member states is clear: the European Parliament must act now to
pass a strong prohibition on trade in seal products."

Canada's commercial seal kill is the largest slaughter of marine
mammals on Earth, with hundreds of thousands of baby seals killed
annually for their fur. The overwhelming majority of Canadians are
opposed to the commercial seal hunt and so the vast majority of seal
products are exported to Europe for resale in fashion markets. Sealing
industry representatives in Canada have stated than an EU prohibition
on seal product trade could spell the end of commercial seal hunting
in Canada.

Veterinarians have studied Canada's commercial seal hunt for five
decades and have consistently found unacceptable levels of suffering.
Veterinary experts say commercial seal hunting is inherently inhumane
because of the remote, extreme environments in which hunts operate and
the speed at which they must be conducted. This is a primary reason
why nations around the world are taking action on behalf of their
citizens to end their trade in seal products.

The Protect Seals team is on Canada's East Coast to visit the
spectacular harp seal nursery.

"Being here to witness the births of these magnificent animals and
knowing there is finally hope that this horrible slaughter may soon be
brought to an end is a tremendous experience," said Aldworth.

Facts

- Ninety-seven percent of the seals killed in Canada are pups less
than three months of age. At the time of slaughter many have yet to
take their first swim or eat their first solid meal and they are
utterly defenceless.

- Sealers are commercial fishermen who earn the vast majority of their
annual incomes from sources other than sealing. In 2008, the landed
value of Canada's commercial seal hunt was less than 7 million dollars.

- Independent scientists warn that current kill levels - paired with
the impacts of global warming on these ice-dependent animals - pose a
long term threat to the survival of the seal populations.

- Sixty-seven percent of Canadians holding an opinion support foreign
nations prohibiting their trade in seal products.

- In recent years, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovenia, and have either prohibited
their trade in seal products or announced their intentions to do so.

- In 2006, 425 Members of the European Parliament called for a strong
prohibition on seal product trade.

Messages In This Thread

Good News: Canadian Senator may introduce legislation to end seal hunt
Bad News: Carries no legal obligation on government
Good News: EU to vote today on ban parameters
Rotten tomato award - Minister of Fisheries and Oceans defends "hard-working" sealers
That's how democracy works Jack!
Good News: European Parliament committee approved the proposal
Bad News: Exempts Inuit
The IMCO Opinion will go forward to plenary weeks from now
Please email your Senators *LINK*
In Response to seal hunt email campaign, government shuts down email servers *LINK*
Putin condemns hunting of baby seals
Re: Putin condemns hunting of baby seals
"It's a bloody industry." Putin condemns hunting of adult seals
Canadian senator makes futile bid to ban seal hunt

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