Major New Report Calls for Seal Import Ban on Moral Grounds
15 November 2005
To coincide with the first official day of the Canadian seal hunt season, Respect for Animals, along with the Humane Society of the United States, today (Tuesday 15 November), launches a major new report, ‘Public Morality and the Canadian Seal Hunt’, and calls on the UK Government to ban the import of all seal products.
The report, by The Revd Prof Andrew Linzey, member of the Faculty of Theology in the University of Oxford – and endorsed by 60 leading academics, theologians and philosophers – argues that the hunt cannot be morally justified, that ‘basic principles of humane slaughter are violated by the hunt: neither ‘immediate unconsciousness’ nor ‘non-recovery’ can be ‘guaranteed’, or even in most cases, regarded as likely.’
The Canadian seal hunt is the largest marine mammal hunt in the world. Almost one million harp and hooded seals have been slaughtered over the last three years. Figures from the last five years show that 96% of the harp seals killed were less than three months of age.
Mark Glover, director, Respect for Animals, says: ‘We believe that the Canadian government is failing in its duty to protect its own wildlife. International governments now have an urgent responsibility to bring pressure to bear to stop this considerable and unnecessary suffering.
‘The evidence of cruelty, and the sheer scale of this hunt, underlines our moral imperative to act. This report makes the case for banning the import of all seal products absolutely compelling. We call on the UK government to act now.’
Over 150 Members of Parliament have already signed Early Day Motion 237, calling on the UK government ‘to prohibit the import of all seal products into the UK’ . Belgium has recently instigated legislation; Italy has indicated its intention to do so. The US banned the trade in 1972. In 1983 the EU banned the import of products from ‘newborn’ seals – but further action is now needed to stop this annual slaughter.
Andrew Linzey adds: ‘Independent veterinary evidence shows that the clubbing and shooting of seals is not humane. The actions of economically competing sealers often violate the basic principles of humane slaughter. No country should allow for its animals to be skinned whilst still conscious’.
‘Animals are sentient beings, they are capable of experiencing pain and we have an ethical obligation to protect them’.
The definition by humane killing, as accepted by the UK government in relation to whales, is the ‘immediate inducing of unconsciousness ... which renders the animal insensible to pain’. Evidence shows that this is not always possible during the seal hunt, especially in such inhospitable conditions.
- Almost one million hooded and harp seals killed during the hunt since 2003; with 317,672 harp seals killed in 2005 alone
- 96% of harp seals killed were under three months of age (figures over a five year period)
- A 2001 veterinary report concluded that the hunt is resulting in ‘considerable and unacceptable suffering’. It detailed:
- Up to 42% of carcasses studied showed there was insufficient evidence to guarantee unconsciousness at time of skinning
- The seal hunt is regarded as a ‘commercial fishery’ by the Canadian government, it is not subsistence hunting
- A recent report (Daoust, August 2005) shows that even the basic three step process of stunning, checking and bleeding, before skinning, cannot be satisfactorily regulated
The EU banned the import of ‘whitecoat’ and ‘blueback’ seal pup products in 1983. The Canadian government, on recommendation of its 1987 Royal Commission, amended its regulations in 1993 to prevent the killing of ‘whitecoats’ and ‘bluebacks’. Now harp seals can be killed legally (and imported in to the EU) as soon as they begin to shed their distinctive white coats, from around 12 days of age.
Article 30 of EU regulations enables countries to take action on the grounds of ‘public morality’; the Belgium government banned seal imports on this basis in January 2004. Under GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) there is an exception (XX(a)) to its free trade policy which states that embargoes could be put into place in order to ‘protect public morals’, which has been understood historically as inclusive of animal welfare issues.
The Amsterdam Treaty 1997 states: ‘to ensure improved protection and respect for the welfare of animals as sentient beings ... the Community and the Member States shall pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals...’
Notes for editors:
Mark Glover, Director, Respect for Animals, The Rev Prof Andrew Linzey and Rebecca Aldworth (a native Newfoundlander) are available for interview.
Public Morality and the Canadian Seal Hunt is published jointly by Respect for Animals in Europe and the Humane Society of the United States in North America. ISBN: 0-9547208-1-4
For further information, copies of the report and to arrange interviews please contact:
Shely Bryan, Respect for Animals: 07710 148957 or 0115 9525440
Download a copy of the report: ‘Public Morality and the Canadian Seal Hunt’ (PDF format).
Download a list of the academics, theologians, scientists and philosophers who have signed on to the report (MS Word format).