# Clubbing Seals



## Brian G Turner (Apr 12, 2004)

Well, if they want to make a point of supplying a trendy new fur trade - then let them be plain about it.

 But claiming that seals are threatening commercial fish stocks - which have been severely depleted by human over-fishing and mis-management - is a nasty little lie I hope no one is planning on buying.

*Canada set for mass seal hunting*

 The largest single seal hunt in half a century begins in Canada on Monday.The government is allowing more than 300,000 seals to be killed this year, many of them in a 36-hour mass cull.

The hunting of young seals for their fur almost stopped off Canada's east coast 25 years ago in the face of international outrage.

Animal rights groups are hoping to sway international opinion against the hunt, but Canadian officials say it is now both humane and necessary.

The seal hunt in Newfoundland and Labrador withered 25 years ago as brutal images of men clubbing infant seals horrified the world. 

 The US banned imports of seal products in 1972 and the EU followed suit a decade later with a ban on white pelt imports, taken from the youngest babies.  As a result, the Canadian government reduced quotas for seal hunting to as low as 15,000 annually - mainly for meat and local handicraft. 

But with fur again in fashion the hunt is back.   

Last year Canada increased the quotas again, allowing a million seals to be killed over the next three years.



 More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3618901.stm


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## Foxbat (Apr 12, 2004)

Yeah! The Seals have got some nerve eating all our fish  

The same attitude prevails over here unfortunately.
Seriously though. I understand that, sometimes there's a need for a cull in certain species (although normally the need is caused by our interference in the natural order of things in the first place). But it's a bit disgusting that we have to kill other animals because they have the audacity to eat the same things as us. IMO the only people with the right to kill Seals are the indigenous peoples who have always relied on them for many things (not just fashion).


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## dwndrgn (Apr 12, 2004)

I'm too outraged by this kind of thing to even comment. However, it reminds me of something else I've been meaning to post here since quite a few of you seem to share my sympathies in these types of situations. The below links are to advertiser-supported relief groups. You can click on them daily and each click helps. I'll admit that I sort of cheat by clicking once from my home pc and once from my work pc. I also try to visit the advertisers and have found that their products make very nice, unique gifts for family and friends - if you are so inclined. The sites all have one pop-up per click, I've noticed so if that will bother you, don't click. Oh, and one more thing, I'm not afiliated with these groups in any way except to believe in what they are doing. So ends dwndrgn's public service message of the day  

http://www.ecologyfund.com/ecology/_ecology.html

http://www.therainforestsite.com

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

http://www.thehungersite.com/

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

http://www.thechildhealthsite.com


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## Brian G Turner (Apr 12, 2004)

Culling is one issue - but what gets me about the seal clubbing is that it's a fur profit exercise only. 

 The "eating our fish" excuse is pathetic - unles the Canadian government is going to claim that it was the seals that wiped out NewFoundland Cod, rather than rampant overfishing and mismanagement.


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## erickad71 (Apr 14, 2004)

dwndrgn I borrowed the "animal rescue site" and posted it on a dog breed forum I visit regularly. Hope you don't mind.

The baby seal story just sickens me!


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## dwndrgn (Apr 14, 2004)

erickad71 said:
			
		

> dwndrgn I borrowed the "animal rescue site" and posted it on a dog breed forum I visit regularly. Hope you don't mind.
> 
> The baby seal story just sickens me!


Not at all - the more clicks the better.  Thanks for spreading the word.


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## Ahdkaw (Apr 15, 2004)

This is disgusting. And only a matter of weeks ago, I thought most Canadians were peace-loving, nice folk, but to have this situation happening with the Canadian Government backing it, has reduced my nice thoughts about Canada to nasty ones.

Why use clubs? If there is such a problem with over-population why not use guns? Surely it is far more humane.

Hey, I have an idea, the human population is out of control, why don't we start culling them? One rule for the humans, another for every other creature. Hypocrisy is too rife in our world.


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## dwndrgn (Apr 15, 2004)

Ahdkaw said:
			
		

> Why use clubs? If there is such a problem with over-population why not use guns? Surely it is far more humane.


I believe it is to preserve the fur.



			
				Ahdkaw said:
			
		

> Hey, I have an idea, the human population is out of control, why don't we start culling them? One rule for the humans, another for every other creature. Hypocrisy is too rife in our world.


Stories like these put me pretty darned close to thinking like the above statement.


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## littlemissattitude (Apr 17, 2004)

Excuse me?  Clubbing is _humane_?  I doubt those who make that assertion would think it was humane if someone came along and hit _them_ over the head with a baseball bat.


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## dwndrgn (Apr 17, 2004)

littlemissattitude said:
			
		

> Excuse me? Clubbing is _humane_? I doubt those who make that assertion would think it was humane if someone came along and hit _them_ over the head with a baseball bat.


Let's try it on them, shall we?  People like that have such a small world view that they probably wouldn't understand why we'd want to give them a goose egg on the forehead.

There's a world of difference between providing basic needs by living on what nature provides and exploiting the natural world to enrich yourself.  Stuff like this and puppy mills and argghhh I'm too angry to stay in this topic.  Preserve the fish, my backside.  Phttttt!


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## Ahdkaw (Apr 17, 2004)

littlemissattitude said:
			
		

> Excuse me?  Clubbing is _humane_?  I doubt those who make that assertion would think it was humane if someone came along and hit _them_ over the head with a baseball bat.


Erm, I'm confused, I can't see it being said anywhere that clubbing is humane (even in the BBC article). Or am I missing something?

EDIT: Oops, yes, there, I see it now. The Canadian Government said that. They _are_ quite bonkers though, Canadian politicians...


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## nemogbr (Apr 17, 2004)

Everyone knows the reason is complete b*ll*cks if you don't mind me saying. The same way the Japanese use Scientific research for hunting whales.
These animals are nearly extinct and they insist on hunting them.

I would have to say that I eat meat and I know that it is killed for my dinner plate. I also use leather products and I know it doesn't grow on trees.

With the synthetic materials available, I don't think there's a need to kill animals for their fur.


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