Boycott Over Seal Slaughter
Aggressive measures are beginning to take
shape in an effort to end the senseless slaughter of seals
Canadian Seal Cull - MP
Protests
North Thanet`s MP, Roger Gale,
President of the Conservative Animal Welfare Group has today
(Tuesday 15th March) joined campainers from Sea Shepherd and
Respect at the Canada House to protest against the annual
seal cull off Prince Edward Island which is now due to
commence at the end of this month.
Roger Gale, who has visted PEI
and seen the cull for himself at close quarters said at the
gathering:
"In 1999 the seal population was
estimated at 5.5 million animals and nearly a million have
been killed since 2000. Driving the hunt - which has little
to do with the conservation of seals or fish stocks - is the
steep rise in the value of seal pelts. The price has more
than tripled over the past ten years from $20 to $70
dollarrs due to contemporary fashion and the sad resurgence
in the wearing of real-fur clothing.
The method of clubbing seals
with a hakapik - which I have witnessed - is a little short
of barbaric way of killing an animal. It is claimed that
Canadian fishermen are "expert" in the use of this weapon
but the rate of slaughter is so fast that frequently the
young animals are still alive when they are skinned".
Last year about 5000 hunters
took 365,000 seals, ranging in age from just 20 to 60 days.
Animal welfare organisations are
now uniting to urge a boycott of Canadian fish and seafood
products worldwide. The intention, described by the Ministry
of Fisheries and Oceans as "blackmail", is to bring home to
the hunters and to the Canadian government the message that
this slaughter is simply no longer acceptable. (ENDS)
Contact Roger Gale 07623 978479
Darren Collis, Sea
Shepherd 07986-891154
