While on the radio program “The Fisheries Broadcast” aired on CBC radio, a program listened to by those in the fishing and sealing industries all across Atlantic Canada, one of Canada’s newest members of parliament Ryan Cleary made  a suggestion that made animal rights fanatics across the world drool. When asked by long time show host John Furlong (Who we will get to in a minute, don’t worry) about developments in the Seal Industry, Mr. Cleary stated that it was time we considered ending the hunt. Cleary who served as a journalist for The Independent newspaper for years was formerly known for his support and knowledge of the fishery. Immediately, press releases from anti-sealing animal rights groups stuck the internet praising Mr. Cleary stating that his outlook is the future for Canada. After cashing in on his past and being entrusted with the approval of sealers and fisherman alike, Cleary all but sealed their fate and that of their industries by publicly undermining its value.

It will be the lips of politicians like these that will see the death of rural Newfoundland & Labrador. However, who can be surprised given Mr. Cleary’s new political masters? Despite being thought of as the champion of the fisherman, Mr. Cleary’s elected riding is St. John’s South – Mount Pearl; an urban riding built on the wealth of the oil, retail and tertiary industries. His responsibilities lie with his urban constituents, who given global media such as television and internet probably have more in common with people living in Toronto, New York and Hollywood than their outport neighbours. Lets also not forget that on the other end of  Cleary’s leash is the federal NDP. A party which is provincially a labour party and stands as a pillar for those in the working class, but federally is breeding ground for socialists and hippies who probably consume more soy lattes and tofu than anything from the sea. It’s politicians like these who have let the industry slipped from the million dollar industry it once was, to the shadow of its former self it now is by letting animal rights groups, misinformation, and international trade restrictions carry on without a fight.

Cleary later said his comments were taken out of place, and that he merely meant there should be a public debate about the direction of the industry. He also wore a sealskin vest in public to show his alleged support. For the industry, however, the damage is done. To quote a famous American political phrase “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig”. Animal rights groups have gained momentum and motivation from his words, and those in positions of power may make moves like his hoping to gain support. Commentators on articles on the CBC, Telegram and VOCM website however claim that Mr. Cleary’s political career is done, as he has lost the support of sealers, fishermen, and Newfoundlanders. We here at Animal Wrongs aren’t so sure given his particular riding and its lack of involvement in the industry. We do however love one comment on the telegram article about Cleary’s sealskin vest. “I hope that vest can float Mr. Cleary, because your career is sinking”.

The other individual who we’d like to address is the radio host who interviewed Cleary, Mr. John furlong. Furlong has been the host of CBC’s ‘Fisheries Broadcast’ for years, and is welcomed into the homes of fisherman across Atlantic Canada every evening for news, information, and commentary from call in guests. Despite being supposed to take a non-biased angle to issues in order to bring honest information to listeners , Mr. Furlong over the last year or so has began a downward spiral of pessimism. With every broadcast and story, Furlong sways the conversation to anything that would suggest doom, gloom and a coming apocalypse for the fishing industry. One disappointed listener and former fan of Furlong’s told us that Furlong’s attitude and pessimism basically suggests that everyone in the industry hang up their gear, give it up and go home.

On the subject of the seal industry, during an interview with MP Ryan Cleary (above) Furlong stuck to questions asking about opposition and moves to end the industry, and asked leading questions practically forcing Mr. Cleary’s opinion about possibly ending the hunt out of the man’s mouth. When word had reached Furlong that somebody in the provincial government had suggested the idea that the government stockpile seal pelts for better years as an investment and to offset lack of demand from the global market and keep prices viable, Furlong reported it on his show as if it we’re a solid plan; a conspiracy formed between sealers and government to funnel taxpayer dollars. When reading comments on the web article that soon hit the internet live on his show, Furlong decided to read four or five that we’re strongly opposed, outraged, and misinformed wile only reading one in support. The icing on this cake of betrayal is the crime against sealers and the sealers association which formerly had looked upon Furlong as a friend. When looking for  information on the before-mentioned pelt stockpiling idea, Furlong decided to try and contact leaders of the sealers association while they were in the air and en-route to a trade show in Ottawa and unable to comment at the time. When unable to reach these individuals Furlong described his attempt on his show as if they we’re running and hiding, or conspirators keeping their lips sealed. Furlong then decided the most informed person on the subject would by Sheryl Fink, spokesman and leader for the International Fund for Animal Welfare and most vocal anti-sealing group advocate and leader in the world, who has campaigned against the hunt and spread misinformation since she was old enough to hold a sign.

They say that in the media and news industry that bad news sells. Is this what it is John? A ploy for ratings, popularity and fame? Do you wish to be seen in the future as the prophet that foresaw the end of an industry you formerly supported so well and now abandoned? I guess we should look to actual fishermen and sealer’s for advice on this one; any one of them will tell you that rats jump ship at the first sign of trouble.

As you may or may not know, Russia banned the import of seal products this year despite carrying on a hunt of their own. President Vladmir Putin decided suddenly out of nowhere, without debate in government and without speaking to any member of his government for that matter that dealt with trade and negotiations in the industry.  In the ex-Soviet country where power still lies in the hands of a few, and impulse decisions can be made by slipping a few million dollars of into someone’s pocket behind closed doors it isn’t hard to imagine that animal rights groups with millions in non-taxible, charity raised donations could have orchestrated this move. It appears the two boys who formerly stood behind sealers and fisherman locally have also sold their souls. Lets just hope Mr. Cleary and Mr. Furlong got something out of this other than their 15 minutes in the spotlight, we wouldn’t want to know that treason and betrayal of an entire industry and people would be committed for anything less.

Before the collision, the Ady Gil harassed Japanese whaling vessels during their operations. The crew had towed ropes in an attempt to foul the propellers of the Japanese ships, and permanently disabling them in dangerous and isolated seas. They pointed newly acquired photonic disruptors at the crew of the Shōnan Maru 2 while using a projectile launcher to fire capsules of foul-smelling butyric acid created from rotten butter.

The Ady Gil was originally known as â??The Earthrace Vesselâ?? was originally created as part of a project to break the world record for circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat. It featured several environmentally friendly features, could run on both regular diesel fuel and bio-diesel, and was constructed of â??greenâ?? building materials. This wasnâ??t the ships first controversial accident in 2007 was ill-fated. The boat several times encountered mechanical problems, and collided with a Guatemalan fishing boat, killing one of the other boatâ??s crew.

The injury of the Sea Shepperd Crew member is no big surprise. The SSCS has a long history of placing their volunteer members at risk through their lack of maritime knowledge and incompetence. During trips to the Southern Ocean in a non-ice grade vessel, Captain Paul Watson ordered inexperienced and inadequately equipped deckhands down below into a near inescapable rope locker in an attempt to control any flood waters that may rush in if the ship were to be punctured by ice. During the previous anti-whaling mission the captain ordered the launch of the inflatable craft while traveling in rough whether at full speed, where the launching cable snapped causing the craft to flip over, tossing the crew against the ship and into the frigid antarctic waters. Captain Watson is also to blame by Nyles Bauer, former crew member for not compensating him injuries sustained while on a hunger strike.

This is not the Sea Shepherds first collision at sea. The Sea Shepperdâ??s claim responsibility for the sinking of several Icelandic and Nordic whaling vessels. heir previous ship, the Farley Mowat was involved in a collision with the Canadian Coast Guard, who threatened legal action if they entered Canadian waters. The crew of course returned and was arrested in the Canadian Gulf of St. Lawrence while claiming they were in international waters. They were fined $100,000 and had their vessel impounded and then sold for a mere $5000 as a garbage scow. Their flagship vessel the Steve Irwin was previously involved in a collision with another Japanese Vessel, however no severe damage or injuries were sustained.

Links:
3news – http://www.3news.co.nz/Experts-Ady-Gil-tried-to-cross-Japanese-ships-bow/tabid/417/articleID/136461/Default.aspx
3news video – http://www.3news.co.nz/Experts-Ady-Gil-tried-to-cross-Japanese-ships-bow/tabid/313/articleID/136461/Default.aspx
Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ady_Gil
Official Earthrace website – http://www.earthrace.net/

(Click images to enlarge)

Despite what animal rights organizations and radical activists would have you believe, the harp seal is not an endangered animal nor is it’s population on the decline. Since the 1970′s the population of harp seals in the North Atlantic has not only increased, it has tripled. The last survey conducted by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans reported the harp seal population at a record high 5.8 million animals.

With worldwide attention being brought to the collapse of the North Atlantic fish stocks by the media and by documentaries such as ‘The End of the Line” , it is crucial to identify one of the largest consumers and threats to the recovery of the stocks. Each harp seal consumes between 1 and 1.4 metric tonnes of fish each year, and with the exploding population of 5.8 million animals that translates to a consumption of at least 6 million metric tonnes of fish each year. This means that now while the fish stocks are in crisis, the record breaking seal population is consuming more fish than ever before in recorded history, and is not only a threat to the fish, but to its own sustainability.

To put this into perspective, Canada, a world leader in the management, consumption, and export of fish stocks only harvests 0.9 million metric tonnes annually, which includes both coasts (Atlantic and Pacific). The European Union, which has criticized the seal hunt and recently banned the import of  seal products, was identified by the World Wildlife Fund to be the main offender in a 70% increase of destructive cod by-catch. At the 2007 annual meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization the WWF pushed for a cod recovery strategy that included setting a bycatch reduction target of 40 per cent for southern Grand Banks cod. The 40 per cent target was equivalent to a fishing mortality of 420 tonnes, which is estimated to be the maximum the population could withstand to still have some chance of recovery. Unfortunately, a total of 713 tonnes of bycatch was taken in 2008. Of that amount, the EU was responsible for 444 tonnes. These statistics do not account misreporting and illegal activity, which the EU, particularly Spain, has been accused of multiple times in the last 3 decades. Once again, to put this in perspective, â??lowâ? numbers for cod-consumption by harp seals suggest that this species makes up 4% of their diet â?? at the numbers provided, this comes out to 240,000 MT of cod consumed.

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognize the sustainable use of wild animal populations to be a cornerstone of their health and conservation. They have placed the harp seal on their list of “Least Concern”. Despite accusations of being cruel and inhumane, the hunting methods Eastern Canadian sealers employ are effective and humane, as shown in veterinary studies carried out by members of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (2002), the Independent Veterinary Working Group (2005), and the European Union’s own Food Safety Authority (2007). In the latest study on the effectiveness of the methods used in the seal hunt, the methods used were proven to be around 95% and 96% efficient, higher than any other harvest of animals in the world.

Seals provide essential income and wild food to rural people, such as fishermen, to diversify their living at a time of year when employment opportunities are extremely limited. Sealers have stated that their income from sealing can represent from 25-35% of their total income.

Seals are used for their fat, meat and organs as well as their hides. With heart disease being the number one killer in North America, there has been promising research done by scientists using the valves from seal hearts. This research which is aiming towards repairing damaged human hearts using seal heart valves has the potential to save millions of lives.

Links:

Wikipedia -Harp Seal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harp_Seal

Wikipedia -Seal Hunting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_hunting

Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Seal FAQ http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/seal-phoque/faq-eng.htm

Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Seal Facts http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/seal-phoque/reports-rapports/facts-faits/facts-faits2008-eng.htm

Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Seal Myths Debunked http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/seal-phoque/myth-eng.htm

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – European Union Main Offender in Overfishing Cod http://wwf.ca/newsroom/?3600

IUCN Redlist â?? Harp Seal listing, species â??of least concernâ? http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41671/0

What can you do?

- Sign the Petition for a Universal Declaration on the Ethical Harvest of Seals www.sealsonline.org

- Go to Facebook and join the group “I Support the Seal Hunt“